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Double Bass Help Out an Old Man?

J

joeybcdt

May 6, 2004
143
1
SE Texas
#1
My 64 year old bass player has only owned one bass in his life, a 1963 Fender Jazz. He is the best bass player I have ever had the opportunity to play with. He is also a great guy.

For months now his right arm and shoulder are in great pain after only a short time of playing in the regular position. Recently he has been standing up the bass on a bar stool to play. No more pain.

I realize that electric stand up basses are designed to play and sound like an acoustic bass. But is there an electric stand up bass that plays and sounds more like an electric bass?

I offered to remove the bottom strap button and drill a 3/4" hole 4" deep so he could shove a broom stick up it. I don't think he liked that idea.

Suggestions please.

Thanks,
Joey
 
#5
This may sound a little primitive, but, I'll suggest it to help out. He may want to try using something like a snare drum stand to "cradle" the bottom of his bass. The three supports that usually are used to hold the snare can be set to close on a smaller diameter. If he were to find the correct diameter along with maybe a small thin pillow cushion, it may very well work. Hope this helps.
 
#6
Do a google search for a Gracie Guitar stand. They are a bit expensive but I think this will do the trick.
 

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#7
If his bass still has a strap button on the back of the headstock, that may bring it to a comfortable angle.

If he wants an electric upright and can deal with a fingerboard with no markings, one of the Guitar Centers has a used Kydd Bass at a good price. Those sound more like an electric bass than any EUB I've heard.
 
#12
It might be a good idea to see the Dr. if possible.

Sometimes something like a pinched nerve can be solved with a bit of therapy and Ibuprofen.

Pain killing/anti-inflammatory skin patches have become common at the RX stores too. They my be helpful during a performance.
 
#16
This has been an issue for me for almost 10 years! Nerve damage in my shoulder from years of playing made it impossible to play electric bass with a strap. For a while I sat down, but that just was not working out. I checked out the Gracie, but felt that it did not allow me much movement - the bass did not move, and it felt unnatural.

It took a while to come up with this system, but for years now, I have been using the previously mentioned MBrace fitted with a quick release mic stand adapter and mounted on a Hercules MS401B mic stand. This combination allows me lots of movement. The bass pivots (like a weathervane) at the top, and the mic stand swivels in the bass.
I get LOTS of questions about this rig from other bass players when they see it, and then they try it, and find it to be very comfortable.
 

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#17
maxito said:
This has been an issue for me for almost 10 years! Nerve damage in my shoulder from years of playing made it impossible to play electric bass with a strap. For a while I sat down, but that just was not working out. I checked out the Gracie, but felt that it did not allow me much movement - the bass did not move, and it felt unnatural.

It took a while to come up with this system, but for years now, I have been using the previously mentioned MBrace fitted with a quick release mic stand adapter and mounted on a Hercules MS401B mic stand. This combination allows me lots of movement. The bass pivots (like a weathervane) at the top, and the mic stand swivels in the bass.
I get LOTS of questions about this rig from other bass players when they see it, and then they try it, and find it to be very comfortable.
Click to expand...

Great solution!!!:hyper:
 
#19
If you still need EUB advise, after all the other helpfull suggestions. From a UB players point of view almost all EUB's sound like an electric bass guitar. Besides the influence of the instrument, the acoustic double bass sound mainly comes from the playing style itself. That's why I'd advise him to look for a EUB with a not so rounded fingerboard. That will make the main difference in making it sound and feel like an "upright electric bass guitar". He might try one of the cheapest ones first. I think a Stagg will give him a good idea of sound and feel.
 
#20
The strings play an important role in the sound. Once I got a set of double bass strings from a asian manufacturer who usually makes guitar ans bass guitar strings. This set sounded like an electric bass guitar on my EUB (Stagg). I asked the representative and he replied that they were made like bass guitar strings only with a flatwound surface and longer. With the stock strings the stagg rather sounds more like a double bass without character.
A NS EUB (probably the one with the frets?) with the electric roundwound strings might be a solution. But some techniques like popping/slapping the strings in a bass guitar manner etc. might get lost with a EUB. So a stand for the bass guitar might be a better solution.
 

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