Would I just get used to it?

[wideload]

I can't wear my bass up high because my chins mute the strings...

 

[kesslari]

Wear it high and wear a studded codpiece.

 

[ShiftyShift]

I don't care how high or low you wear it, just don't play your Flying V like this

 

[Evil Undead]

I don't care how high or low you wear it, just don't play your Flying V like this

Oh dear what is he doing?

 

[pmchenry]

I don't care how high or low you wear it, just don't play your Flying V like this

That is SO cool. I never wanted a flying V until right now.

 

[Stewie26]

On the other side of "nipple playing" you get this " croch playing"

 

[Metalbasshippy]

Does this man look like a geek?

No, he looks like Buffalo Bill though...

 

[Evil Undead]

On the other side of "nipple playing" you get this " croch playing"

Despite that looking very uncomfortable, it's a cool pic? That you?

 

[Calaverasgrande]

I love how if anyone says they "play in a punk band" as a qualifier for the question, they get dogpiled by a bunch of guys with sophomoric jokes.
Personally I use to play a lot higher then I realized I can relax my right arm more when it's not "chicken-winged" to reach the strings. I kind of overshot and played my bass too low for a couple years until I started getting cramps.
Now I hang out in the goldilocks zone. Just about low enough for my belt buckle to screw up the back of the bass. So I wear my belts sideways.

So I guess the takeaway is play it at whatever height is comfortable for you when you are playing your fastest hardest songs. If any of your joints hurt, listento the pain (I didnt!) and adjust to accommodate.
And wear those nerdy earplugs. You cant get hearing back once you lose it!

 

[Rumblestiltskin]

Back when...our band of the moment scored a 6 week house band gig in what turned out to be a gay bar. We were a R'nR outfit and totaly in the wrong room. The audience would listen respectfully to our set whilst seated.. and then in our break they would dance like crazy to the new Michael Jackson album..Off the Wall. We had a Tom Robinson number in our rep (Power in the darkness) which we hadn't played up to this point....well we got a bit pissy about the floor being empty when we did our set, so we wheeled out Tom Robinson........we did that as a F#*K YOU...but it had the reverse effect, and from there on the punters danced when we played and sat Michael out.

The point of this little ditty is that we got sacked about three weeks into the gig and as we were packing up on our last nite, I found a very nice hand tooled leather strap stuck half under the back of the stage. Up to this point I had been using those cheap and cheerful adjustable straps that looked like moms lounge rug and this was COOL. It had no adjustment and sat the bass quite high, which turned out to be a very good place for it to be. Thirty something years later, it's still my only strap.
It never occured to me untill reading this thread, that there were 'cool' and 'uncool' heights to wear your instrument.
It's somewhat disconcerting to realise that I've been the epitomy of uncool for all these years.


Nobody can plan to be cool...'cept maybe the Fonz......... you either is ...or you ain't.

 

[NML1986]

On the other side of "nipple playing" you get this " croch playing"

I use to have my bass low, but not that low, I like the look of a low slung bass.
I have it about belt hight now, much easier on my right wrist since I had a plate inserted.

 

[Stewie26]

Despite that looking very uncomfortable, it's a cool pic? That you?

Nope...but I would not mind being that young again if I could keep the wisdom I have today.

 

[Pilgrim]

It's simple. You're the bass player - wear the bass where it works for you. Don't create physical problems by putting it in some really weird position which causes your fingers or wrist to be contorted, but otherwise - you're the bass player. When you're on stage, you define how bass playing is done. Go forth and do what works for you.

 

[Munjibunga]

Just tell everybody it's a bow tie.

 

[pklima]

Wear some board shorts with a picture of a bass printed on them (the instrument, not the fish). That's the easiest way to achieve the "bass at crotch level" look.

 

[nightwulf]

Nah...go with the fish...it'll make people wonder...

 

[pklima]

But audiences are so ignorant... they don't know the difference between bass and trout.

 

[CodyLX450]

My bass weighs 19lbs.

That doesn't seem like a lot when you first start playing. A few songs in, and it feels like it weighs 150lbs. I'd wear it even higher if I could. I should make some extra holes in the strap to try that out.

 

[schmig]

Check out Scott Thunes, ultimate punk bassist.

 

[x64]

Check out Scott Thunes, ultimate punk bassist.

Matt Freeman would like a word.