Double Bass Keeping Upright Bass Handy For Daily Practice

[arbous65]

Hi there,
I have a bad back especially got worse brining the upright bass home. I like to keep the bass in the living room where we play music with the family. If I'm going to use it for half an hour to one hour every day is it ok to lean it vertically to the side of the sofa or facing the fingerboard to the corner of the wall without being in the case. I just like to minimize doing things like putting the case on or moving the bass away from the living room that is gonna make my back worse but also I don't want to do something that damages the bass in a long run.
I appreciate your advice.

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

The best/safest tried and true method is to lean the bass back out into a corner in a standing position. If you have pets or small children, a bungee cable can help hold it in place. Here's a picture of the two in my office in that orientation:

At home, I built a little back bar for mine and run a bungee cable around under the neck so it can live in the music room facing out, where I can grab it and start playing in seconds.

 

[arbous65]

The best/safest tried and true method is to lean the bass back out into a corner in a standing position. If you have pets or small children, a bungee cable can help hold it in place. Here's a picture of the two in my office in that orientation:

View attachment 4140004

At home, I built a little back bar for mine and run a bungee cable around under the neck so it can live in the music room facing out, where I can grab it and start playing in seconds.View attachment 4140000

Thank you. It's good to know they are ok without the case. I'm gonna do the same with the wall corner. Cheers.

 

[Ed Fuqua]

My favorite!

 

[Eric Hochberg]

They don't get along, so I have to separate them!

 

[damonsmith]

I use the corner method for one bass in one room and I lean it onto the side of a table in another! Keeping basses handy is key!

 

[Keith Rawlings]

The best/safest tried and true method is to lean the bass back out into a corner in a standing position. If you have pets or small children, a bungee cable can help hold it in place. Here's a picture of the two in my office in that orientation:

View attachment 4140004

At home, I built a little back bar for mine and run a bungee cable around under the neck so it can live in the music room facing out, where I can grab it and start playing in seconds.View attachment 4140000

Chris - those are absolutely gorgeous basses! I’m sure you’ve shared this with TB before, but could you provide some background on those beautiful basses with those of us who’ve only discovered TalkBass over the last couple of years?

I’m digging the bar stand for the music room - very cool! How did you go about building that?

 

[Keith Rawlings]

They don't get along, so I have to separate them!View attachment 4140203

Beautiful basses as well! Very cool!

 

[Keith Rawlings]

My favorite!
View attachment 4140172 View attachment 4140175

Nice!

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

@Keith Rawlings the one at home and the office one on the left are written about here: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
The office one on the right is a Shen SB100 that belongs to the school.

The bar thing is just a bracket made out of 1x2” wood that I screwed into the sides of the corner sound panel. I’m not much of a carpenter, so it’s just wood and screws with an old towel wrapped around it and secured with a couple of zip ties.

 

[BobKay]

One kind of in a corner; both on stands. No cases for any of my instruments so I can pick and play at will.

 

[Keith Rawlings]

@Keith Rawlings the one at home and the office one on the left are written about here: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
The office one on the right is a Shen SB100 that belongs to the school.

The bar thing is just a bracket made out of 1x2” wood that I screwed into the sides of the corner sound panel. I’m not much of a carpenter, so it’s just wood and screws wit an old towel wrapped around it and secured with a couple of zip ties.

Well the bar seems to be doing the job nicely. I’m thinking of doing something similar now that the wife has made me move the bass out of the living room and back into the study after we repainted.

Those LaScalas are beautiful instruments and they sound so good too. Very nice!

 

[Wasnex]

Hi there,
I have a bad back especially got worse brining the upright bass home. I like to keep the bass in the living room where we play music with the family. If I'm going to use it for half an hour to one hour every day is it ok to lean it vertically to the side of the sofa or facing the fingerboard to the corner of the wall without being in the case. I just like to minimize doing things like putting the case on or moving the bass away from the living room that is gonna make my back worse but also I don't want to do something that damages the bass in a long run.
I appreciate your advice.

AFAIK, the biggest concern is drastic humidity shifts. Keeping the bass in a case with a humidifier can help minimize problems when the humidity is low.

Is your bass laminated, hybrid, or fully carved? A laminated bass may be fine. Fully carved tends to have more of tendency to open up at various seams. This could mean occasional trips to a luthier are required to have seams reglued. I have had carved basses that had frequently problems and others than were rock solid.

The seasonal humidity in my current house varies from the high teens to the low 60s. Even some of my bass guitars complain...don't currently own an upright.

 

[BobbyT]

One kind of in a corner; both on stands. No cases for any of my instruments so I can pick and play at will.View attachment 4140305

Love your collection Bob!

I have a similar stand made by Hercules for my bass and I would say for those with back issues you might want to use caution with this type of stand. This is because you have to lift the instrument a foot or so off the floor to put it into the cradle. It’s not the easiest maneuver. The stand is super sturdy though, and I don’t worry that my two-year old will knock over my bass...

 

[sean_on_bass]

The corner is the best, but i don't have a valid corner to use currently so both of my basses are just on the floor on their side.

 

[Len S]

I have a stand I purchased from Gollihur back when I got my first bass. The bass sits in my office, and I literally pick it up probably 50 or more times a day. It's by Meisel. I saw one in Gage I really liked that was low, had a place that leans the body against, and also kind of a "dish" for the endpin. That was pretty cool.

 

[arbous65]

AFAIK, the biggest concern is drastic humidity shifts. Keeping the bass in a case with a humidifier can help minimize problems when the humidity is low.

Is your bass laminated, hybrid, or fully carved? A laminated bass may be fine. Fully carved tends to have more of tendency to open up at various seams. This could mean occasional trips to a luthier are required to have seams reglued. I have had carved basses that had frequently problems and others than were rock solid.

The seasonal humidity in my current house varies from the high teens to the low 60s. Even some of my bass guitars complain...don't currently own an upright.

Hi there, my bass is a hybrid. Some of the seams are already glued properly as the luthier mentioned before I bought the bass.

 

[Ric Vice]

I have a stand I purchased from Gollihur back when I got my first bass. The bass sits in my office, and I literally pick it up probably 50 or more times a day. It's by Meisel. I saw one in Gage I really liked that was low, had a place that leans the body against, and also kind of a "dish" for the endpin. That was pretty cool.

I have two of Engles Double Bass Stands that Gollihur music used to sell . If anyone is interested in having one, I’ll be glad to part with them for the price of shipping.

 

[marcox]

Hey @Ric Vice I’ll take one or both of your stands. PM on its way ...

 

[turf3]

Somehow the "facing into the corner" posture always reminds me of a child that's been bad. The two facing away from each other into opposite corners? Sent there for fighting.