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Neck Dive...Really?

#42
'73 Ric 4001-3.JPG '78 P-Bass-2.JPG Kramer 1.JPG IMO, it happens to some people - with some basses - because we are all built differently, and thus the bass hangs differently. The first two basses here? No neck dive - for ME - although the 4001 does like to be slightly parallel to the floor. But, that's not neck dive in my world. That last bass? You bet your bippy it's a neck diver - by anybody's definition. I can't imagine the shape of the creature that wouldn't think so... As for my Thunderbird? I prefer to think of it as not so much a neck diver, as just "slightly biased towards the head stock"...:whistle:
 
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#43
Smallmouth_Bass said:
Yes. For me, neck dive means the headstock has a tendency to want to go down (towards the floor). That can be in varying degrees of severity, but any time it requires some effort to counterbalance from the player (either by holding the neck with your fretting hand or pushing down at the body), then that qualifies.
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Pretty much the same way I would term neck dive. If it can hang on the strap when neither of your hands are touching the bass it's balanced. With my Godin I can bounce up and down a bit without touching the bass and it stays where it is. If I did that with the Jag after two bounces and the neck would be pointing down at 45 degrees even with a wide suede strap.

I played this beast which has a LOT of hardware at the headstock and it was perfectly balanced. There are so many variables (body shape and weight, neck weight etc) but if the top horn goes to the 12th fret or further it should be good.

K12HorizontalSmall (1) copy.jpg
 
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#45
[QUOTE

I played this beast which has a LOT of hardware at the headstock and it was perfectly balanced. There are so many variables (body shape and weight, neck weight etc) but if the top horn goes to the 12th fret or further it should be good.

View attachment 1199027[/QUOTE]
If my bass was that pretty, I'm not certain I would notice any diving issues...if I was tired that night, I'd just ask the bevy of chicks around me to hold it...
P.S. I'm new here. I've tried to enlarge it, but no good. What the hell is that?
 
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#48
StatesideRambler said:
Some folks see nothing but problems while others take it all in stride, as in, "It's all good."

I have a Jack Casady bass which is a hollow body with the upper strap button directly behind the neck-body joint. That strap button location together with the weight distribution makes this the Jacques Cousteau of neck divers. It doesn't bother me at all but There are others here who talk as if their left arm is curling a twenty pound dumbell all night.

My point? Whether neck dive is a problem is for you to decide.
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I had a Casady years ago that I don't have anymore for two reasons: The first, it dove badly for my positioning (strings slightly above belly button height, headstock at around 2:00 or so if you're facing me when I play. This way my left hand is used only for fretting), and second, the reach to the first fret was much farther away than I'd become accustomed to using basses with the upper strap button at the 12th fret or so. The reach was uncomfy whether seated or standing and the bass never got played, so I flipped it. The weight on my left arm wasn't the issue (tho it might have become one if I hadn't had other options), but the playability certainly was.

I see bands where guys play with their basses around belt height or even lower. That would put my left wrist in a weird position because the forearm bends downward while the fingers are turned upward, but it seems to work okay for others.
 
#49
mikewalker said:
Neck dive is real.... but if the upper 'Horn' ( or strap button location on a single-cut) is close to the 12th fret, its virtually guaranteed to be a non-issue.

But even for SGs, RGs, explorers, flying Vs , T-birds with crazy heavy headstocks (etc!) THERE IS AN EASY WORKAROUND that I just ran into the other day...

check it out:

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Absolutely brilliant! Kind of limits what you can do as far as slinging it around, but it does work.
 
#51
Generally speaking, a fender j or a p is a pretty well balanced instrument. Unless you have a super light body and a neck that is made out of led, you won't have neck dive. I persobally have never had problems with neck dive with fender like instruments ever in the past 25 years. I'm not saying that it doesn't exist, but ime it's very rare.
 
#53
Smallmouth_Bass said:
I can't say I noticed or was really bothered by it until I owned a really well balanced bass. Now, I can tell the difference in a fraction of a second.

(By the way, that really well balanced bass was/is Dingwall.)
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This!
As I said in my earlier post,most don't notice anything until they have a bass that balances.
Then they have a "V8" moment.

They notice an elimination of left(or right)forearm and other sympathetic muscle tension.
(Wiggle your fingers while holding a weight versus wiggle your fingers with the weight supported by something else.)
 
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#54
Only bass I've had neck dive issues with is my Epiphone Jack Casady. I've got a P and a J, and have never had an issue.

But what's the big deal? If the bass sounds good and you're aware it's a bit unbalanced, just take normal precautions.
 
#55
Salicete said:
I've played Fenders since the 1970s, and neck dive has never been an issue for me.

Your results may vary, but I doubt it.
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Jazz Basses are pretty much imune due to their gigantic offset body.
There can be issues with alder P basses, also with heavy Fender style necks, namely Warmoth steel rod necks.
As a general rule though, M. Fender did his homework and made very well balanced instruments.
 
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#56
joebar said:
<SNIP>
I didn't know neck dive was a thing before coming here.
As long as your bass weighs 9 pounds or so, you likely won't have it
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I disagree. IMO a light bass is *more* likely to neck dive. Most light basses are light because of the body, for example semi acoustics. In a semi, the body is lighter than usual, the neck is the same. Contributes to neck dive. Factor in that a lot of semi acoustics have the strap button on the back of the neck and you have the perfect storm for neck dive.

Mike
baileyboy said:
Never experienced it either.
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#58
fhm555 said:
Hey folks...



Am I living a sheltered life or is there something I'm missing here. I understand the basic premise of balance and how strap button placement, top horn length, etc, can have an effect on balance, or the obvious too much weight out at the end of that lever called the neck, but are there other factors like where you wear you bass in relation to your body, neck angle in relation to the ground, type of strap, width of strap, etc that can contribute to or cause neck dive.

I'm just trying to get a handle on why I read about neck dive but have never experienced it and don't know anyone else who has.

Thanks in advance for any and all opinions and experiences.
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Neck dive is very real and it can be very annoying.
You may just not be aware you have it.
90% of all basses have some level of neck dive, unless they are 12 pound monsters, but you typically will see it in basses that are 8lbs or less. It is just very minor on a well balanced bass.
 
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