Neck Dive

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I was reading on GC's website that Thumb's have neck dive problems... Of course this was from one guy, but he had the only review. My local GC doesn't carry anything but Corvettes so I can't check it out myself.

Anyone had any issues with this? I'm set on a Thumb but I might need to worry if I get like Gibson Thunderbird-level diving going on.
 
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There are balancing issues with the Thumb. I play my Thumb fairly high, and use a grippy suede strap. I'm comfortable with the Thumb's balancing like this, but if you don't play the Thumb high, and/or use a nylon strap, then you will significantly have neckdive issues.
 
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I nplay a BO5 and a NT5 and the BO has no neckdive issue. the NT5 a little bit but a wide strap solves it.
4 stringers have no neck dive at all and I have never played a 6 er to find out but I have not read anything regarding this on 6ers.
 
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I dont agree at all,sorry Thirdy.
Regardless of what your strap is,it's not going to cause neck dive,which is a result of balance & nothing more.Sure,a neoprene,wide strap can make the bass more comfortable & easier to handle,but if a bass has neck dive,it has neck dive.There's players that experiance no neck dive whatsoever from Thumbs,Thunderbairds or any other bass.I personally found no neck dive when I had a Thumb NT5,regardless of strap.A good neo strap made it better to play standing up,but it didnt change it's balance at all.
It's a bit like the belief that the upper horn must read the 12th fret at least,to make the bass balance.I think this is a myth.
Each instrument is different & what some find some neck dive,some dont.It also depends alot on how you like your bass to hang on you.I play Thumbs rather high on the chest with the neck almost parallel with the floor,like Thirdy.But a Streamer I'll play a little lower,& a little more vertical,than I'd play a Thumb.
It's best to try & make your own judgment before potentially making a big mistake & buying blind,based on the reviews & opinions of others.
Good luck. :)
 
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I imagine a search would bring up quite a bit of information for you as this has been a popular topic in the past. That alone tells you that it is an issue for some players. The thumb remains extremely popular so it's either not that bad, or just for certain people! Do a search, you'll find good stuff.
 

Florin

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The thumb has neckdive, no matter how we want to call it. Sure, some people feel the bass more comfortable than others.
The thing is that the thumb bass is so unique, that all of us, thumb players forget about the neck dive, and we call it the Thumb Standard Horizontal Position, or TSHP :))
Cheers, Flo
 
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If your ideal bass is a Fender Jazz (for example), I strongly recommend that you try a Thumb, with a strap, and keep playing it for at least half an hour.
 
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I don't think the early thumbs suffer too badly with neck dive, as the heavier brass bridge makes the body very heavy. Mine certainly doesn't have this problem, but I do wear it down low.

The early models are heavy basses though.
 
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bassoctopus said:
I don't think the early thumbs suffer too badly with neck dive, as the heavier brass bridge makes the body very heavy. Mine certainly doesn't have this problem, but I do wear it down low.

The early models are heavy basses though.

+1

Early Thumbs had a better balance than newer ones, because the body/bridge is heavier and the neck is lighter
 

thndrstk6

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I've owned a NT 5 and still own a NT4 and NT6. For some reason the NT5
had the worst dive. I also had recessed straplocks on it so that might have
been part of the problem too. If you get non recessed locks on it you will
have a couple more inches of "body" length to help balance it.

The NT4 has just a little dive and the NT6's body is significantly wider in
comparison to the 4 and 5's so it seems to balance its self out ok. I also play
my basses high so it helps keep it snug on my chest. After you play a NT
Thumb for a while you won't notice the dive at all.
 
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replace the pin a bit higher and/or use a broad strap!
i'm sad that warwick changed the place of the pin to the middle of the body...
 
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Greg said:
...Regardless of what your strap is,it's not going to cause neck dive,which is a result of balance & nothing more....

What you say is technically correct, Greg, but surely it's missing the point a bit. If a bass is prone to neck-dive then a slippery strap will allow it to dive as much as it likes, whereas a different strap (e.g. one with a suede backing like ThirdthumB's) will stop it. So, no, the strap doesn't cause neck dive, but it can prevent it, or at least limit it.

FWIW, my NT 4 does dive a bit, but only a bit, and with a good strap it's nothing I can't live with. But it's definitely a feature that could be a problem for some people.
 
