Do I need a new strap?

zongeek · #1 10-30-2005, 08:16 PM

OK, so today I practiced standing up with a strap. First time in a long time. Boy did I stink. Anyway, I don't hang my bass (Zon) any higher or lower than I have my previous basses. Both hands are comfortable and not in any pain.

However, if I let the bass be (with no hand on it) it goes neck heavy. Well no Zon I have ever played has been neck heavy. Then a friend of mine says, "You need a new strap, nylon sucks." I'm using an Ernie Ball nylon strap. My friend suggested Levi's leather. Should I just adjust my strap? (tighter or looser?)

What do you all think?

snappytom · #2 10-30-2005, 08:47 PM

Get a leather or suede strap at least 2 inches wide, but make sure the underside is unfinished. This will grip your shoulder and can solve problems with a moderately neck-heavy bass. Your friend is right, nylon sucks.

I have a couple of Franklin straps that are excellent.

Indi86 · #3 10-30-2005, 09:02 PM

You should snag one of those classy TB straps. I'm eyeing one to replace my beat to heck levi's that I love.

zongeek · #4 10-30-2005, 09:03 PM

Well that's just it, my bass isn't neck heavy. I think it's that cruddy nylon.

Anyway, I'm gonna take your advice, leather with unfinished bottom. Thanks.

**Adam Barkley** · #5 10-30-2005, 09:06 PM

Think about this analogy. Would you put the cheapest oil available in your Ferrari?

Why would you put an 8 dollar strap on several thousand dollar bass?

JimmyM · #6 10-30-2005, 09:24 PM

Bah...I just saw Oteil Burbridge on BET Jazz tonight playing his Fodera 6 with what looked to be a 2-inch DiMarzio nylon strap. The strap does nothing for neck diving. I don't know where that idea comes from. What it might do, however, is stick on your shoulder better to keep it from diving. I will give you that much. But as long as it's comfy and holds your bass on without falling off, it doesn't make a lick of difference what kind of strap you use.

Boy, people sure like to spend money on here!

Indi86 · #7 10-30-2005, 10:24 PM

Jimmy- that's exactly why we're telling him to get a less-slick strap. A good leather strap is more comfortable and shifts less than a nylon strap.

JimmyM · #8 10-30-2005, 10:40 PM

Yeah, but that's like throwing a band aid on a sucking chest wound. OK, maybe not that bad, but it's not a cure, because that strap will still shift around and he's going to have to lift the neck sometimes. Maybe not as much, but those straps don't stay stuck to your shoulder like glue.

Sorry if I sound nitpicky, but I just can't condone throwing money at a problem to make it go away.

**Adam Barkley** · #9 10-30-2005, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Yeah, but that's like throwing a band aid on a sucking chest wound. OK, maybe not that bad, but it's not a cure, because that strap will still shift around and he's going to have to lift the neck sometimes. Maybe not as much, but those straps don't stay stuck to your shoulder like glue.

Sorry if I sound nitpicky, but I just can't condone throwing money at a problem to make it go away.

This just tells me that you have never dealt with a truely neck heavy bass and you have no idea what you are talking about.

My Kramer has an aluminum neck. It is by far the most neck heavy bass I've ever played. The awful nylon strap that came with the bass allowed the bass to slide until the headstock would touch the ground. My 30 dollar padded, leather strap alleviated this almost completely and distributed the weight more evenly.

Consider the problem solved and my money thrown away.

JimmyM · #10 10-30-2005, 11:23 PM

I own a Gibson EB-0 and I used to own a couple Explorer shaped basses so I'm well familiar with neck-heaviness, thank you very much.

Hey, if it worked for you, more power to you, but a strap isn't a cure for a neck heavy bass. If it was, so many builders wouldn't worry about making their basses balance as much as they do.

zongeek · #11 10-31-2005, 03:44 AM

Well, boys, I think I am just gonna keep practicing with my nylon strap and see what happens. If my problems still occur then I will look into a new strap.

Anything else?

Akami · #12 10-31-2005, 05:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Bah...I just saw Oteil Burbridge on BET Jazz tonight playing his Fodera 6 with what looked to be a 2-inch DiMarzio nylon strap. The strap does nothing for neck diving. I don't know where that idea comes from. What it might do, however, is stick on your shoulder better to keep it from diving. I will give you that much. But as long as it's comfy and holds your bass on without falling off, it doesn't make a lick of difference what kind of strap you use.

Boy, people sure like to spend money on here!

I'm 100% with JimmyM on this. Given, there are cheap nylon straps and there are decent ones but I quit using leather straps because I can't stand it when I go to move the instrument around and it doesn't want to move.

Like so many other choices to be made out there, it shouldn't be assumed that because someone bought something that didn't cost a lot means that they're a pauper.
Some of us like nylon straps better, even though I love the look of some of the leather straps out there.

Anyway there's probably others more knowledgeable than I am about this, but I recall seeing a post somewhere about either moving, or putting in an additional strap pin placed a little higher up to help out with neck-dive syndrome.

Bruce Lindfield · #13 10-31-2005, 05:28 AM

I'm with JimmyM and this is one of the big reasons why I aways say : try before you buy!!

