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03-12-2007, 06:23 PM
| | | | is there a rule of thumb for setting the height for best bass positioning?
hey... is there a rule of thumb for setting the height for best bass positioning? I just got a beat up old upright to start myself off.... of course I've been playing it all afternoon and the back is starting to give out, how should I set it... it sounds OK (I guess considering I'm a beginner on the upright) but the body is rocked... I hope it was a good buy for $300.00, it's a laminate and is peeling up.... and to be honest my wife is looking to give it a coat of paint... is that ok??? It says Antonius... which I've come to find out means.... cheap... but what the hell. any advice would be great... Thanks
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03-12-2007, 06:27 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | | Yes, there is. |
03-12-2007, 06:29 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | | Sorry, kidding.... generally, you adjust the endpin so the nut is about at eyebrow level. Your mileage may vary, so play with it until it feels comfortable. Welcome to the dark side!
PS...if your back is hurting, just try to square off with the back of the bass as best you can, and make sure you're not supporting it too much with your hands. Small doses at first, just like any new exercise. It should almost balance by itself. Find a pro bassist to give you a few pointers, just so you don't hurt yourself.
PSS... tell your wife to get away from your bass with that spray can, and go paint the fence instead! A $300 bass is supposed to look like crap....
Last edited by Marcus Johnson : 03-12-2007 at 06:39 PM.
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03-12-2007, 07:09 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: Hipshot Products and SIT Strings | | Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: St. Louis | | | Not that I adhere, but the rule of thumb is this. Sit and play, comfortably. When you stand up, the bass should not change positions. I got that when I studied under Bunny Brunel. Credit where credit is due.
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Eric Grossman
bassist for K's Choice
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03-12-2007, 07:14 PM
|  | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Grossman  Not that I adhere, but the rule of thumb is this. Sit and play, comfortably. When you stand up, the bass should not change positions. I got that when I studied under Bunny Brunel. Credit where credit is due. |  When I stand up, the endpin position has to change! What am I missing?
Edit-- Endpin length, that is.
Last edited by drurb : 03-12-2007 at 09:18 PM.
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03-12-2007, 07:20 PM
| | crosswind downwind bass | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tacoma WA | | | Does Bunny do DB? I thought he was BG. |
03-12-2007, 07:27 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Grossman Not that I adhere, but the rule of thumb is this. Sit and play, comfortably. When you stand up, the bass should not change positions. I got that when I studied under Bunny Brunel. Credit where credit is due. | Try Google maps, cuz brotha, you lost. |
03-12-2007, 07:35 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicago | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson Sorry, kidding.... generally, you adjust the endpin so the nut is about at eyebrow level. Your mileage may vary, so play with it until it feels comfortable. Welcome to the dark side! | I aim for the nut at hairline level. I like the bass a little high. Like Marcus said. Play with it until you get comfy. |
03-12-2007, 07:49 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Eugene, Oregon | | | DB or EB?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eric Grossman Sit and play, comfortably. When you stand up, the bass should not change positions. | I have heard this applied to EB, not DB.
I was using my DB with the nut at about mid-forehead level, which was okay for pizz. Then my teacher suggested that I bow closer to the bridge. To do this, I found that I was bending a bit at the waist (which hurt my back), so I raised the bass up a notch on the end pin.
At my next lesson, I asked my teacher about the proper height. He said that one rule of thumb (no pun intended) was to let your arm hang down with the back of the hand facing the bass bridge. The bridge should be at about the level of the ends of the metacarpal bones (this is where your fingers meet the palm of your hand). It worked for me.
See the following picture:
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03-12-2007, 09:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: outside of Los Angeles | | Quote:
Originally Posted by D McCartney Does Bunny do DB? I thought he was BG. | According to the info on his web site, Bunny has been playing UB since 1974, when he designed an EUB. You can read about it here: http://www.cyberschoolofbass.com/basses.html
I also read somewhere that he's looking to manufacture his design for sale to the public.
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03-12-2007, 09:24 PM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by low.eadg At my next lesson, I asked my teacher about the proper height. He said that one rule of thumb (no pun intended) was to let your arm hang down with the back of the hand facing the bass bridge. The bridge should be at about the level of the ends of the metacarpal bones (this is where your fingers meet the palm of your hand). It worked for me. | Okay, I just had to try this right after I read it. I adjusted my endpin to its usual height and that's right about where the bridge ended up! Seems to work, at least for me. |
03-12-2007, 09:49 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by low.eadg The bridge should be at about the level of the ends of the metacarpal bones (this is where your fingers meet the palm of your hand). It worked for me. | This would be assuming that each bassist body has exact muscular- skeletal proportions and cultural posturing......and that every bass is constructed exactly the same?
