Frustrated with my health!

[bassliner50]

Class D amp with neodymium speakers and a wide padded strap for starts. Pass up the crappy gigs. Play with the best musicians, you will have to work less to sound good and you will be immersed in the music so pain will be not so evident. I have plenty years and pain and discomfort here there some times everywhere. I continue to play happily.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

Have you considered changing up the types of gigs? Maybe find a band with some older folks and get a nice ABG?

 

[Crash_BassWrex]

I recommend DDP Yoga to anybody with back issues now. It was developed by a WWE wrestler. They just introduced a limited mobility program with bed & chair based moves. My 63 year old father is using it and he has had 3 cervical spinal fusions, elbow surgery, and both knees replaced. It combines strength building and stretching. I know it's saved me a gig of two.

 

[orichtvuna]

I've got early onset ALS. I'm 24 and I just found my dream bass, an 82 Greco Rick. Once I warm up, I still have my chops, but getting there is getting trickier. My fretting hand is always getting noodlier, which is weird to watch and scary to think about. It's harder to hold the strings.
I'm jealous of you old dogs. I wish I could get to be an old dog with a bad back. Instead I just watch myself degrade..
I play the same three hours of jazz from college, and sing and write every day. But it's in my lungs and my jaw, in my shoulders and my legs now.. I still live for music. It's all I can think about, and on bad days it's the greatest cause of my stress.
You old cats, you don't deserve to complain. Sit on your chair, play your short scales and your lightweights. You'd better fu**ing love it while you've got it, because you've had years to do it, and I'm jealous of you. You'd better f***ing love it and keep right on playing, even when it's hard.
No surrender till death, old or young! Low end for life!

 

[Clark Dark]

I've got early onset ALS. I'm 24 and I just found my dream bass, an 82 Greco Rick. Once I warm up, I still have my chops, but getting there is getting trickier. My fretting hand is always getting noodlier, which is weird to watch and scary to think about. It's harder to hold the strings.
I'm jealous of you old dogs. I wish I could get to be an old dog with a bad back. Instead I just watch myself degrade..
I play the same three hours of jazz from college, and sing and write every day. But it's in my lungs and my jaw, in my shoulders and my legs now.. I still live for music. It's all I can think about, and on bad days it's the greatest cause of my stress.
You old cats, you don't deserve to complain. Sit on your chair, play your short scales and your lightweights. You'd better fu**ing love it while you've got it, because you've had years to do it, and I'm jealous of you. You'd better f***ing love it and keep right on playing, even when it's hard.
No surrender till death, old or young! Low end for life!

Appreciate every word of your post and it's noted. Wishing you better(much better)days!

 

[73jbass]

No back issues,yet, but a couple of years ago I tried going ampless, and could not be happier. Bought a Fractal Audio AX8, run one line to the foh,the other to a lightweight powered monitor facing me. Best thing I ever did.

 

[rtslinger]

So, at almost 63, I suffer from lower and mid back pain(2 herniated discs) along with bad shoulders(rotator cuff surgery).
I cannot take the gigs I'd like and really am not self sufficient to move my own equipment.
I feel my days as a player are limited or certainly restricted.
I'll have to seek out an acoustic/semi acoustic gig that requires no more than 1 bass and a small, lightweight combo.
AND, I'll have to sit. I cannot stand any longer for 3/4 sets.
I feel that my woes are not so common at my age. Anyone else out there with similar issues or are you "fit as a fiddle" in your 60s?

I have a back injury that has plagued me off and on since 2010, I went without an amp for many years till the D class amps put me back on track, but I was using a sans amp Di direct to FOH it worked great and kept me in the game sometimes when my back is acting up I fall back on the Di Rts

 

[klejst]

There comes a time I believe for nearly everyone where the weight of a bass setup just takes the toll on the body....it happens and is nothing to be assumed about. I'm only 32 however I have downgraded my rig a lot over the years because although I love the big wall of sound my back and neck (chronic neck issues) tells me otherwise after a couple good times back to back of moving everything around.

