Headless basses

BroKen_H

BroKen_H

Re-member
Okay, all you bass players, here's the question:
Did you ever play headless, and did you find it WAY better?

I had one of the original Headway Riverhead basses (pre Japan) when the electronics were poop! The deal is, it was so much easier to work with live. Play an note long enough to see what's going on with the tuner. Then play with the left and tune with the right. I could stay in tune during any and all songs! I loved that. My Michael Kelly sounds nice, but the head tuning means having to tune when I'm stopped, or hold an open for a long period...unless you're playing AC/DC you just don't get that much time on one note...
 
BroKen_H said:
..unless you're playing AC/DC you just don't get that much time on one note...
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Then play more AC/DC! ;)

I had the chance to play an actual Steinberger headless that my grandpa owned back in the 90s. It was kind of a rusted mess, honestly. If you are having to retune in the middle of songs, you've got some serious issue with your instrument that needs to be addressed, whether it's got a head or not.
 
ashcat_lt said:
If you are having to retune in the middle of songs, you've got some serious issue with your instrument that needs to be addressed, whether it's got a head or not.
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This^^^^

My bass is a cheap Squier P-Bass and that thing NEVER goes out of tune. Ever. Basses just aren't supposed to be that temperamental.
 
Sorry, didn't give you all the information. I was fronting. Talking between the songs doesn't leave room for tuning between the songs.
Then again, my MK will stay tuned perfectly well for hours at a time, so maybe there was something not quite right there, anyhoo. :D
 
My bass stays pefectly in tune for years at a time.
You've a problem bass I fear.
 
rayc said:
My bass stays pefectly in tune for years at a time.
You've a problem bass I fear.
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We were playing a big white trash biker rally in Galveston, Tx. The stage was like 10 ft off the ground. Our bassist's USA Fender P-Bass fell off the stage straight to the asphalt ground, on the headstock, bounced a few times, then laid there in the sun. He picked it up later, plugged it in, still in perfect tune.
 
Greg_L said:
We were playing a big white trash biker rally in Galveston, Tx. The stage was like 10 ft off the ground. Our bassist's USA Fender P-Bass fell off the stage straight to the asphalt ground, on the headstock, bounced a few times, then laid there in the sun. He picked it up later, plugged it in, still in perfect tune.
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You guys make shit ashpalt over there...:D
 
Greg_L said:
Or really good basses.
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lol yeh. Truth is a whack like that can be catastrophic or do no damage a at all. A string will stay in tune if it's tension remains the same and so does the length of the string. There is an equally good chance that the whole thing will collapse.

I had a guitar fall from the stand once. About four feet onto the dance floor, finished the gig with it and packed up and thought nothing of it. Next time I opened the case I noticed the neck joint had separated completely and came away in a clean break. It only became apparent because it had cooled down on the trip home or whatever. Glued it back and it's been fine ever since.... I'm with you on the bass thing though. Those things don't need tuning from one gig to the next. Let alone between songs...
 
My squire p-bass was tipped over while on a stand, it hit the hardwood floor and sounded like a couple of 2 by 4s being smacked together. Scared the shit out me, just the sound. Figured for sure something had to have snapped. Picked it up and, yep, still out of tune, but it was an easy fix. :thumbs up:

grandkids are little knob twisters :facepalm:
 
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