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Reducing Spector Neck Dive when standing

E

eggfart1

May 19, 2011
255
6
Neither here, nor there!
#1
Hi all, I got a new bass recently which I really love the sound of: Spector EURO4LX. Playing seated there are no issues with ergonomics however I find it quite painful and a bit awkward to stand with this bass. There seems to be quite a lot of neck dive. I don't have the longest arms so when I stand I like to play with the bass fairly vertical (kind of like Fieldy from Korn, but perhaps not to his 90 degree extreme). It seems that the strap location on the Spector's are in an awkward spot. I try and increase the playing angle to bring my left hand closer to my face but it keeps slipping down. Any suggestions? Know of a really comfortable strap to help my left shoulder pain? Thanks!
 
#8
A strap might make a little bit of neck dive more tolerable but mechanically it will never do anything to actually decrease it. And with a lot of dive you need to look beyond a strap.

The most satisfactory solution is to take weight off the headstock by changing tuners.

Another thing that works is to extend the horn by mounting the strap button on a longer screw spaced off the horn with a short length of tubing.

Adding weight isn't something I've tried but if you're having shoulder pain it sounds like maybe not so an great idea. That said a 9lb well balanced instrument is waaaaay more comfortable to me than a diving 7lb-er. Where and how to add enough weight to achieve balance might be an issue. I'd also wonder about it changing the tone.
 
#10
Wes Whitmore said:
If the strap can stay put on your shoulder, then it won't dive.
Click to expand...

Do you understand the concept of leverage? The strap staying put might keep a neck heavy bass from diving but the leverage it exerts and the resulting pressure on the shoulder will not change. A better strap may well do nothing to relieve the OP's experience of pain. Neck dive can add the sensation of several pounds over and above the static weight of the instrument to your shoulder. I've got long term chronic pain from broken and fused C1 and 2 vertebrae and am extremely sensitive to heavy or unbalanced instruments. Out of necessity I have more than a little experience solving neck heavy basses.
 
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#11
I overlooked the "source" of his neckpain a bit when I read this since he didnt get into it, but a good strap is still a great investment and will probably continue to be used even after the strap button relocation, reweighting, lighting of tuners, etc. My spector dove like crazy when I first got it (The strap button is also in a weird place). My levi strap not only keeps it put, but it adds some relief on my shoulder from the bouncing and weight of the bass since the neoprene and it is stretchy. It doesn't cut into my shoulder throughout the night, so I don't notice the weight of the bass as much. Buying a strap is is a fast and easy way to start your fix. If it doesn't work, start modifying.
Wes
 
#15
Never had a dive issue on any of my spectors. They do like to balance more horizontally though. You can move the rear strap button up toward the top of the bass which should help in your situation also. Either way get a wider strap. If none if that works , you might want to get a lighter bass. Like a sdgr or something. The heavy gear dosent found like its your thing.
 

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