I just would not buy a bass that was badly-balanced and have rejected many basses on these grounds - mainly I remember being really taken with the Warwick Thumb bass sound when they first came out - but every one I tried, had neck dive and so I gave up on that idea!

So - if you are going to play long gigs - then you really need a bass that is going to balance perfectly on your shoulders with no adjustment from yourself - anything else is going to be a real pain and will lead to poor posture, back pains, wrist pains etc. etc. ... maybe not right away ...but it will happen eventually!

Brad Johnson · #14 10-31-2005, 06:09 AM

I own a bunch of different basses. Some do neck-dive when I play them seated without a strap. They do the same with my nylon straps, which is why I don't use them. NONE of them do when I play with a good strap. They simply CAN'T dive with the right strap.

I use a 2" Levy with suede underside. I also have a 3" Levy leather strap with firm padding and a smooth finish. I also have a Comfortt strap with foam rubber underside and it too doesn't allow for diving.

Brad Johnson · #15 10-31-2005, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Akami

I'm 100% with JimmyM on this. Given, there are cheap nylon straps and there are decent ones but I quit using leather straps because I can't stand it when I go to move the instrument around and it doesn't want to move.

Which means the strap is holding the bass in place... which is what he wants.

Quote:

Like so many other choices to be made out there, it shouldn't be assumed that because someone bought something that didn't cost a lot means that they're a pauper.
Some of us like nylon straps better, even though I love the look of some of the leather straps out there.

There's a wide gap between cheap and costs a lot... and many straps in between. No one said you had to spend a lot of money for a decent strap... just more than a cheap one.

Quote:

Anyway there's probably others more knowledgeable than I am about this, but I recall seeing a post somewhere about either moving, or putting in an additional strap pin placed a little higher up to help out with neck-dive syndrome.

And end up with an extra strap button or hole?

Brad Johnson · #16 10-31-2005, 06:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

I'm with JimmyM and this is one of the big reasons why I aways say : try before you buy!!

I just would not buy a bass that was badly-balanced and have rejected many basses on these grounds - mainly I remember being really taken with the Warwick Thumb bass sound when they first came out - but every one I tried, had neck dive and so I gave up on that idea!

So - if you are going to play long gigs - then you really need a bass that is going to balance perfectly on your shoulders with no adjustment from yourself - anything else is going to be a real pain and will lead to poor posture, back pains, wrist pains etc. etc. ... maybe not right away ...but it will happen eventually!

Completely disagree. I play long gigs and some of my basses are fairly heavy. Even though they balance perfectly, they'd be very uncomfortable with the typical nylon strap, which doesn't distribute the weight over my shoulder. The basses that don't balance perfectly balance perfectly with a good strap... which makes it a complete non-issue.

And it's a relatively inexpensive remedy to a "problem" that might otherwise keep me from playing a particular bass.

Bruce Lindfield · #17 10-31-2005, 06:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

I own a bunch of different basses. Some do neck-dive ....

Well if you have so much money that you can afford a huge collection of basses like Brad...

Personally I only have basses to play and for me that means being perfectly-balanced - if you can afford the luxury of owning badly-balanced basses, like Brad - then go ahead and spend your money how you want - why should I care!!

CamMcIntyre · #18 10-31-2005, 06:37 AM

I'm agreeing with the idea of getting a better strap. I've got the Levy's M6 [3.5 inches wide leather w/sheep skin backing]. The bass stays in place quite nicely. I don't believe any of my basses have much/any neck dive in the first place though-if there is, i haven't noticed since i've been using Schaller Straplocks and this same strap for going on 4 years now. I think i paid $40 or so shipped for it.

The only straps that make me want to replace it are the Moody ones-either from TB or straight from Moody. However, right now, i can't justify spending $100 on a strap when there's other more pressing things i need to get done [namely get some work done on my upright].

Akami · #19 10-31-2005, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

There's a wide gap between cheap and costs a lot... and many straps in between. No one said you had to spend a lot of money for a decent strap... just more than a cheap one.

Yeah, a huge difference, but what point I object to is people assuming that leather is better than nylon when in actuality it's a preference choice. In this case leather may be better, but not because it's superior, but rather due to it's non-slip qualities.
I still stand by the belief that neither nylon nor leather suck, they just fill different peoples needs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

And end up with an extra strap button or hole?

Yeah. If you look around a bit you'll see more than one very expensive bass with two strap pins on it. I assume you hate the idea of it, but then again, you're not the one with a beautiful Zon bass that you're having neck dive problems with and we're trying to help him find a solution, whether it's one everyone of us would find useful for ourselves or not.

I love Zon basses and can imagine the frustration he's going through.

Speaking of Zon, is that a Legacy in your avatar? Gorgeous color!

(This face is green with envy!)

Brad Johnson · #20 10-31-2005, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Lindfield

Well if you have so much money that you can afford a huge collection of basses like Brad...

Personally I only have basses to play and for me that means being perfectly-balanced - if you can afford the luxury of owning badly-balanced basses, like Brad - then go ahead and spend your money how you want - why should I care!!

YOU shouldn't... especially if you somehow think the number of basses someone owns has anything to do with this.

It obviously doesn't. As usual we'll just have to have two camps... those that dismiss things with very simple "remedies" and those that don't.

As it should be