3 Top Tips For Buying and Setting Up A Bass Strap!

[@rihamission487]

Your intro is the best of all bass channel intros in the world! I can listen to that funky slap forever!!!

[@awlthatwoodcrafts8911]

Ding dang doo! Love it. I hadn't heard of the idea of adjusting the strap so that the bass hangs at the same height whether you're sitting or standing. I have never been able to get comfortable playing my bass sitting down so I always play standing up. I do, however, have my bass at the perfect height so that there is minimal bending of the wrist. I know my picking wrist is always straight. I've only been playing for 3 years but I have never experienced any fatigue or pain in my hands or wrist thus far so I must be doing something right.

[@ACTUALLYRICH]

I’m a beginner bassist long time musician and these are hands down the best tips that I actually practice. That start and playing technique has immediately improved my playing, felt slight awkward at first but 5 minutes later it felt like I was a lifetime player haha no joke. Really good. Cheers bruv.

[@shipsahoy1793]

Hi Mark, always enjoy your videos. You and Scott Devine are my main two bass pointer guys, and Billy is a great guy as well. This particular video on bass straps has to be the best help that I've ever received on my bass playing, fantastic !! On guitar I was setting up the straps properly, but on bass I never realized that the bass was too low when standing, which is why I preferred sitting on bass and now I'm finding it much easier to play standing up! Keep up the good work !!

[@dotnineteen.1962]

Just thought of getting a new strap today. Thanks for making this video Great tips

[@pauld.1256]

Just picked up a bass and trying to learn all l can to make “starting to play “ easier and safer so l don’t get disappointed or worse..destroy my bass.. Thank you for teaching the basic steps for us newbys!!

[@la196]

Brilliant idea with the bottle washers although I've got plenty of strap lock washers I purchased online. I just went I grabbed the washer off one of those bottles that I have to take a look and surely thats such a good alternative:).

[@JohnOhkumaThiel]

I’m a novice on guitar, waiting for my new strap to arrive. This is extremely helpful, especially about hand and wrist position. I’ve only been playing three months and had exactly the injury you addressed.

[@motownstickman8959]

Ding dang doo... I wish I had known this info 9 months ago! I've been getting tingling nerve endings on my fret hand fingers lately. Probably will be corrected by this video. Huge thanks for making it!

[@mr.luiscastro7531]

Great tip for block bass strap , without remove or replace the original parts of instrument . Greetings from Colombia 🇨🇴. Rock On 🤘.

[@akcharlie1960]

Newbie bass learner and Guinness drinker here. If I have to down a couple Grolsch's for the cause, so be it. GREAT video. Thanks/cheers.

[@paulangelo1974]

Things you wish your first day of instruction taught you. Thanks for this Mark. Question: the solid blue bass you play, which is it and is it modified? It looks and sounds great.

[@kqlin34]

I bought my first bass, and they threw in a guitar strap. It already fell 2 times Thanks Mark, you're one of the best tutors in the interwebz

[@dancassidy7471]

Good stuff..my upper back area on neck is soon painful near end of ea gig Fender is heavy..maybe an xray..yea that bad

[@TheCadillacCowboys]

One thing that may interest some players is that some people love their basses that have neck-dive, Rickenbackers are famous for it. The best thing you can do is get a strap with a rough surface against your shoulder, suede or raw leather. That will grip your shirt material and keep neck-dive to a minimum.

[@mikeferris9150]

Good tips. Still have grolsch o-rings on my bass procured in the Ranch Bowl bartender Ahmal from 1997. 😊 my hardware store loves me for such sized rubber washer ✌🎶❤

[@mikeferris9150]

'From' not 'in" Omaha, NE btw.

[@RonInNapa]

Thank you so much for this video. You are right in that players cannot find much rational advise as to how to properly set a strap. And I am going to the hardware store to look for some rubber washers. Great advice all around.

