How High Do You Wear You Bass?

[Martin Risso]

I once did an experiment. I sat down with my bass, made up a bass line with a lot of octave work that was challenging to play. Then stood up with a strap and adjusted height until I could play the bass line at the same tempo. Turns out, it was quite high. Kind of looks "nerdy" but if you look at old Beatles video, they used to wear their instruments quite high.

So I argue the "dumbing down" of bass lines that happened after the mid to late 60's classic rock era is partly due to bass players wearing their bass way to low to "look cool" at the expense of playability.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I wear mine so that it's the same height whether standing or seated.

 

[jd56hawk]

A little higher than Dee Dee...

...but a little lower than Karl.

Not sure what dumbing down you're talking about, though. I can think of quite a few post-'60s bassists that don't pedal their way through their music.

 

[JIO]

Playing style is so subjective - there is no real one-size-fits-all. For whatever music one plays, there is an optimal way the bass will be played, high or low or anywhere in between. As Killed_by_Death stated - "the same seated and standing" is considered "standard", but whatever works to allow continued playing enjoyment - so be it.

 

[dr doofie]

One more go-around on this carousel, yes?...

 

[dr doofie]

A little higher than Dee Dee...

...but a little lower than Karl.

Not sure what dumbing down you're talking about, though. I can think of quite a few post-'60s bassists that don't pedal their way through their music.

Dee Dee doesn’t look like he’s having much trouble

 

[dr doofie]

Dee Dee doesn’t look like he’s having much trouble

I’ve found that my plucking/chugging arm needs to be fully extended or I get some serious tendinitis in my elbow... course playing that low makes my lower back hurt so
Compromise, or something

 

[dr doofie]

A little higher than Dee Dee...

...but a little lower than Karl.

Not sure what dumbing down you're talking about, though. I can think of quite a few post-'60s bassists that don't pedal their way through their music.

He looks like he’s sighting a rifle

 

[dmt]

I wear mine level with my collar bone

 

[Volker Kirstein]

Always!

 

[Nashrakh]

I need to be able to lick the upper horn without stretching, that's how high I wear it.

 

[godofthunder59]

I wear mine relatively low and manage to let off a riff now and then.

 

[Odinbass]

Slightly low. Enough to look cool but still comfortable to play.

"Music is 90% looking cool. It might actually even be 93%." - Tom Delonge

And I strongly disagree with the idea that bass parts dumbed down after the late 60s. The 70s and 80s are a treasure trove of technical bass work.

 

[TheReceder]

My guess is that this is close to average... good thing is I have enough padding to avoid belt buckle rash...

 

[Slevage]

Dee Dee doesn’t look like he’s having much trouble

Definitely not a technician- but not needed for the music.

 

[Ezmar]

I hold mine just above belt level, and often couple it with a pretty high neck angle, so that the first few frets are around eye level. I started on cello, so this is pretty comfortable for me, and it allows me to play pretty much any style with fairly straight wrists. Slap is no problem, and I don't have to use the Mark King carpal tunnel position when playing fingerstyle.

I've never seen low slung instruments as "cool", though I was listening to how rock music sounded long before I thought about what it looked like. I never had that "image" in my head.

I do agree that it looks a little dorky when it's way up high, but I don't care as long as you can play.

 

[Hugo Rune]

It's been getting slightly higher over the years.
From virtually having to bend over to play around my knees as a spotty yoof to covering my gentleman parts now. I only play with a pick and rarely venture past fret 12 so I can still wear the bass in a relatively low slung rock n roll stylee.

 

[catcauphonic]

A few inches lower than if I were sitting, but nothing extreme that makes reaching for notes or picking/fingering more difficult.

 

[dr doofie]

I need to be able to lick the upper horn without stretching, that's how high I wear it.

That’s what... oh never mind...

 

[stefancaunter]

The strings must be exactly level with the point of windmill slash contact.