Worst Neckdive You've Experienced

[Joma3]

Reading the responses...is there such thing as a BC Rich bass that doesn't neck dive?

Listen you twits - do you want to get rid of neck dive fairly easily or not? I've come across others complaining about this problem time and time again, but I've found a simple solution (and you don't have to move the neck buttons either). I just tried this on my Epi Thunderbird and it seems to work well. The theory is that the further forward you locate the strap anchor position (the closer you locate it towards the headstock) the better the balance will be. Get a nice strong piece of cord of a suitable colour (black is less visible...?) and cut this to a length of about ten inches (23cm) or so. Loop this around the headstock under the strings (assuming this will fit, but it should on most basses) next to the nut. Now, push the end of the string through the hole in the strap end and tie a secure knot so that you create a loop in the cord so it is secured through the strap end (I suggest checking a knot book first). This is the way many acoustic guitarists used to secure their guitars years ago. You should find that your neck dive has now completely disappeared! (Correct me if I am wrong). It means that your strap will now stretch to your headstock instead of being located on the forward part of the body and you might not like this look, but it fixes the dive. The strap button on the rear of the Epi Thunderbird body is really in the wrong place - it should be right near the top of the body 'bout'. However, if you don't mind it crossing over the top front of the rear, it will keep the body more secure and stop it flopping forward. But you can of course 'wedge' it along and up the rear edge although you will probably need a patch of that sticky rubber table matting stuck to the strap so it doesn't slip. I read another article on moving the rear strap button forward on the body - this would probably work, but I doubt as well as the above method. Hope this helps. Sorry to hear you sold your Washburn B20 MEKer; I really liked that design and it seemed to have more bottom end than the other model they made at that time.

Can't tell if serious... I think I'd rather deal with horrible neck dive.

 

[Ed Hawke]

What's the absolute worst neckdive you've ever experienced in a bass? Today I went into my local pawn shop just to see what they had and there was this red cort 5 string with a musicman humbucker, big inline headstock. Not sure what model, anyway I don't own a 5 and it was really cheap so I thought maybe i would get it just to mess around with it. Hooked it up to my strap and put it on and the thing sank headfirst to the floor. Like it didn't just creep down, it dropped like a rock. Just surprised me how seemingly unplayable it would be (probably why it ended up in the pawn shop for 75 bucks)

I'm not an electric bass player... upright's my game. But, there's always somebody at Bluegrass gatherings, who has the tuning head to tailstock type shoulder strap. I don't know if that puts you too far out on the neck.

 

[PeckBass]

Memphis MB-300 Matsumoku! Looks like an Alembic with a Gibson headstock. Although it takes a major dive, the tone is vintage Pbass all the way! They're out there occasionally for 300-500 bucks. Not a bad one to have for recording. Mine came with an original DiMarzio split P.

 

[ONYX]

Danelectro 6 string Bass. Has to be played in a sitting position.

 

[Maartenaerts]

T-Bird reissue i used to have in the mid eighties...Thats neck dive for you Thundersound though...

 

[ChrisPVenter]

An early Yamaha BB series, the one that had a single P pup, it wasn't mine, liked the bass overall, but I have little tolerance for neck dive since I play pretty high up on my chest, if you sling your bass low probably not a big deal.

I LOOOVE my vintage Yamaha BB1200 4 string from '74. Solid wood all the way through no joints at all. Heavy but beautiful to play with Dáddario flatwounds.

 

[Mojo]

BC Rich Eagle. More prone to diving than a hyperactive submarine

 

[Johnny Znuff]

Around ‘82 or so, I had a full head of long, mulleted hair and a few bucks to burn. Dropped $500 on a Gibson Bicentennial Thunderbird because it looked so damn cool. I think I was back at the shop a day or two later ‘cause of the awful dive. I always liked the way Gibson basses “looked”, but could never get comfortable playing them- I tried a ton!