[@kushking420]

thank you, this was very informative

[@aidantod33]

Thank you. Great video. Have checked out Minotaur. Mine is on order. Your strap positioning info on where to put it for sitting or standing is really useful. I am a guitarist and have normally been playing standing up. In lockdown, I have practiced more, sitting, and given myself tennis elbow. So thanks for your advice. I wish I had seen it sooner, but this will help me heal. So thanks very much Mark.

[@bobmazzola6089]

Say, I am thoroughly enjoying my D Roc Dingwall! However, I am trying to deal with the strap attachments when standing. The positioning of the embedded straplock buttons is causing my bass neck to turn slightly clockwise where I have trouble seeing the frets when playing standing. I am doing research to try to find simple solutions short of having to drill holes. My previous basses with a similar problem required some creative approaches with velcro!

[@stefansing]

Thank you, very helpful. One thing: measurements in metric will help everyone outside the US. Thanks!

[@cjtuba1]

Grea6 Mark. Always had the bass on my right knee. Great support! (Excuse the pun)..

[@thrashtildeathmylogreece7040]

Please make a video on Thrash metal bass lines like practice what you preach by testament

[@Mucksauce]

Liked for Timbaland Masterclass add. Never get tired of watching that

[@idontmindatall]

Ding dang doo! Thx for these tips!

[@donhall-aquitania1025]

Great tips!

[@rodshop5897]

Mark, I found it interesting that you reference Billy Sheehan for his strap length advice, but completely disregard him about the material. Leather as it gets hot and damp (from your sweat) slowly lengthens, so Billy changed to woven cotton straps. I tried that out, and was amazed how much more comfortable and stable cotton woven straps are. Levy's makes a great 3" wide bass cotton strap that is very comfortable. For the truly dedicated, both Artisan Handmade and Coco Guitar Straps make really nice ones on Etsy, and will do special custom orders.

[@christianburke3106]

Thank you for this. Great tips I hadn't thought of!

[@joelgonzales805]

A long strap is not a problem. A short strap seems harder to find. I’m looking for a 3” wide strap that is 35” to 45”. Any suggestions?

[@kurtownsj00]

Great tip I wish I'd learned much earlier, after many cheap nylon straps I finally got a nice wide real leather strap....and for the first time ever I bought some strap-locks a few weeks ago. Yes they're expensive but "what they are" are some very nicely machined aluminum fittings with multiple pieces and springs that have to fit together with precision to work at all, let alone with that nice "snap"! Something tells me if they were making a ton of profit there would be more copy cats, but who knows. I just know you can tell a lot of work went into manufacturing each one :P

[@rodshop5897]

Kurt, what brand of straplocks did you get?

[@kurtownsj00]

@@rodshop5897 I believe they were Schaller S-locks, come in a little clear case.

[@kristiannenadic9938]

Great work!

[@ACTUALLYRICH]

Incredible tips.

[@themigwel6185]

I learned a lot more than I thought I would.

[@stoyantsonev7924]

Hi Mark, Is your Minotaur strap customized? I mean it is not well visible, but seems the short, thin part of the strap has only one hole. On my strap the thin part has 3 holes. Being 6" I have to attach the strap to the bass pin using the third (closest to the rest of the strap) hole. And the remaining part of he strap is hanging on a pretty annoying way.

[@elfhermie]

I have an Ibanez Iceman bass (this is my first bass so I'm a newbie) where the top strap button is located on the back where the neck meets the body instead of on the horn as shown above. I can't quite figure how to best put a strap on it so it feels comfortable and doesn't move around on me. Is there a certain strap that works best with that type of setup? The strap I own seem too short for where the button is located and gravity seems to be playing havoc with the bass body as well making it want to hang forward and not stay put. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[@JaxonHaze]

I saw an earlier vid you did about the beer washers I tried to find them on amazon in the US, but could only find off brand black ones I thought it might be cool to have those orange washers, because beer, but the black washers are cool too because they blend in with the strap... they are great & it was just a few dollars for my bass & 2 guitars I’ve been thinking about getting a wider strap for awhile, too... there’s a synthetic one I might get for like $50 eventually... because I don’t like wearing leather too much (I’m a vegetarian) I’m gonna have to try putting the bass on my left leg, too! I’ve always used my right leg, & it’s given me alittle shoulder trouble :/ Anyways, thanks- great vid!

