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Horn / Strap Button Extender (to prevent neck dive)?

#2
Quadzilla said:
Hello everyone,

I have a bass that I love, but it has some moderate neck dive (even with a wide suede strap). I seem to remember seeing a device in the past that bolts on where the strap button goes on the horn and extends it by a few inches. Anybody know what to get one?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I know what you're talking about, but I don't think they're being made anymore.

I made my own with parts from the local Ace hardware store. I used galvanized steel (looks almost like chrome) spacers, then added nylon inserts to make the internal diameter smaller, and a longer screw. Brought it out about 1 1/2". Cost about $2.

You could go out even farther with the same method, but it would require a much longer and wider screw.
 
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#3
Iridescentone said:
I know what you're talking about, but I don't think they're being made anymore.

I made my own with parts from the local Ace hardware store. I used galvanized steel (looks almost like chrome) spacers, then added nylon inserts to make the internal diameter smaller, and a longer screw. Brought it out about 1 1/2". Cost about $2.

You could go out even farther with the same method, but it would require a much longer and wider screw.
Click to expand...
Got pix of that mod? I need something similar....
 
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#6
Try this!This works from the OTHER end.Take an old belt.(I prefer an old dress belt)Shorten it so that it can wrap around your upper thigh.Mine is about 25 inches long.(First picture)Drill some new holes so you can buckle it.Now,with your bass strapped on feed the belt from the outside of the back of your upper thigh in between your legs.Then between your bass and the strap.Wrap the belt around your upper thigh of your right leg to complete a loop and buckle it!(Second picture)Tighten it so that it is snug enough.There!Your bass neck is fixed at a good playing angle.(Third picture)
Snapshot_20140405_1.JPG Snapshot_20140402_4.JPG Snapshot_20140402_7.JPG


Now the neck doesn't dive!You can walk around with it.Your left arm doesn't have to support the weight of the neck.And your right arm doesn't have to push down on the body's upper edge.You can fret and play your bass with less forearm muscle tension.


This works by using a lever and fulcrum basis.Your bass is a lever.Your neck and shoulders together are a fulcrum.You can either decrease weight on one end of the "Lever"(the neck) to raise the neck.Or you could increase the weight or"counterbalance"and/or anchor the other end.The belt "dead ends"or anchors the shortest end of the "lever" without adding weight.Try it out!
__________________
 
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#9
I have had some luck with extending the strap button on the horn by using a longer screw and a stack of washers.
Stainless washers, look pretty good, but there is a limit to hown far you want to go with that idea.

Also, you can move the rear button up the body 3 or 4 inches.
That changes the center of gravity.

Of course, lighter tuners can help.
A little change in weight at the headstock makes a bigger difference than you might think,
due to the leverage.

As stated, a wider strap helps hold the extra neck weight in place.

As a last resrt, you can add weight in the control cavity area.
Some folks have even hung a small bag of lead shot from the rear strap button.
 
#12
I made my own back in April. I'm really surprised not too many other people have tried it, seeing that when I do a google or yahoo search for "bass guitar neck dive" a link to the Headsup strap shows up, and since they aren't being produced any longer...
 
#13
bobcruz said:
OP says he has neck dive even with a suede strap. After looking at all these options, I'm thinking I'll replace the tuners with lighter ones.
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Whoa, I didn't know lightweight tuners were $25-30 apiece and I need five of them! So I've ordered a 2-1/2 inch suede strap for $16 delivered and will see if that's enough friction to stop the diving.
 
#16
mikeswals said:
Well one risk of hanging a long extension screw out there is tearing the screw right out of the wood now that there's more leverage working against your favor in that spot.
Click to expand...

That's right. That's why a longer than stock screw is needed even just to extend out 1/2". The farther out the extension, the longer the screw needs to be. At a certain point of extension, the screw will also need to be wider, as well.
 
#19
Bob-I said:
I used a metal tube I found at Home Depot and a long screw. No more neck dive on this 12 string even with 12 tuners and a long headstock.


Strap%20Extension.jpg
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Well I have a Carlo Robelli 8 string bass that had SERIOUS neck dive and I did this to it. I've got a picture of the extender somewhere but I can't seem to find it, but it looks absolutely identical to the above one. I'm betting we used the same Home Depot parts! Works like a champ! I also installed a second strap button slightly higher on the rear of the bass which also helps a bit too, but the extender rod is what really does it.
 

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