Using the strap over the bass?

[Hiromakuta]

Hey, I was checking out this video by Bunny Brunnel:

http://www.carvinchannel.com/play.php?vid=116

And I decided to try using the strap over the bass. My right arm was perfectly flat, but it became more difficult to fret the lower notes. I'm going to try changing the length of my strap and see if I can reach a happy medium.

Anyways, do you think this is a legitimate way of using strap or do you guys reckon it looks kind of dorky?

[CatfishStudios]

Completely illegitimate..... Everyone knows a bass belongs around knee level, and the look isn't complete until the classic bass player back hump grows in nicely. I'm Kidding of course....wear your bass so it feels the best on you.... become a bass master, and watch the kids copy your strap technique.

[J. Crawford]

As cool as that is, youre going to have to drill into your bass to put a strap placement there.. is it really worth that?

[HogieWan]

Originally Posted by J. Crawford

As cool as that is, youre going to have to drill into your bass to put a strap placement there.. is it really worth that?

I think he meant he's just letting the strap cross over the front of the bass instead of behind it.

[billoetjen]

My first bass teacher advised putting the strap across the front. I think he advised that for beginners because it tilts the top and neck slightly upwards, making it easier for a player to watch her or his picking and fretting.
Then, a local jazz player (regular gigs) saw me and told me to stop because the player has to bend the wrist of the fretting hand even more. He also told me to stop fretting one finger per fret (use only the i,m, p). Whatever; I still fret w/4 fingers but I leave the strap behind the body now. For me, that's more better. Try it out, won't cost you a nickel.

[Hiromakuta]

HogieWan is correct, sorry if I wasn't clear about that in the original post.

[Lulz]

That's pretty much how I wear mine.

[billjr]

I've tried the strap in front, but it won't stay there, and keeps sliding off. It does keep my bass at the angle I prefer. Without it, the neck moves to a lower position while I play, and I keep having to adjust it.

[Michael Campbel]

My current instructor has done that in the past. I do too, sometimes.

He had some velcro put on to hold it. Mine stays there by itself, mostly.

[Rudreax]

I'd do it if I could get the strap to stay, as I seems to play better whenever I put the strap in front. Unfortunately, like J. Crawford said the only way for me to keep the strap like this would be to drill a hole into the bass, and I really don't want to do that.

[nortonrider]

I don't need that.
My bass used to slide all around, neck dive, ect. with my leather strap.

I now use a woven nylon strap. It creates just enough traction on my shirt that the bass stays in the position that I put it.

(and I like to play with my head up high like Bunny does)

[PBass101]

I've never actually seen anybody put the strapbutton on the front of the bass, but I did see one teenager who I knew was new to bass play his first gig doing something very odd to me - the back part of his strap was sort of wrapped around the front of the body of his Precision, which tilted the bass up toward his chest. It looked odd and at first I thought it was just an unnoticed mistake, because it happens to me sometimes when I put my bass on at first, but I realized he was doing it on purpose.

That and the fact that we was often out of key with the sixty year old guitar player/frontman for his band made him look like a total dweeb. Very strange sight and sound experience.

[Michael Campbel]

Originally Posted by Rudreax

...the only way for me to keep the strap like this would be to drill a hole into the bass...

No, it isn't.