I can't reach my knobs!

[lemur821]

Actually, I can, after some woodworking and wiring. But why does every bass put the controls so far from the strings? It seems like they should be right above so you can work them with your thumb while playing.

[Selta]

Originally Posted by lemur821

Actually, I can, after some woodworking and wiring. But why does every bass put the controls so far from the strings? It seems like they should be right above so you can work them with your thumb while playing.

They put them far away as to not be in the way while playing, mayhaps?
Why would you need to tweak them while playing so? Even on those rare mid-song tweaks, there's more than enough opportunity to change it than needed.
Do you change settings that often?

[steve21]

If you can't reach your knob, you might wanna try losing some weight.

[lemur821]

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

They put them far away as to not be in the way while playing, mayhaps?
Why would you need to tweak them while playing so? Even on those rare mid-song tweaks, there's more than enough opportunity to change it than needed.
Do you change settings that often?

I think I want to. The knobs and switches on my guitar (a Stratocaster) have become integral to my technique, and I think I'd like to have the same thing on the bass. My volume knob's new place doubles as a handy thumbrest, while allowing me to do bow-style swells and tremelo. I don't consider it a matter of "changing settings" so much as a technique extension to be used continuously. When I play the guitar, I use my volume knob for continuous control over my gain (and I'm not the only one), and I think it would be good to have the same control on the bass.

Originally Posted by steve21

If you can't reach your knob, you might wanna try losing some weight.

[RLK]

I'll take a vol pedal for swells.
For me, keep them knobs out of harm's way.

More than once, while whipping away, I've bruised the meat under the nail of my index finger whacking a nearby knob (on a Pedulla, on a Smith, and on a Roland GR).
Kind of looks like if it got caught in a door.
I've cracked the nail at least once (damn metal Pedulla knobs!).

Boy Howdee that hurts!!

I have a couple of customs in the works and I made sure the knobs were as "unreachable" as possible.