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low slung bass guitar player

#41
Dee Dee Ramones wore his lower than anyone else before him.

The Ramones in general wore their instruments lower than anyone else. There, question answered.

It doesn't matter how low you wear your bass, just wear it wherever's comfortable for you. But if you wear it low just because it's cool you're stupid, because the Ramones already did that and they're cooler than you or anyone else will ever be.....except Miles Davis, but that's beside the point.
 
#43
I don't know for bassists, but the first guitarist to do so officially was Gene Vincent.
generockin.jpg
 
#47
I'll throw in a comment about low slung basses, especially in relation to Krist Novoselic. I own a Gibson Ripper and an RD Artist, I know Krist used those as well. They really feel comfortable slung low. I an only 5"8 and I don't have very long arms and I wear the Artist around belt level, maybe a tad lower, its the only way I can play comfortably with such a long necked bass. Now Krist had a few inches on me and had REALLY long arms, so I'd be he was only comfortable with the thing even lower than I play it.
 
#48
Originally posted by moley
Yeah - The Ramones are the earliest I can think of. The Clash & The Pistols didn't come on the scene until 76/77 I believe.

But, IMO, wearing your bass low not only makes playing much harder,

Click to expand...

i agree about the ramones part...

but u have to disagree about the other part...

i have really long arms...and it is alot more comfortable to have my bass low than high...it just feels more natural to me

bp13
 
#54
When i first started playing i was real carefull to wear my bass at just the right height (you know about level with my groin) But the damn problem is that the more I try and focus on playing well the shorter the strap becomes.

I guess my arms are pretty long too but in proportion to the rest of my body so to play it fairly high so i can get a good left hand position doesn't cause much discomfort.


To the original topic. Didn't the bassist for jefferson airplane play with his bass fairly low (could be wrong here)
 
#55
<img src="http://www.black-sabbath.com/images/members/butler/geez1195.jpg">

That isn't very low...at least I don't think so. The few times I practice standing I wear mine just a little higher than that, I thought it was pretty middle. Either way, I don't like to play standing up, partly because of my cheap Ernie Ball strap that creaks like hell every time I inhale. And sometimes I have to adjust the balance of it depending on where I want to play. Pretty annoying.
 
#57
I must agree with both sides in this one. You see, I play in two bands, one is a R&B/Rock/Funk band, and the other is an electronic metal band. I use the same bass in both bands, (Spector 5-string), and for the funkier band, I wear the bass reasonably high for all of the reasons mentioned. I can reach a much greater speed with fingerpicking all over the neck, as well as simply being closer, I can be closer to the action, as well as use the bass as much more of an instrument. In my heavier band, however, It involves lots of heavy fingerpicking, mostly around the lower strings. For this band, I had to drop the bass strap. Not for looks, but because it was killing my right wrist picking that high, constantly around the low strings in the low frets. With the bass lower I can use my whole arm for strength, not just my wrist. This is just how I find the two options. There is no way in hell I would ever be able to play in my funk/R&B band with my bass below my belt! Also, I own a Thunderbird, and man, that sucker needs to be at least at your waist! I aint that tall!
 
#58
Man, for low nobody beats the Hook!!! Pedro Hook!

Fortunatley for him he uses a hollow-bodied bass. (Uh, the EB2 is hollow or semi-hollowed?... oh well it sure ain't a heavy P-bass...)

Personally I found the bass to be OK when somewhat low, while picking that is. I sure as hell can't play, say, a la Bruce Foxton using a pick with the bass high without feeling some sort of pain. For fingering, placing the bass high is best for easier access. Much less pain for sure.
 

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