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Idea for a practice 'travel' bass - comments & suggestions...

stoob

stoob

Feb 3, 2008
178
7
www.sutherbaker.com
#1
This is just for the bass junkies...

I am often out in the car/train, travelling about and of course, can't practice my bass (a bit difficult taking out a 5 string bass and amp in public). As an idea I had, I am thinking of cutting up my old bass up to the 12th fret (keeping the headstock) and tacking down the strings at the end so that the bass will look like this:

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Of course you can't pluck the strings, just thinking of using it as a fingering exercise bass. What do people think? Will it work?

Good idea? :D
Bad idea? :hmm:
Forget it! :bawl:

Cheers

S
 
#2
They have that already.

It's called ShredNeck.

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It looks awful, though. I mean, I guess you'd be able to practice left-hand fretting and proper fingering but, for me, practice is the combination of left fretting hand and right plucking hand. The two must necessarily work in concert (it's the coordination of both) for it to be anything resembling pragmatic.

Then again, that's just my take. Maybe it will be useful to you. :) It'd at least give your muscles a bit of a workout.
 
#7
varunkapahi said:
get a travel bass wont be much bigger than your half neck but you can really play it and even plugin headphones if you want
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Click to expand...

I think I would look a bit of a tool carrying that around in a train/playing in the car whilst waiting at a bus stop whilst plugged in to headphones! :rolleyes:
Also the Shredneck practice bass comes with a 'gig' bag, gig?! :/

Maybe you don't need to hear your bass whilst practicing, maybe finger exercises and left hand technique could be improved on by this?
 
#10
How about simple Steinberger copy? I had a cheap one in the 90s as a backup bass. Eventually it became my "travel" bass. It was so small and convenient to lug around in its hip little gig bag. Plus its a real full scale bass! That and a little headphone amp & you've got it all.
 
#15
The thing is, whilst all these basses are fine specimens, I'm looking at bringing round with me a 12 fret, cut down guitar where I can simply bring on the train, around town/waiting rooms (when noone is there to see me play like a prat ;) ), in the car and use just for practicing fingering.

I don't thing you need a full blown guitar and also about the realistic string tension and stuff, sometimes your fingers just need a good work out??
 
#16
This is a good topic and I did have a cheap Steinberger Bass with its Shotgun case. Throw in a Pocket Rocket amp with headphones and you are set to jam at the Motel 6. One of those mini necks reminds me of a Piano keyboard chart. So I would go for a cheap $100 Bass guitar and headphone amp. :cool:
 
#17
I am completely uncertain what sort of practice you hope to accomplish with only the neck.

I feel that arm position, strap length, audio feedback (even via headphones) is necessary to practice. On top of that, it should be the same neck width/scale length as your primary player.

Of course, if someone made a Steinberger type base that can come apart with some sort of quick release, it would be pretty damn cool. Wait, let me get to the patent office.
 

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