Ritter bass with 3 strap buttons

[TolerancEJ]

I was looking through some sold items on The Low End site and noticed this Ritter Fretless 6 string. It seems to have three strap buttons: 1 on the upper horn and 2 at the end. Would there have been a special purpose for two strap buttons at the end?

 

[Ds1]

Nothing crazy, just so you can adjust the height/balance of the bass if you want. The idea has been around for a while and you can see it on a good amount of high-end basses.

 

[bassmahn]

I would assume that they would act like a standoff if you set the bass down.. it will rest on the strap pins instead of the body

 

[TolerancEJ]

Both valid points. Adjustability and to prevent unforunate bumps when setting down the bass.

 

[bassbenj]

Nothing crazy, just so you can adjust the height/balance of the bass if you want. The idea has been around for a while and you can see it on a good amount of high-end basses.

Yup. I did that to my Carlo Robelli 8 string that had serious neck dive. Moving the strap button higher helped cure the dive. Unfortunately not enough as I also had to put a button extender on the horn to actually fix the dive.

 

[smperry]

Yes, the "Classic" models typically come stock with two strap buttons at the bridge, and the player can just pick which one works best for the playing style. I can't remember which one I tended to use.

 

[J Posega]

I would punch the owner of that bass in the face if they just set it on the floor, not on a stand. Two strap buttons or not, that thing deserves at least slightly better treatment. You can afford a Ritter? You can afford a stand/ hanger.

 

[mark beem]

Man, that bass is gorgeous! Jens certainly does make functional pieces of art!

 

[TolerancEJ]

Man, that bass is gorgeous! Jens certainly does make functional pieces of art!

Absolutely. Way beyond my reach, but marvelous nonetheless.

 

[fisticuffs]

All G&L ASAT's have the same thing. It's meant to give you options. I use the one closer to the bass side.

 

[harleybass47]

I have an G&L ASAT that has the same thing. I use the top one but still have some neck dive.

 

[mark beem]

The Ibby GWB35s have that set-up as well..

 

[TolerancEJ]

I hadn't realized it's more common than I thought. Thanks, TB folks.

 

[Bruce Johnson]

The oldest example of the dual rear strap buttons that I know of is the Ampeg AEB-1 Scroll Basses of 1966. They have a strange tailpiece assembly that hangs off the back end of the body on a pair of steel posts. They machined the strap buttons right onto the ends of the two posts. So there were two of them. Customers liked them. So, when Ampeg came out with the AMB-1 model Scroll Bass in 1967, it didn't have the overhanging tailpiece, but they went ahead and put two conventional strap buttons on the back end of the body, spaced about 2 1/2" apart. And a tradition was born!

I've been carrying on that tradition, putting the dual rear strap buttons on all of my new-generation Scroll Basses. They do protect the back end of the body, and help keep it from tipping over when leaned up against something. I generally put my strap on the upper button.

Does anyone know of any earlier examples of dual rear strap buttons, prior to 1966? I don't remember any.