Which hand keeps the bass angled while playing?

[MistaMarko]

While standing with your bass on, after you let go, the bass falls down and becomes at a horizontal angle, parallel to the ground. Whenever you begin to play, you grab the neck and position your right hand so that the bass is at an angle, with the neck higher than the body.

My question is, which hand should be the one to 'hold' it in place at this angle..should your left thumb 'push' the neck upward so that the bass is angled, or should your right arm/wrist push downward on the body so that it is angled..?

[FrizzleFry]

I think it's a question of preference, I play with my bass for Horizontal then vert, Straight sticking out, But when I need it tilted I just adjust it and it sit like that. I think that's how it should me, You my friend are experiencing neck dive!

[uethanian]

your bass should not fall to the horizontal when you let go. it should stay where you put it. first thing you can do is get a nice thick strap with some grip on it. after that well...i've put new strap buttons in a bass, and it was no better than the original way...actually, tomorrow i'm going to pick up some scuba weights and put them on the strap (near the butt end) to act as a counterbalance.

but yea i know, its not very likely that your bass sits perfectly on your body and stays that way. if you need to hold it up, it really depends on what your right hand technique is. if you anchor your thumb on the pickup, its not hard to push the body down with the arm. buuut if you use movable anchor or floating thumb, then you really cant avoid holding up the neck.

[Valerus]

The beauty of non-nylon straps, the bass doesn't move when you let go!

[Sarah5string]

I don't suffer from neck dive but my guess would be is that is should be the bit between your thumb and your first fingers that supports the neck.
As others have said.. get a strap with more grip.. or a bass with a lighter headstock

[jollygiantchris]

the bass shouldn't move at all when you let go of it get a new strap or your bass is poorly balanced

[AlphaMale]

The Strap hand.



And no I'm not serious. the strap holds it.

[fenderhutz]

Is it a Warwick? Thumb?

[Nikoubis]

Or a T-Bird?

[MistaMarko]

Cirrus 5 BXP.

[LM Bass]

Sounds like a bad case of neck-dive. Your hands shouldn't hold the bass neck up, that can lead to wrist problems, and generally has a negative affect on everything you play.

I'd look for a bass that hangs in a neutral position, so you don't have to hold it up at all. You might also try moving the bridge-end strap button up a bit and see if that helps. Means you have to drill the bass though.

L

[irvinz]

yeah,. move the strap button. it will hurt ur hands imho if u hold it up too much

[seanm]

Well, it can't be the fretting hand, or how will you get your beer while playing Roadhouse Blues?

[MistaMarko]

Well, realized it was my strap. Was using a crappy 5$ basic strap, and just switched it out with a better one, and it didn't neck dive.

Thanks guys.