What is neck dive?

neck dive = neck heavy

When the neck and headstock are so heavy that the neck has the tendency to drop towards the floor and you have to counter this with your fretting hand. Usually found on basses where the strap button is higher than the 12th-14th fret, e.g. Gibson Thunderbird or Warwick Thumb.

 

It's the tendency for a bass' headstock to want to "dive" for the floor when it's not being held.

This usually happens with basses that have unusually small bodies, and/or large or heavy headstocks. One of the best examples of this is a Gibson EB-O.

You can get used to it.

Mike

 

If you sit a bass on your knee to play and you have to hold up the neck because it is off balance then it has 'neck dive'. same if your wearing it with a strap, if you feel like the headstock tends to want to fall, it has 'neck dive'

 

Play my Cort Curbow 6-string - you'll learn what neck dive is!

Fortunately, it was pretty easy to get used to.

 

You a bad man...god...

 

most basses dive like that if you rest them on a strap or on your lap, unless you get a Carl Thompson.

 

Not at all!!

I have never owned a bass that had neck dive and I always test for this before buying! I find that it puts unnatural weight on your left wrist and can be the cause of carpal tunnel, RSI etc.

I would avoid it at all costs!!

It doesn't have to be dramatic - like dropping to the floor - so with Thumb basses, they just slip down enough to make your left arm/wrist position uncomfortable. But long periods of playing like that could be quite damaging and I don't want to take the risk with my health!!

I would only buy a bass if it stays in a comfortable position for my left hand/wrist when playing standing up with a strap. This is part of the reason I would never buy a bass without trying it first!

 

B.S.

 

Here's a good NECK DIVE CURE

Fixed it for ya!


Treena

 

I have found that wide leather straps tend to help moderate neck dive by letting the bass grip your body better than thin nylon straps which allow the bass to slide.

 

a lot of times, neck dive is cause by stupid upper strap button placement.

my warwick corvette pro 6 would be my perfect bass if the headstock didn't insist on sniffing my toe jam all the time...

good luthier books will talk about how to design bodies that will balance

EDIT: Sorry, i just had to run outside; a marching band just marched down the street. they march to City Hall every year for the Chili Bowl

when it comes to balance, nothing balances better than my jazz. if you notice, the strap buttin is right up with the 12 fret mark.

i think Melvin Hiscock (or Hercock - i don't remember his name) in his book talks about the simple rule that if you have the upper strap button close to the 12 fret, it will most likely balance well.

 

If you want a bass that doesn't understand the term, "neckdive," check out one of these: http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=EDA905

It balances very nicely sitting or standing.

The shark bass makes the same claim, though I've never seen or played one. www.infeld.biz

Does anyone have a shark bass?

Mike

 

If you have an instrument you really like but it has bad neck dive, consider hooking the end of your strap to the headstock, right above the nut. It looks old-school, but works very well. run a nice piece of sturdy nylon twine/rope(thin) under your strings and around the headstock, tie to a good strap and quit complaining. Millions of guitarists did this before the advent of two-buttons-on-the-body.

 

Holy thread resurrection!

I think having the strap attached to the headstock would be bad for the neck.

 

+10000000000

 

depends on how heave the bass is, but most classical guitars are like that.
I bet its okay as long as you don't put a lot of weight on guitar.