Of course your teacher said that "ONE rule of thumb" is this method you described. Another rule of thumb is "One size does not fit all!"  |
03-12-2007, 10:36 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by fingers I aim for the nut at hairline level. |  Hmnn. This is getting disgusting. Quote:
Originally Posted by fingers I like the bass a little high. | Ah, does it get the munchies too? Quote:
Originally Posted by fingers Like Marcus said. Play with it until you get comfy. | OK now you've done it.
I don't even have to go there do I. |
03-12-2007, 11:07 PM
| | crosswind downwind bass | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Tacoma WA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Rayzorx According to the info on his web site, Bunny has been playing UB since 1974, when he designed an EUB. You can read about it here: http://www.cyberschoolofbass.com/basses.html
I also read somewhere that he's looking to manufacture his design for sale to the public. | Sure 'nuff. He is seated in the photo. If he stands up, it seems that he would be higher in relation to the fingerboard. |
03-13-2007, 02:36 AM
|  | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Quote:
Originally Posted by low.eadg I was using my DB with the nut at about mid-forehead level, which was okay for pizz. Then my teacher suggested that I bow closer to the bridge. To do this, I found that I was bending a bit at the waist (which hurt my back), so I raised the bass up a notch on the end pin.
At my next lesson, I asked my teacher about the proper height. He said that one rule of thumb (no pun intended) was to let your arm hang down with the back of the hand facing the bass bridge. The bridge should be at about the level of the ends of the metacarpal bones (this is where your fingers meet the palm of your hand). It worked for me.
See the following picture: | This seems a very precise measurement!
Which actually changes depending on how much you lean the bass into you ....
So - I have noticed how when I see the Jazz pros each week at my local Jazz club, there is huge variation in how much they lean the bass - the angle.
A tall man - say over 6'2" - seems to have the bass more or less upright.
Whereas shorter men or women tend to lean the bass into them with varying angles - this makes that rule described, a bit of a lottery....? 
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03-13-2007, 02:39 AM
| | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | | I'm also thinking that surely this would vary depending on anatomy. So although I am nearly 6' tall, my arms are pretty short and I have along body. Whereas I notice other players with a short body but long limbs?
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“Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity.”
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03-13-2007, 06:57 AM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by mrpc This would be assuming that each bassist body has exact muscular- skeletal proportions and cultural posturing......and that every bass is constructed exactly the same? |
Well, not really. The "rule" for what it's worth, would have you adjust the height of the bass so that the bridge falls in that position regardless of the proportions of the individual. The idea, I believe, is to have the hand in proper relation to the bridge for bowing. That said, it certainly is not the case that "one size fits all." |
03-13-2007, 07:03 AM
| | Oracle, Ancient Order of Rass Hattur | | Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Connecticut | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield This seems a very precise measurement!
Which actually changes depending on how much you lean the bass into you ....
So - I have noticed how when I see the Jazz pros each week at my local Jazz club, there is huge variation in how much they lean the bass - the angle.
A tall man - say over 6'2" - seems to have the bass more or less upright.
Whereas shorter men or women tend to lean the bass into them with varying angles - this makes that rule described, a bit of a lottery....? | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield I'm also thinking that surely this would vary depending on anatomy. So although I am nearly 6' tall, my arms are pretty short and I have along body. Whereas I notice other players with a short body but long limbs? | As stated in my comment above, I believe this "rule" is meant to hold despite this variation. Go ahead and lean the bass how you lean it. The idea is that when you let your arm drop, the bridge falls in that position. I am not necessarily advocating for this rule at all. I'm just trying to give it its due.
By the way, taller folks having the bass more upright and shorter folks leaning it in would, as a rule (  ), make sense only if the endpin was stuck. I have seen what you describe when the player was so short relative to the bass that it had to be leaned in even with the endpin all the way down. |
03-13-2007, 07:17 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Chicago | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncletoad Hmnn. This is getting disgusting. Ah, does it get the munchies too? OK now you've done it.
I don't even have to go there do I. | <rim shot>
Toady will be here all week. Make sure to tip your waitress. |
03-13-2007, 07:27 AM
| | Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor | | Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Brighton, England, UK, Europe | | Quote:
Originally Posted by drurb As stated in my comment above, I believe this "rule" is meant to hold despite this variation. Go ahead and lean the bass how you lean it. | Well I did try it when I wrote that - it's only a small difference maybe a few inches - but there is definitely a difference when I lean my bass closer to me and when I hold it perfectly upright!
It may be a good rule of thumb - but I was just saying that I don't think you can be as accurate as "low.eadg" was saying...?
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