Fender request...it happened again!

[SundanceChile]

Another bright idea I had! Get a chambered body from Warmoth.

 

[Nocturnal]

Since you don't mind playing a cheaper bass on gigs, try out one of the Turser P basses. I had one several years ago that was feather light! The neck was very well made, and it played pretty damn good once it had a setup. Every Turser P I've ever picked up has been pretty light. Just change the electronics and bridge and you'll be good to go!

 

[JimmyM]

All good tips. Some I've tried and rejected, such as the Comfort Strapp, which still digs into my shoulder because the neoprene padding still has a 2 inch nylon belt on top of it that digs through the padding. Some I haven't tried and want to, like the waist strap.

I will say, though, if someone wants you to play a Fender, and you bring a copy instead of the real deal, very few people will get upset about it on a gig, especially if it's a Sadowsky or a Lull or something like that. They might balk at an SX, but you could probably get away with one of them as well.

 

[bongomania]

Have you checked out the Neotech straps? They're also neoprene, but they don't have that solid belt digging through them. I believe it's the strap Sadowsky gets his logo printed on. I like mine.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I can't remember where I saw it but I think in one of the strap threads here there was a link to a system that basically suspends the bass from a strap around your waist.

Anyone else remember seeing that?

Jimmy, worth checking into at least.

P.S. Killer deal on that Italia strap!

That was the BassBrace. I believe the company is no longer in business. Good idea, but the fatal flaw was that you had to add a strap lock to the bottom of your bass.

 

[bassdriver]

I've had good luck with Italia Straps guitar straps on my heavy Fender's. 5'' might be too much for my shoulder. I'm thinking of going for one of these 4-inchers on my next bass. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...MESE:IT&viewitem=&item=230126693286&rd=1&rd=1

They look like they might be better quality than their normal stuff...
I'm pretty sure they do custom guitar straps to if you call or e-mail them.

Bongo, funny you mention that. I'm seriously considering routing out the body on my parts P under the pickguard considerably. I've looked into the chambered bodies and it only results in a 1 lb. difference. I'm thinking that if I rout completely under the PG, I can get a good 2 lbs. out of it.

Another thing I'm going to try is this strap that I just won on Ebay seconds ago:

http://cgi.ebay.com/The-Big-Bass-St...3QQihZ013QQcategoryZ64421QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

5" wide, soft leather...sounds good to me. All the wide straps I've seen have hard heavy leather. Since it's Italia I probably won't have it for another month, but we'll see. The price was decent.

BTW, alfred, you are correct about Squiers. I wouldn't even bother taking the logo off. I have no problem showing up to gigs with cheapos. I bring a Jay Turser or an SX on all my fly gigs now because I don't want to smash up a good one in baggage.

 

[ProfGumby]

All good tips. Some I've tried and rejected, such as the Comfort Strapp, which still digs into my shoulder because the neoprene padding still has a 2 inch nylon belt on top of it that digs through the padding. Some I haven't tried and want to, like the waist strap.

I will say, though, if someone wants you to play a Fender, and you bring a copy instead of the real deal, very few people will get upset about it on a gig, especially if it's a Sadowsky or a Lull or something like that. They might balk at an SX, but you could probably get away with one of them as well.

Take off the headstock decal and smile politely ass you play....

 

[PhatBasstard]

Not so sound hypocritical because in the past I have worked with Cornell Gunther's Coasters before I knew the whole story, but they are 100% phony, and Bowzer is working hard to put them out of business. Here's the short version:

A human piece of excrement named Larry Marshak claims to have acquired the names "Drifters," "Coasters," "Platters," and "Marvelettes." But he "acquired" these names under dubious means, he assembles several groups and puts them all out on the road at the same time for a fraction of what the actual groups charged, and has buried any of the original members that rightfully owned the names in litigation until Bowzer came along. Bowzer has gone to the politicians and has successfully brought "Truth in Music" laws in a few states now, which would stamp out these phony groups.

So when you see "Cornell Gunther's Coasters" or "Beary Hobbs' Drifters," or the Platters without Sonny Turner, or the Marvelettes, you are seeing completely phony groups. Right now there's a show at the Sands Hotel in Vegas with these groups. Once I found out the real truth about these groups, I stopped working with them. Some of the Drifters and Platters are nice guys and I feel bad for them because they're just musicians like me trying to make a living, but they're participating in something that's very wrong. Fortunately, there's a few of them that are complete jerkoffs (like that Dave Revels character with the fake Coasters), and it makes me happy to see them get slowly put out of business. So if you care about seeing the actual item, then stick with Carl Gardner's Coasters, Charlie Thomas' or Bill Pinckney's Drifters, and Sonny Turner.

Anyway, didn't want to preach, but since you brought them up, I thought I'd mention what's going on.

FWIW, the "Cornell Gunther's Coasters" that I worked with was the original faction that continued on after Cornell's death. The closest thing they had to an original member, at that time, was one of the singers started as the Coaster's drummer in the 60's. Supposedly Shirley Gunther (Cornell's sister) owned the rights to the CGC's name and sold it to the guy you speak of a number of years ago. The group I played with still carries on so there are two CGC's operating in Vegas. The one at the Sahara is not the one I played with (although it was them in the show's beginning).

Funny side note: Our guitarist was originally from Australia. While back visiting he saw "The Coasters" advertised at a club. Went in to check it out.
Three Australian....white guys.

 

[PilbaraBass]

FWIW, the "Cornell Gunther's Coasters" that I worked with was the original faction that continued on after Cornell's death. The closest thing they had to an original member, at that time, was one of the singers started as the Coaster's drummer in the 60's. Supposedly Shirley Gunther (Cornell's sister) owned the rights to the CGC's name and sold it to the guy you speak of a number of years ago. The group I played with still carries on so there are two CGC's operating in Vegas. The one at the Sahara is not the one I played with (although it was them in the show's begining).

Funny side note: Our guitarist was originally from Australia. While back visiting he saw "The Coasters" advertised at a club. Went in to check it out.
Three Australian....white guys.

Berry Gordy, Jr. was born in Toowoomba..."Bezza" or "Gordo" as his mates called him was on heck of a didgeradoo player!

LOL