[@Artist-128]

I’m also a vegetarian, I got a woven one off of Amazon.

[@Artist-128]

How many vegetarian bassists do you run into on KZbin, I wonder...

[@hans-joachimbierwirth4727]

To be honest, you two are the only ones i ever met who ate their straps :/

[@qrqrqr0515]

Maybe you could do a video on Paul McCartney next?

[@tomaszmusic]

Great tips! Thaks :)

[@DarrenSaw]

I've just bought a similar Minotaur strap and struggling to get it short enough. Anyone get any clever tips for to loop it without it bunching up?

[@TheHouseJROD]

Just wanted to add for anybody who gets nerve issues or ulnar nerve compression. Playing low allows my nerves room to move. Wrist is nice and straight too on both ends. I don't wear it retartedly low but just enough

[@talkingbasslessons]

Yes, this is an important point to cover. If you have any problems at any point there is no real one size fits all strap height. Whatever works for you in creating a straight wrist should be the governing factor. Different people have different arm lengths. My arms are quite long so I need to set the strap a little longer than some other people. If somebody has very short arms then it obviously changes things. The picking style (floating thumb etc.) can make a BIG difference. Also, the angle of neck changes everything again. I think the most important point is for people to adjust to what works for them.

[@ytjhhh]

Suggersion for strap left shoulder injury

[@PushSueAside]

You can also use the Grolsh cap as a “roach crutch/stone”. That way no part of a Grolsh goes to waste. Great tips Mark. Thank you

[@markbass354]

gee thnaks Mark this gives me reason to drink more beer

[@darkgladiator27]

Just wanted to let you know that Fender now produces those thingies you're talking about. 5€ for 4 lmao

[@markallenayers5510]

New SR505E is on the way. The strap is on the way. And NOW, Ding dang doo, some Grolsch rubber washers are also on the way

[@BreIanElla91893]

Can you show the close up shot of what you did

[@mxderry]

Fender now sells those grolsch rubber thingies

[@MasterBhuna]

Where can i buy that same strap? Cheers

[@conradfourie5629]

Grolsch should change their marketing: "Free beer with every strap lock purchased"

[@PhantomUAV]

I invented the Grolsch bottle grommet method in the early 90's. My claim to minor fame

[@klaus8456]

My uncle already did it in the early 70's......

[@doxx2427]

I dreamt of it in the early 60's while sleeping in the late 50's... there I said it. I also dreamt the idea of KZbin in the 40's

[@LogiForce86]

No matter what I am sure it was invented a long time ago by someone already. To quote wikipedia: "The first flip-top closure was created by Charles de Quillfeldt in the United States, who filed for a patent on 30 November 1874, receiving patent number 158406."

[@ajdayton101]

After using guitar straps for years on my bass I finally bought a real padded bass strap made of leather. It is worlds different. There is no movement and my shoulder have far less strain.

[@NATJANOFF22]

What’s the name of the strap ?

[@DarkShaman667]

I hardly practise sitting down ... I usually play standing so I had a hard time, when I hurt my foot and had to play my gigs sitting down. d=

[@falconismbot9370]

What is this grolsch bottle you're referring to? Maybe it's a cultural thing that I don't know what it is but I'm curious about it.

[@dentoncrimescene]

You know you get bottles of beer with ceramic flip off lids on them sometimes? They have a little rubber washer on them that you can take off to use to put on the strap clip after your strap is put on to secure it.

[@dentoncrimescene]

www.google.com/search?safe=active&client=ms-android-samsung&ei=fwulW5nIMOXIgAao0ouYCA&ins=false&q=grolsh+lid&oq=grolsh+lid&gs_l=mobile-gws-wiz-serp.3..0i13l3j0i13i30j0i13i5i30.4452.13222..14323...7.0..0.228.1493.2j10j1......0....1.........0i71j0i7i30j0i8i7i30j0i7i10i30j35i39j0i131j46i13i10.g9kK1G8p7DE#imgrc=i7N6xgk2lP1tvM:

[@falconismbot9370]

That is brilliant! Thanks for sharing that.