 

[vibroverbus]

Listen you twits - do you want to get rid of neck dive fairly easily or not? ....Loop this around the headstock under the strings... etc.

Except, I hate the feel / hang of an 'acoustic' style strap on anything but a lightweight acoustic guitar (even then honestly I don't like it much... ) much worse than neck dive. As you move the guitar around, then the end of the headstock is 'encumbered' so it doesn't pivot around easily, the strap angle is more oblique so it slips off the shoulder easier, in my opinion that's much worse than neck dive, which I dislike as well. "Twits" is totally uncalled for by the way. Its absolutely legit and harmless to discuss what instruments do or not do this badly/slightly/not-at-all, and whether it bothers you.

I've never had a bass that neck-dived, but I am sure I'd hate it. I own a 1979 SG Custom that sneaky neck-dives on you - seems like it's gonna stay in place for a sec but then as you reach for something - ZANGO to the ground and you're spastically grabbing to keep the headstock from getting bashed up (again). I don't really play that guitar for that reason (and for others, including for the 'fretless wonder' lowpro Gibson frets, but that's another story...) With the increased mass of a bass to be struggling against, it'd be even more distracting...

There's loads of 'how to fix ND' ideas out there, moving strap buttons is one that may be fine (beater/partscaster/etc) or may be out of the question. Secret lead weights in the control cavity is another, but not a great idea for a heavy instrument. Weighted straps is another with the same problem... Grippy straps or the kooky 'harness' straps are another. Since SG's are so super light anyway, I may go ahead and toss a few weights in the cavity next time I button it up. Either that or always play w/ a helium balloon tied to the headstock. Thankfully I don't have an issue w/ the basses tho'...

 

[Tom Baker]

Warwick Thumb NT 5 - noticeable even though it wasn't horrible. I've been fortunate on that I suppose.

 

[stipo]

Cort copy of the Steinberger. For added value the neck was thick as a baseball bat split in half.

 

[Tbsx]

Ive got a p bass copy that does that. I thought I could live with it since it's overall weight was much less..........until I put a set of chrome flats on it. Playing it was like hitting a baseball on the handle. I'd get bad headaches. I guess there wasn't enough wood in the body to absorb the vibration. It is now my experiment bass.

 

[vometia]

I'm not an electric bass player... upright's my game. But, there's always somebody at Bluegrass gatherings, who has the tuning head to tailstock type shoulder strap. I don't know if that puts you too far out on the neck.

Was wondering about that myself. In the end I never tried it, though not for particularly good reasons. Normally I'd say that, as someone who likes to play right by the bridge, it might make the bass feel awkward; but considering my "problem bass" is only a short scale that's not so much of a problem. I think it's just because it's different, and I don't like change.

 

[Tom Baker]

this thread needs a poll with the usual suspects. Thumb, T-Bird, EB-0, etc.

 

[mike_mckaigg]

my MusicVox MI-5 12 string. I knew that going in though. Nature of the beast.

 

[buddha Longbone]

Knockoff p/j bass. Sounded great but the body was too light. I fixed it by adding a little weight inside the bridge pickup cavity and putting a high mass bridge on it.

 

[Spector_Ray]

EPI t bird pro.

Hmmm...mine didn’t neckdive at all.

My worst was my first bass which was a Mako Warlock. Plywood body and maple neck. It sounded decent but was unbearable.

 

[PeteOlig]

An early model Bongo (not mine). Played it for a set, then went back to my regular basd.

 

[fenjazz]

An early Zon Sonus. I took it on a gig without ever testing it out on the strap. It was a neck dive battle on a 3 set gig.

 

[dab12ax7ef]

My Kala UBass is a hilarious offender of neck dive. The 5 string solid body clocks in with an overall weight of 4.4 lbs, but it’s mostly in the tuners. Being the odd ball that it is, neck dive comes with the territory, so it doesn’t bother me. A 2” wide, grippy leather strap is best for this instrument.