Ergonomic Bass thread

[ixlramp]

Good points and thanks for the new photos. I didn't realise the horn button was under the horn, good idea.
I'm someone who has to see the fretboard clearly to play, it will vary for different players.
And yes my rear button experiments have been for shifting the bass to the right.

Here you go. The lightest, most well-balanced and awesome sounding bass you'll ever find – a Birdsong Cortobass.

That Birdsong is not ergonomic, for a start the angle of the lower horn means you can't balance it on your leg at a high angle. Everything about the design is the mainstream 'modernised P/J bass' standard.

 

[ixlramp]

Bass Iniya, in your first photo, does it balance at that angle on your leg without a strap?

 

[Bass Iniya]

Well, without the strap, it stays on the leg a bit less vertical. it has a sweet spot where it stays alone. If I go farther it starts to dive to one way or the other.
This is the spot where it stays:
Angulo Sin Correa by Bass Iniya posted Nov 8, 2017 at 2:41

If I put the neck more vertical, it starts to fall towards the bridge and if I put it more horizontal, it starts to fall towards the headstock.

 

[ixlramp]

That seems a good position. Something i like about the design, which is something i have also thought about, is how the body is narrow to bring the strings close to the leg, this allows a higher playing angle when sitting and a more relaxed right arm.

 

[mongo2]

Well, without the strap, it stays on the leg a bit less vertical. it has a sweet spot where it stays alone. If I go farther it starts to dive to one way or the other.
This is the spot where it stays:
View media item 16095
If I put the neck more vertical, it starts to fall towards the bridge and if I put it more horizontal, it starts to fall towards the headstock.

Interesting design but the body looks huge, how much does the bass weigh?

 

[ixlramp]

As far as i can see the back of the horn has hollows cut into it to reduce weight. The body is also narrow so i imagine it's no heavier than most basses.

 

[mongo2]

As far as i can see the back of the horn has hollows cut into it to reduce weight. The body is also narrow so i imagine it's no heavier than most basses.

I only use basses in the 4.5 lb to 6 lb standing and up to 7.5 lb sitting. Light weight is essential to my considering a bass ergonomic.

 

[Bass Iniya]

Well.
When I made this one I wanted an Ash body, I had found a big piece of Ash but it was not Swamp Ash.
It was Hard Northern Ash.
It is Heavy, I have not a scale or weighing device to check how many lbs it is at home.
I can say it is heavier than an Ibanez or Fender Alder Bodied Bass but it is lighter than my Peavey C5 (I think it is Walnut Body & Mahogany+Maple Neckthrough)
Anyway, I was already thinking of reducing weight on the next basses.
Besides of some ideas I have, using Alder or Swamp Ash for the body are the next logical things I have to test.

 

[Bass Iniya]

Interesting design but the body looks huge

Well, The first designs were bigger but I reduced the body to fit into a standard bass case or gigbag.
Think of "The Yellow Line" as if it was a Jazz Bass:
Snapshot_20181105_8 Jazz Bazz by Bass Iniya posted Nov 16, 2017 at 7:12

 

[darwin-bass]

Warmoth 32" scale P bass. Balances well and weighs about 6.75 lbs (with chrome knobs).

See post 33.
Warmoth low-cost light-weight 32" scale P bass build - Done!

 

[ixlramp]

A lightweight P bass is nowhere near ergonomic.