Simply put, how do you "sling your axe"? Some people like to keep the bass up close to their chin (ala Paul McCartney) and some like to sling it down around their knees (ala Alex Webster). Me? I'm a Webster clone when onstage. I like to wear my bass slung very low, and have the neck almost straight up. I find this most comfortable to me, as I had shoulder surgery at the beginning of the year, and it puts the least amount of stress on the old shoulder joints.

What about the rest of ya?

Cheers.

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My six string I like a little higher, about high-gut height, but my four string I like slung nice and low like you said it.

Cool. Glad to see another 6-string player...(I assume you mean your 6-string bass....lol)

Cheers.

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I usually hang it with the the pickups being about even with my naval (the space between your belly button and waist.)

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I wear mine pretty high.. Its more comfortable for fingerstyle and also a better technique when using fingerstyle to wear it ''Jazz high'' haha.

Heres a pic of me from a recent gig, should show the height.

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I wear my bass very high up, touching my nipples.

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ye same here.

To Webster: In my opinion he is using a special technique in wearing the bass. Sometimes it looks like he is playing on a contra bass.

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True enough. I just find, like I said, with the recent surgery on my shoulder (I had my fretting arm shoulder completely rebuilt, ie: 2" of cartilidge taken out of my glenoid capsule and my rotator cuff muscles sown back together to fix a constant dislocation problem) that playing it that style seems the most comfortable. And it looks SOOOOO metal. lol

Cheers.

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I usually have it angled upward where my right arm is almost straight, and the head is probably just above my shoulders. I find it's easiest to stretch my fingers when it's angled that way.

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Oh but of course!

I play it slightly higher than Tattered does in that photo (or maybe the same, I'm not too sure). I like it this way because the fretboard is accessible down (or up ) at the first fret all the way up to the 24th fret. It is also a very natural feel for fingerstyle picking.

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Very true. I find it the same by playing mine in a (near) vertical position. The first fret is basically at head level, and the 24th is close to hip level. All are within easy reach by moving nothing more than my forearm. Admittedly, this style isn't for all bassists, but for me it seems to be more comfortable. Also, my plucking hand is hanging low enough to be very comfortable.

Cheers.

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I wear mine with the body about groin level and hold the neck to were the head stock is about level with my head or neck. I think it is more comfortable since a play directly behind the neck with a pick(which from what i've read is bass herisy on these forums).

Actually sometimes when I grab my bass for a quickie (5min before leaving in the morning) I don't bother use the strap and I hold the bass in this position. Obviously after a while this would get tiring without a strap, but I think you still have to hold it in place the way you have it even when using a strap. And if you do, that must get tiring pretty quickly, especially for you on a 6-string.

Does anyone know if they make stands to hold up bass guitars (similar to the things used to hold up cellos) while you play? I'd be willing to experiment with that if I could find one. That would be very cool.

Do you play like that all the time? I wouldn't call it heresy but I would recommend you move over the neck pickup for parts involving fast picking. I suppose where "directly behind the neck" is really depends on what you mean by that, and if you mean "directly behind the fretboard" then it also depends on how long the fretboard is ie, how many frets you have. Care to be more specific?

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My bass has 20 frets. And I tend to play behind the fret board and and 1/2 way in front of the pick-up, about 80% of the time. If it is anything fast LOG, Slayer(Reign in Blood) or Metallica(Master of Puppets) I'll play half way between pick-up and bridge or directly over the pick-up. But i do play may bass like that 95% of the time. The other 5% is when I play w/ my fingers then i'll hoist my bass up a bit, and lower the angle of the neck.

To alleviate that problem, I repositioned the strap pegs to change the balance point on my bass. I put the rear peg on the back of the body, about 2/3 of the way up the body, and about 5 inches in from the rear (bridge) end of the body. Now it basically sits where I want it.

Cheers.

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I Nipple Ride...it's the only way to hit all the notes with a fair amount of easye and it's makes me look like a total pussy!

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Haha, wow...lots of interesting styles =P Respect them all, but I just perfer keeping it about waist-ish level. I use a pick, and (personally) it gives me a more comfortable position. That's just from personal experiance though...

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OMG!!! He uses a pick!! Throw rocks at him!!

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Hahaha.

























*Throws rocks*

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I wear it as low as I can (for maximum attack while using a pick) while still being to fret all notes comfortable and play fingers with precision... so for me that's about the neck joint right below my navel.
I find that too low makes it difficult to fret higher notes, and too high makes it uncomfortable to fret low notes.

Its the same with guitar, it looks real cool having it as low as you can possibly handle, but it stops you from being able to reach or play anything technical. Its all good if you are playing very simple bass or guitar, otherwise wearing it higher has to be done

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That made me giggle.

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Hmm... how should I say, not too low and not too high, so i have it on my stomach (between waist and belly button as someone stated before).

^ somethig like his....not too high not too low....its just right

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i wear it right below my chest. If you have it high and you play fingerstyle then it makes a little easier and lets your right hand relax!

i like to keep the strap button lined up with my waiste it suits me best for slapping and 3 finger technique

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im sure i probably look like a dork with my bass up at my chest, but i could care less, plus having your bass a little higher allows for better economy of motion and as was mentioned earlier allows you to play more technical stuff. i suppose its easier to wear it low if you play with a pick though.
+ = "smoookkkee on the waatterrr...dun dun deh dun dun deh deh"

When i see a bassist with his strap high i usually assume that he KNOWS what hes doing, and i think it looks cooler (which is besides the point), and it is more comfortable and easier to play anything.

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I agree...I have my bass down to my knees... My picture is in my profile..it may be a tad over exaggerated..but you get the idea.

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i kinda keep changing the height these days....when im in the mood for some metal i wear it low kinda at the same height as Steve DiGiorgio.but if i feel like playing something like jazz then i get it up till i guess where sean malone keeps it.

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Its pretty crazy that steve plays it so low, yet still can play really awesome technical stuff

right on my waist, seems comfortable enough for me

i used to play there then quit when it felt like it was getting hard for my hands

i wear my Ibanez GSR100 high... like chest height and my new BC Rich Platinum Mockingbird which i just got today, well hmm any help with this? its head heavy like a bitch keeps wanting to slip down any solutions for this?

Leather strap?

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round my crotch, but its with my guitar strap, i have to get an extra one

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yeah on both

I don't know about you guys, but I wear my bass like a thong. Which is usually why you guys think I have a bug stuck up my ass.

Because in reality, i just have an oversized instrument incorrectly positioned up the back door.

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I have four string. I keep it at gut height.