Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Neck dive solution?
- Thread starter Jaycat
- Start date
You gotta join a band with a guitarist whose got one in the shape of Latvia, and now and again onstage you can Voltron those together.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,963
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Thanks! Rudolf Rock of Zwik in Hamburg owns that one 
Folks, if your solution includes adding weights to offset neck dive then you're solving one problem by introducing another.
Many of us don't like heavy basses for ergonomic or health reasons.
Many of us don't like heavy basses for ergonomic or health reasons.
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,963
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Thunderbirds are always used as an example of a neck-diving bass, which is exaggerated. Trust me there are basses that are far worse. My '64 II like all T-birds due to having no upper horn is prone to neck-dive but my simple solution renders that mute.
Many players of T-birds sling them low, which also renders neck-dive mute.
Last edited:
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,963
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
I started playing before internet forums. But since I joined TB I found that the "F" logo Fender locks offset the strap about 3/4" from the body. I have one bass that I only use that on the horn and it's enough to make the difference. Normal pin at the back.
Dude that would be sweet. Would require synchronized pyro for the moment of impact
The stap extention made the bass go from "almost unplayable" to "extremely comfortable"!
If the bass is already heavy then I definitely agree. In that case I'd try to lighten the tuners. But I've also gotten rid of neck dive by adding a high mass bridge to a lightweight bass and the slight increase in overall weight didn't bother me at all.
Neck dive is a worse sin for me than weight. Ideally thought you have neither!
I extended the horn with a ceiling fan pull chain. Cheap, easy and works great. Gotoh RES-O-LITE tuners helped a lot too.
Yeah I was being tongue in cheek there. Personally, certain models I won’t own because of ergonomics. T Birds are one example. Not that they aren’t cool. But there are plenty of other basses to keep me happy.
That Soviet telescoping strap pin idea is actually pretty brillant, maybe the only workable thing on that bass. There are closet hangers called "Telescoping Valet Rods". Like this one, but I've seen them where they retract into a perfectly cylindrical housing. I could live with something like that.... but shouldn't have to. Any bass that won't balance without some kind of hijinks or mods required is a hard no for me.
rev-a-shelf.com
Telescoping Valet Rod
rev-a-shelf.com
It’s actually totally giggable. Sounds a bit low-fi but hey it’s made out of tank parts. I got lucky with that one, most are wall art.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,588
- 221,963
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
As far as T-birds go, this is true. But other than badass R&R looks - they sound awesome. Many players here support heavy boat-anchors for the same reason.All this just demonstrates how poor the design of most basses is. And still we support them
Until coming to Talk Bass I never knew neck dive was a condition or crisis! My first two basses had a strap button at or below the 22nd fret so it was normal. Just use a wide leather strap and all is good. Now then, the horror of active electronics in a bass is something worthwhile to start a TB riot over!!!-Tom. 
