Guitar / Spinal support system- summary

Guitar / Spinal support system- summary

Steven Hale, M.Sc.,C.O.(C)

11/18/2007

Here is the summary of the responses and the original request:

 

List members,

I have a recent inquiry from a gentleman. He has scoliosis (major thoracic
and compensatory lumbar curves) and degenerative disc disease. He is 45
years of age and plays bass guitar. However, he finds guitar shoulder strap
is complicating his condition and he wants to continue to play. He inquired
about a spinal support system that could integrate some form of support /
strap system to unwieght the standard shoulder strap. I did a search on
“bassbrace” but it was a dead end. Has anyone hard experience with this
adaptation? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

Steven Hale,

M.Sc., C.O.(C)

 

Responses:

My name is Jose Miguel Gomez T. MD, LO. (HYPERLINK
<URL Redacted>www.gorthoticsystms.com) I will like to have
more information f your patient if is fine for him and you.Digital pictures
:frontal, Back and sides. As well Digital pictures of the X rays. I will be
able to give you my recommendation. Is he looking for a elastic TLSO?

 

How about a plastic lso with some type of catch built into the front panel
that he could hook his guitar onto? I don't know... I know nothing about
guitar playing, but do you remember ZZ Top, they would somehow twirl their
guitars around in front of them, and they were anchored to a belt or
something around their waist.

 

SH> ...He is 45 years of age and plays bass guitar. However, he finds

guitar shoulder strap is complicating his condition and he wants to continue
to play.

I am a BK amputee who plays bass in a jazz quintet. Basses come in many
different flavors, including weight variations. Two thoughts come to mind.

There is little reason to stand and use any strap to support the instrument.
I have been playing out in Nashville, TN for several years and I do not
stand. I sit. I support the weight of the bass on my thigh. Now if your
patient is playing rock, country, or blues, it may look a bit odd sitting,
but....it might save his shoulder from further stress. Which is more
importoant to your patient?

I play an acoustic fretless bass made by Rick Turner. The bass weighs five
and a half pounds, which is considerable lighter than your average electric
bass. Rick makes marvelous instruments, and one of his basses, or something
similar, will decrease tension when using a strap.

If your patient wishes to discuss it with me, feel free to offer my e- mail
address. Or he can come to:

<HYPERLINK
<URL Redacted> <URL Redacted>.
washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/amp-l/>

 

suggestions are:
1. neotech mega bass strap from neotechstraps.com
2.slider dual strap from slider-straps.com
3.Y strap from courrole
4. guitar center has all sorts of straps.
if he doesn't want to use a double strap, the wider the better. I play a
Fender P-bass and have a 3 wide strap that makes a huge difference.
 

(Did you go to Northwestern in the fall of 1983?) I had a thought that
might help. I seem to remember that ZZ Top used a guitar support that must
have mounted on a belt. I remember a video in which they twirled their
guitars around on the support, so it must have been very accurately balanced
and hooked or attached onto the back of the instrument. I imagine that
there must have been some sort of race and bearing involved which resulted
in it revolving so smoothly. I would ask around some specialty electric
guitar shops.

It would be great to help this gentleman. I suggest getting hold of an old
frame-type backpack, discarding the pack part and retaining the frame with
the hip/pelvic strap. Affix some type of proximal curved metal extension to
the pack frame that arcs over his shoulders and to which his bass guitar
strap can be secured. A small amount of padding to keep the frame off the
scapulae (and shoulders) would possibly be needed.

This would transfer much of the load of the guitar off of his shoulders and
onto his hips. Worth a try!

 

try holster it to his belt like a utility hook for an air gun or drill on
construction bags, or a figure 8 design?

 

I have had experience with a lady who played acordian which is even heavier.
I encorporated a holhing device into a rigid spinal brace but it did not
work as well as putting the instrument on a stand. they are available
comercially.

 

I would try a modified gunslinger orthosis but instead of an armtrough an
adapted bracket with thrust bearings on a double pivot would support the
bass for playing. He would have to be willing to have a receiver bracket
mounted on the back of his instrument.

 

                     I am an orthitic technician as well as a musician. I
own a Central Fab in Tallahassee, FL, and play in couple of bands here. What
kind bass his he playing? I know people get attached to their instruments,
but, if he is playing an old Gibson or something, those things can weigh a
ton! You might suggest getting a newer/lighter bass guitar. What type of
orthoses his he wearing now? Sounds like we could make custom straps that
would attach to his existing brace with tradtional guitar strap ends. You
may need attach additional padded shoulder straps bilateraly to distribute
the weight. I would love to work on this project with you and help get this
guy rockin again!

 

You can look at:

HYPERLINK
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Neotech-Tuba-Harness?sku=469800 http
://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Neotech-Tuba-Harness?sku=469800

HYPERLINK
http://www.neotechstraps.com/product/detail/?PRODUCT_ID=19&PRODUCT_SUB_ID h
ttp://www.neotechstraps.com/product/detail/?PRODUCT_ID=19&PRODUCT_SUB_ID=

These links come to me from a bass player in my family. He has known many
musicians that have a variety of problems, and as he knows about playing
bass, he suggested maybe one of these products would help.

 

I immediately remembered seeing the guys in ZZ Top spinning their guitars in
front of them. This was done with some sort of waist belt attached to the
guitar. It should be relatively easy to support most of the weight of the
guitar on a belt.

 

Have you considered a support that sits on the pelvis? We have had
experience building a support system for the large drums carried by marching
band members, using our Newport Hip pelvic component. You might be able to
fabricate a bracket of some sort that attaches to the pelvic band and
supports the guitar. Just a thought.

I am an avid guitar player, so when I saw your question I went to the
HYPERLINK http://www.musiciansfriend.com musiciansfriend.com website and
found these two strap systems. I hope that this is what you were looking
for.

 


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