 

[Tom Howland]

I had left rotator cuff problem too, Get a stool. As for gear. Go light for amps. And try a shorter scale bass. I went to a 32" scale made a big difference.
Your as old as you feel. Age is no reason to stop playing.

 

[stringthrough]

I'm in my early 60's and continue to gig.

I have 5 herniated disks and arthritis in my spine. (Thankfully any arthritis I might have in my hands is so far asymptomatic.)

I gig about 3 dozen times a year I have, several years ago downsized to a lightweight combo amp (about 30 lbs), lightweight basses (never over 9 lbs) and I use a handcart to schlep my gear when parking is not close to the venue.

I've also considered the possibility of someday playing in a band comprised of all like-aged musicians which would pay for a roadie/ sound guy to support gigging. Roadie would carry the amps, PA (when not supplied by the venue) and drums as needed.

While I do realize advancing age will eventually prevent me from gigging (either physically or because the audience will be uncomfortable with an old geezer playing rock), I believe jamming and recording will continue to go on as long as I am around and otherwise in descent health.

Good luck.

 

[ZAR14]

I'm in my early 50s and myself have had Rotator Cuff surgery. The surgery was a success and I don't have any residual effects from it.
However it does feel that my equiptment has a bad diet, they seem to be getting heavier as the yrs pass...

 

[Eekum]

Definitely try sitting on a stool while playing.if you can do that.

 

[SJan3]

I gigged on Saturday and spent a fair part of the day moving my gear, PA gear and venue seating... and the next day I felt like I'd been run over by a truck. I've already downsized to 112 cabs so no single item is too heavy, so the next step will have to be losing the backline entirely and just using IEMs. I sat on a tall stool for the gig but it really looked wrong. Maybe I'll try a rocking chair, or sitting cross legged on a rug surrounded by plants and candles

..and trade your bass in for a sitar! Just don't chant.
Yes, that is the issue. When no longer moving the heavy stuff on a regular basis, it feels, all of a sudden, heavier. Compound that with age and the day after is definitely "recovery day".

 

[SouthLatitude]

Aging is not for the fain of heart. Aside from the chronic injuries from a youthful motocross habit, a recent shingles outbreak has left me with postherpetic neuralgia and unable to hold my bass against my chest or abdomen for the last 4 months. Lots o fun playing with a pillow between the bass body.

 

[Steve]

Anyone else out there with similar issues or are you "fit as a fiddle" in your 60s?

lol. just about all my peeps are dragging ultralight gear...and a stool. Were it not for the miracle of neodinium, I would be retired fro sure

 

[SJan3]

I have a back injury that has plagued me off and on since 2010, I went without an amp for many years till the D class amps put me back on track, but I was using a sans amp Di direct to FOH it worked great and kept me in the game sometimes when my back is acting up I fall back on the Di Rts

I don't generally need sound reinforcement these days so I need to bring my own kit. It would have been helpful to have FOH and roadies but those days are long gone. I'm glad you have a solution that works for you!
Thanks for the post.

 

[SJan3]

lol. just about all my peeps are dragging ultralight gear...and a stool. Were it not for the miracle of neodinium, I would be retired fro sure

Then we are in the same "boat"!

 

[LoTone]

I always wondered why, in Pop/R&B/Country/Rock bands, musicians have to stand up while playing?
What would be wrong with sitting or bringing a stool with back support?
I mean Swing Jazz bands were sitting. Symphonic orchestra bands are sitting.
Is it because we are expected to jump around during the performance?

 

[Eric Swaim]

I will be 52 this Summer, and I got rid of all my heavy basses and bass amps and cabs. The heaviest bass weighs about 8.5 lbs and the heaviest cab weighs 34 lbs Eden D112XLT neo. ( I have 2 for my "big rig" ). I feel better after and during gigs.
I have am L5 vertebre not lined up correctly and a siadic (spelling?) nerve issue that makes my left thigh go knumb when I play a heavy bass too long.

Get in shape, stop smoking and drinking, and stay away from fast foods. You may feel better. Works for me.

 

[KeithPas]

Currently awaiting medical treatment for a blown knee that happened three months ago and I am 55. Best of luck to you. This aging thing sucks as bad as I heard.