[@GoonSquadLifeMember]

Hardware stores carry similar rubber pieces, coincidentally named 'fender washers'. 20 cents each, roughly.

[@bassista2614]

Who also plays the intro riff on every start of the video together :D

[@RainchildAdventures]

Zubed at Grolzh lock

[@russellburnham298]

My beer washers are great. I’m pretty sure I’ve had my pair for longer than I’ve had children (my eldest being 14).

[@legolwa]

Grolsch it is!

[@grizelda4526]

[@Martin_R-q2i]

DING DANG DO

[@stormbringer67]

Hello sir, would you mind saying something about your bass guitar maintenance? And i mean: do you wipe off the guitar after playing? Do you use a product for the body and the fretboard? And also: how do you deal with scratches on the pickguard? Thank you.

[@coreyschuck7579]

Holy shit I've been playing bass for 6 years now and I've never considered placing the bass on my left leg

[@ilikekiwibirds5495]

I want to see the back side

[@malcelinho]

Funny thing, when I put my bass the way Mark teaches, my left shoulder hurts. And when I put on the right leg, my right shoulder hurts! The only position confortable to me is standing, and with the bass 30/40 degrees from my body. Not saying Mark is wrong; These are solid advices! Just putting this in here because maybe there's someone with the same 'problem' that I have.

[@davidlayton6137]

I use rubber washers from the hardware store. Plumbing section, tank bib gaskets. Less than a dollar and work great !

[@botbot4366]

A washer from what?? Please spell that!

[@DoomOfConviction]

Back then a rubber ring from a beer bottle was good enough to secure the strap…

[@kushking420]

I'm just like you but with 5 feet 11 inches height, and 6 feet 4 inches arm span

[@DaveScottBass]

1:42 I can't stand when people say this. Not trying to hate on you or anything, man, but it doesn't really matter. I play almost as low as the strap goes and I do just fine. I think aesthetically, playing at such a high position is quite off-putting. Sure you can play higher up on the neck easier, but for rock/metal bassists who wouldn't normally need to go any higher than the fifth fret, you'd be extending your arm for pretty much your entire gig. Please don't preach this as the "best" way to hold your bass, because it's not the "best" way. It's the way that works for you. That doesn't mean it works for everyone else.

[@nicksm7980]

It does work for everyone else because it's the most rational way.

[@TheHouseJROD]

Just wanted to add for anybody who gets nerve issues or ulnar nerve compression. Playing low allows my nerves room to move

[@Dovvik]

Cool down man! You just made me as nervous as you are...

[@BrianJFox-ys5wx]

"For normal proportion" == "For European Caucasian." But I do appreciate you pointing out that people are individuals, and that arm length is extremely important in setting up a good strap length. Thanks.

[@luisamota7160]

I was trying to choose a good, wide, durable strap... than I found a purple strap... d=

[@MsCellobass]

There are all kinds of rubber grommets and washers to suggest to get it from a certain bottle and claim that particular washer is THE BEST THING for an expensive bass. C’ Mon man don’t be leading your viewers to the notion that there is only that best grommet for the bass when there are actual strap lock kits that do an excellent job of securing the strap.

[@ondrejletal8657]

Is that guy eminem?

[@gunnarwaage1691]

Well shit. When I play, my bass is at crotch level or lower. I’ve been playing for almost 6 years and I haven’t had any problems yet. I can play all the way up to the 24th fret and everything. Your video is flawed

[@guitardzan5641]

The only bass I ever played was on the end of a fishing line..........What? What was that? Oh.............(never mind)

[@PatNetherlander]

Yeah, krist novoselic dies that too. As do lots of (bass) guitarists. But genuinely speaking, it’s not a good position to start playing as it’ll cause MOST people more strain. But if it works for you, rock on dude!

[@roadtonever]

Wouldn't hurt to lower your eye brows every now and then.