Playing while sitting

With my acoustic bass came a free and very good K&M bass stool and I have been practicing while sitting a lot since then. This works absolutely fine with my acoustic DB but as the Stagg lacks any form of body support at the back, playing the Stagg sitting for a longer time resulted in a sore left arm (as this functions as a support for the bass to keep it upright). So I decided to figure out how to make an extra body support at the rear so that the Stagg could lean against me without the need to keep it up with my left hand.

After experimenting with a few options I finally have settled for a support made from three RAM Mounts parts. I use these parts on my motorcycles for holding my satnav and I have found these to be extremely sturdy and very well adjustable.

So I bought the following parts:

• RAM Mount B-201-U-A: a short double socket arm
• RAM Mount B-202-U: a 2,5″ round ball base
• RAM Mount B-273-M6U: a threaded M6 ball

I assembled all three parts together and figured out the right position on the bass. The support is mounted using a coach rod screw. I intended to fix a larger support plate to the round base to rest against my left leg but so far the 2,5″ circle seems to be large enough to be comfortable. I can be adjusted in all directions and is also easily taken off or folded together the bass when it had to go into the bag. The ball is not too obtrusive looking.

Below some pictures of the parts and of the assembled support on the bass (apologies for the hairy leg 😮 )

RAM Mount B-201-U-A

RAM Mount B-202-U

In use while playing

The fully adjustable support

The fully adjustable support

In use while playing

The fully adjustable support

Not too obtrusive

The ball on the bass

RAM Mount B-273-M6U

The M6 coach rod srew

Loosened for transport

The arm and round base plate

Standing tall…

I used to put the black Stagg in a corner between the wall and an antique cabinet in the living room. After a while I noticed that the softening chemicals in the rubber on the Stagg body supports were “eating” through the finish of the cabinet… 😦 As this is a family heirloom I was not pleased. I temporarily solved it by placing a tissue between the body support and the closet but I was definitely on the lookout for a proper stand for the EUB.

Stagg does make a stand specific for the EUB but this is retailing for about 44 euro (about 60 dollar) over here and I thought that was pretty expensive… I was very pleased when I found a used one for sale for just 15 euro (20 dollar). So I did not hesitate to buy it.

It is a pretty large stand but very sturdy. It is foldable but in my opinion not something not so small that you would take it along to music school etc. for fun. But at home or on stage it is a very good investment. The stand is fully adjustable. In this and this post you can see some pictures of my Stagg basses in the stand.