Neck diving and playing technique....

[43apples]

Well, after playing my P-bass for a few hours yesterday, i realized that i got a problem. All of my basses got heavier necks than bodies, and therefore tends to neck dive. To prevent the neck dive, this is what i have tried:

1. Supporting the neck with my left (fretting) hand. This keeps the stress of my right hand, but makes it very hard to move my fretting hand around.

2. Supporting the body with my right (picking) hand, laying my right arm over the edge of the body. This gives me the dreaded 90* angle on my wrist, and makes it very hard to reach down to the B string. But, it keeps the weight of my fretting hand.

3. Anchoring my thumb in the pickup with such force that it keeps the body from rising upwards (neck dive). This didn't work too well, since i have to move my thumb around while playing.

4. Having to stand up while playing, and using a strap that's designed to NOT slide, and in that way keeping the bass in a good angle. The problem with this, is that standing up is tiresome after a while, and i don't yet have a strap that's "sticky" enough to stay in the right positon.


So, how do you solve this problem? Any input would be appreciated.

-Erlend

[Erick Lam]

Higher anchor point at the back of the bass (mine is even higher than most bass):



This means drilling into your baby. You just have to remember it's an inanimate object. It will transform your plain Fender into a custom bass.

[43apples]

Well, i might have to try that if nothing else works

Thanks,
-Erlend

[PrimusNut]

I used to play a cheapy Pbass that had worse neck dive than you can imagine... I just adjusted my right hand technique so that my forearm rested against the body, but whithought forming a bad angle for my wrist. You can also just rest your wrist on the body, as apposed to anchoring your thumb on a pickup.

[OldG]

On my Tokai Jazz, I went for the higher back anchor point combined with moving the front button round under the horn.

It's nearly there - a set of hipshot ultralite tuners will finish the job, although its almost playable now. Unfortunately I tend to balance by pressing my hand against the body - and this causes extra pressure on the strap and my shoulder which numbs me after any length of time, which means I can only use it live for limited periods (until I get the cash for some ultralites).

[lomo]

I hate to say it, but my suggestion is to get another instrument unless you can remedy the balance issue. For me, a bass that doesn't sit well both strapped AND seated just isn't a keeper :-(