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BC Rich Mockingbird Weight Imbalance?

Eschreibass

Eschreibass

Dec 9, 2018
12
16
#1
Can anyone help with this problem?
About 3 days ago I got a BC Rich Mockingbird Platinum Series. It's got a killer tone, and I absolutely love it, but I have a problem with the weight. When I try to use a strap with it, the neck is much heavier than the body. This makes things very uncomfortable for me to play. Does anyone know of a way to help with this? Any tips help.
 
#2
Mockingbirds are in the group that includes some Thunderbirds, ASATs (Telecaster shape) Flying Vs, Les Pauls, Icemans, and others that neckdive.
It's all based on where the strap button is located.
Most bass designs put the strap button at or near the 12th fret, so barring any abnormally light or heavy woods being chosen, they balance quite well.
When the strap button is down around the 16th fret or worse, the neck dives.

Lightweight tuners help, some people insist wide leather straps are the cure (no--just drags your shirt around unless you're in the 1% of people who do not move when playing), weight added to the control cavity or the end of the strap can help a lot.
The only true fix is a strap button extension that moves it out away from the body and closer to the 12th fret or wherever it wants to balance.
Sadly, extensions are not a commercially available item as far as I know.
But they're not difficult to make for anyone with a few tools and skills, nor expensive.
 
#3
Yep - I got a Mockingbird (NJ Series) with serious neck-dive. I opted to buy a strap that had weights in one end which works for me - unfortunately the "Heads-Up" strap is no longer available. I've also seen some Youtube videos of a guy who modded the location of his strap buttons to solve the problem which looked like a good solution (I was too afraid of screwing something up by drilling new holes in the bass so I opted out of this route.

John
 
#4
Mockingbirds are notoriously neck divey. Try a wide, well padded strap with a suede backing. It grips your shirt and may help.
I find the idea of adding weight to prevent dive absurd, but what do I know.
One of my first basses was a Gibson EB3L, long scale with a SG type body. It was horrendously head heavy. I was young, and I just got used to supporting the neck while playing.
 

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