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My bo 4str thumb does feel a little more neck heavy the my vett and way more then the fortress.I use flush mount strap locks so I added another off center and that cured most of the balance problem for me.I use the same strap for all.
 
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Mr Rabble said:
If your ideal bass is a Fender Jazz (for example), I strongly recommend that you try a Thumb, with a strap, and keep playing it for at least half an hour.

I'm playing a Fender Jazz with a 3" leather strap and have had no issues so far. Guess I'm driving into the next state to find a Thumb to test.
 
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mart said:
Greg said:
...Regardless of what your strap is,it's not going to cause neck dive,which is a result of balance & nothing more....

What you say is technically correct, Greg, but surely it's missing the point a bit. If a bass is prone to neck-dive then a slippery strap will allow it to dive as much as it likes, whereas a different strap (e.g. one with a suede backing like ThirdthumB's) will stop it. So, no, the strap doesn't cause neck dive, but it can prevent it, or at least limit it.

FWIW, my NT 4 does dive a bit, but only a bit, and with a good strap it's nothing I can't live with. But it's definitely a feature that could be a problem for some people.

I get what your sayin'.But this is the Thumb bass.It's heavy & that weight just pulls on your shirt with a grippy strap.
This is just what I've experienced.Maybe I'm built different to most.I find the Thumb alot more comfy holding it more horizontal & that's the way it likes to sit.Call it balance,neck dive,whatever.
 
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some people use a wider strap. others change the location ot the bottom pin and take it further up the body , others add leads to the inside of the elec cavity for more weight.

most of the time a wider strap will do the trick :wink:
 

golem

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Greg said:
I get what your sayin'.But this is the Thumb bass.It's heavy & that
weight just pulls on your shirt with a grippy strap.

This is just what I've experienced.Maybe I'm built different to most.
I find the Thumb alot more comfy holding it more horizontal & that's
the way it likes to sit.Call it balance,neck dive,whatever.


+10000000000000000000000000000000
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000000000000000000000000000000001


Same here. That is exactly what happens. I am so sick of
reading all that "grippy strap" and "suede strap" bullsh!t !
Obviously just the sheep preaching to the sheep. I found
getting strangled by my clothing is even more distracting
than just living with the neck dive. But I don't tolerate the
stangling or the diving. I fix the ax or dump it.

If an ax has neck dive, you gotta rebalance the ax. That
usually means drilling some small holes in your bass. Most
"players" sh!t their pants at such a suggestion, so fuggem.
Got neck dive ? Figger it out, live widdit, or take up tuba.

Now lookit my avatar. I'm NOT holding that neck up high.
It stays that way all by itself. Ultralight basswood body, 35"
neck, looong in-line peg head ..... everything that SHOULD
cause neck dive, but the neck floats, stays up all by itself,
cuz it's a very well designed bass. I did not hafta move the
strap pins, and it has a slippery nylon strap.

`
 
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golem said:
Greg said:
I get what your sayin'.But this is the Thumb bass.It's heavy & that
weight just pulls on your shirt with a grippy strap.

This is just what I've experienced.Maybe I'm built different to most.
I find the Thumb alot more comfy holding it more horizontal & that's
the way it likes to sit.Call it balance,neck dive,whatever.


+1000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000001


Same here. Tghat is exactly what happens. I am so sick of
reading all that "grippy strap" and "suede strap" bullsh!t !!
Obviously just the sheep preaching to the sheep. I'd rather
just put up with neck dive than keep getting strangled by
my clothing, but I don't do neither. I fix the ax or dump it.

If an ax has neck dive, you gotta rebalance the ax. That
usually means drilling some small holes in your bass. Most
"players" sh!t their pants at such a suggestion, so fuggem.
Got neck dive ? Figger it out, live widdit, or take up tuba.

`

I'm the last person to be called sheep thank you very much. A suede/grippy strap does prevent (to a certain extent) the neck from going down. What is it exactly you agree and disagree with ??

You wrote: "grippy strap" and "suede strap" bullsh!t !!, but you also wrote: I'd rather just put up with neck dive than keep getting strangled by my clothing
This seems contradictory to me, so I must not be understanding something......
 

Lex

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Don't get me started on Tuba Dive, Golem!!!

:)
 
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