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Playing upright style
- Thread starter Randy Howard
- Start date
LOL! I could say the same thing about barking at people who annoy you!Welcome to the Internet.
Like @Dogberthday says though even inane posts do bump the thread.....
I don't bark at them, I put them on ignore, like I'm doing with you. I'm not sure what your issue is. It isn't your thread and my initial comments had nothing to do with you. I think the OP is probably quite capable of speaking for himself.
I don't bark at them, I put them on ignore, like I'm doing with you. I'm not sure what your issue is. It isn't your thread and my initial comments had nothing to do with you. I think the OP is probably quite capable of speaking for himself.
My issue with it??? Well thanks for asking! My "issue" is that I've been there a whole lot of times myself over the last twenty-five or so years I've been discussing things on the interwebs and I can sympathize with the OP here. Are you going out of your way to be annoying pointing out something so painfully obvious as the OP being able to "speak for himself"? Or do you just think I'm stupid enough not understand this? See how this works?
Enough already, OK?
Has anyone seen someone play an electric bass in the upright position? Is there possibly a stand made that allows this playing position?[/QUOTE]
How about this guy?
How about this guy?
Some versions of the (mostly unsuccessful) Gibson EB-1 came with an endpin for upright play. I tried my friend's EB-1 that way and it was kind of neat, but a little harder to stabilize against your body than a real UB.
The Takamine TB-10 has a similar arrangement and has a large, jazz guitar-like body and a very radiused fingerboard, like an upright. I played one for a while in a guitar shop in London and found - for my own personal tastes - that it was the worst of both worlds instead of the best in that when played as either a BG or an UB, it was not as comfortable as a regular BG or UB. That was just my take on it, though.
If two basses (that I know of) offered the endpin option, you're clearly not the only bassist who has considered playing in this manner.
The Takamine TB-10 has a similar arrangement and has a large, jazz guitar-like body and a very radiused fingerboard, like an upright. I played one for a while in a guitar shop in London and found - for my own personal tastes - that it was the worst of both worlds instead of the best in that when played as either a BG or an UB, it was not as comfortable as a regular BG or UB. That was just my take on it, though.
If two basses (that I know of) offered the endpin option, you're clearly not the only bassist who has considered playing in this manner.
I sometimes play my electric bass like an upright, just for fun.
When I play my Fender "upright style" I meld with the bass. The guitar body it tight against me and the nut is close to my left ear. This is very much like playing an upright were you just aren't listening to the speakers but are actually feeling the vibrations of the bass. In very noisy situations I have even placed the neck of the URB on my cheekbone to "hear" what I am doing. This sort of intimacy with the instrument can really open up tonal possibilities (an improve intonation). I think it is a very valid playing position.
Paul Galbraith plays guitar in an upright position https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FYMVgOW2XM.
Or you could relocate the strap buttons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWmNjB2lKf0 (Please forward to the 1 minute mark... this is a cheesy video until then)
Or you could relocate the strap buttons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWmNjB2lKf0 (Please forward to the 1 minute mark... this is a cheesy video until then)
Yes! Paul Galbraith is highly acclaimed and an extraordinary player as well. He was bold enough to do something different and became famous in the process.
If you look up Barker Bass or Krappy Guitars you'll see exactly what you're talking about. You can also make the hanging angle of a Gibby or Epi Thunderbird more upright by putting a strap button on the front and upper bout of the body and the back of the upper horn. Essentially the strap runs from the top front of the bass around your waist and up over your shoulder then down to the body. Good luck.
I have tried, and failed, to think of a reason that a fretless should cost $100 more than fretted.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I've fooled around playing EBG and an electric bass in an upright position, but did not find it especially comfortable.
I have mostly played upright for more than 20 years. I have an electric gig coming up next month and find that my right forearm is getting very sore. I'm getting tennis elbow. I've read up on that here on Talkbass and I've been wondering if a more vertical approach with my precision might work. I have no problem at all on the upright. So I'm watching this thread with interest.
To me the upright position facilitates the left hand and puts it in a much more favorable position. Brian Bromberg tends to play with his electric pretty high on his body which gets the neck up. But I can see that the right arm is possibly compromised by doing this. I think a high neck and low body might be ideal.
Have you thought about the pressure the neck strap puts on your body? My neck does not tolerate pressure very well and the nerve pressure progresses into my right shoulder and back causing numbness and pain. An elevated (guitar) neck and a wider strap may help.
