My Stick is supported by a variable length cello endpin rather than a belt loop, and at least for sitting down, I don't appear to need the shoulder strap as the pickup rests against my left thigh. I have a long body and short legs (I stand 6 ft but sit like a 6'4"), and found the belt loop didn't work well for me - and of course the cello pin takes all the weight of my polycarb Stick to the floor. I just bought a 1m 10mm carbon rod to replace the cello length endpin, which means I can in theory either sit on a chair, or sit on a bass or bar stool, or stand alongside it double bass style (I can get it higher when standing than the photo below), - so naturally I started messing with the Stick height.

I find it feels most comfortable and 'immediate' with mid ear/end of nose level with the 2nd fret, which means my hands just 'fall' on the Stick around 7th fret on the bass and 17th on the melody (as in the sitting photo below). I find I can comfortably reach and see anywhere on the board, and so far it feels natural. Does anyone else hold the Stick that high, or have any comments on that?

Max

PS click on the small pics below to view bigger

Hi Max,

Yes. I'm considered a "high" player. Probably due to having been a bass player. I'm about 5'10" and a 3/4 bass was always a little high for me but felt very comfortable. I tried to play Stick in the "lower" (classical) way but, it felt too distant. I've noticed that over the years I've moved it up to the position you've described.

The standard positioning felt to me like sitting further left on a piano bench. With the higher position, I feel that the whole range of the fretboard is more accessible and more consistent from a perpendicular approach. I feel now like i'm in the middle of the piano bench.

Here's a video with my Stick with the Glow fret marks. You can see how high the 2nd fret is.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIdMbc0Iub4[/youtube]



Happy Tapping!

Mostly I'd like to hold the Stick a bit higher than what is regarded as "standard" because the higher position allows me better access to play high notes on both sides. But to get it up that high I would need a second belt beside my usual holding-up-my-trousers belt and that is a too complicated thing. What I do is to move the hook as low as possible on the Stick so it will fit high to my body. That just-a-little-bit-too-low position kind of works. In fact, when playing low bass lines, like on this picture, it is convenient. But I'd like to be able to put the hook about two cm lower on the Stick - to make the Stick fit higher on my body - if it was possible.

Hi Max,

Bob holds his instrument pretty high, Nicks Beggs, Steve Adelson, Pascal Glanville, pretty low. Emmett not as low, and I am a little higher than most I suppose.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is there's no "standard".

Certain things are easier if the instrument is higher up, as has been pointed out already by Samson and Per.

My problem with having the instrument up as high as you have it is that you can't play certain shapes at the low frets without really contorting your left shoulder. A good example is the Emin shape shown at around 2:55 in this video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TZi0qKzKCM[/youtube]

I really like to use chords in the longer scale positions on The Stick, so I think I would be in agony after playing the music I usually like to play with the instrument up that high on my body.

With the 1st inlay marker at about shoulder height, it's possible to access chords in the lower region and keep your shoulder relaxed. The less tension in your shoulders, etc, the more comfortable you'll be in the long run.

To each his own, there are always trade-offs. It is harder to play chords above the 8th fret in the left hand when the instrument is lower, but I don't find myself wanting to play them up there very often, and in the position I like to use, I use the higher melody frets pretty often just as easily as the lower ones.

The instrument can be positioned on any body as the player sees fit. So do what works best for you.

Thanks guys, that's very useful.

Max

At a whisker under 6'4"/193cm, I have a pretty long torso, and I discovered quickly that letting my Stick (34" scale) settle on my regular belt, even set for greatest height, wasn't giving me enough height. My left arm and shoulder weren't getting comfortable reach for the lowest notes, so I took to wearing a second belt across my torso, above my love handles. (Ha!) This brings the Stick's X-fret up to chin level, which is very comfortable for me.

I think im pretty high. Not sure tho, but I like playing sitting on floor best. I am a human about 6 feet tall and the height of stick works really bomb for this. Yea and when standing I think ive been know to wear it high

I'd like to interject a small thought. If you like to wear the Stick very high you might be a candidate for an SG12 or an Alto. They are essentially the higher part of a long Stick but with a higher range. I know some of you would never want to lose the really low notes. I was a guitar player and never a bass player so the low F# I get on my SG12 is great for me. Just a thought...

-Eric