Balance

[madeinbologna]

I finally got a "G" branded instrument delivered that I had ordered months ago. I'd heard of neck-dive from the bass community, even though all of my bass guitars balance nicely while seated. Even my partscaster balances fairly well when seated. My new guitar wants to slide off my leg to the right! I've never experienced that before. I guess if I keep it, a strap is going to be a necessity whether I'm seated or standing.

I'm still hunting for a PRS and it occured to me that I don't recall any of the PRSs I have demo'ed had this balance problem. I think the Vela was the most perfectly balanced followed by the Throwback. But in that regard, they might all be balanced well and it was more of a neck thing for differences in fit.

Are they all pretty well balanced when seated without having to don a strap?

 

[bodia]

I find them all to be well balanced. Except maybe some of the hollowbody models. Over time, I've switched from playing on my right leg to the classical position on my left leg. I find it more comfortable.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Did you buy a Les Paul? They always seem to wanna fall off my right leg while seated.

 

[madeinbologna]

Did you buy a Les Paul? They always seem to wanna fall off my right leg while seated.

Yep... Special. At least it's only 7.5 lbs.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Yep... Special. At least it's only 7.5 lbs.

Lol. My last LP was a ‘76 Deluxe, you woulda needed to put an anvil on the headstock to get neck dive.

 

[Senor Verde]

Yep... Special. At least it's only 7.5 lbs.

What tuners are on the guitar? Grover Rotomatics or Schaller M6 are pretty heavy. I put Grover 135 tuners on my guitars that came with Roto's and the neck dive disappeared.

I had a CE22 that had neck dive. I didn't swap the tuners. Sold it and have been buying mostly McCarty's since. Problem solved.

 

[RickP]

Lol. My last LP was a ‘76 Deluxe, you woulda needed to put an anvil on the headstock to get neck dive.

Same here! I always thought that if I ever got the dreaded headstock break, it would probably be from it slapping me in the head as the larger part of the body cartwheeled off to my right. A Les Paul is not a ”sitting-friendly” instrument!

 

[JasonE]

I haven't had any balance issues with any of my PRS, even the hollowbody models. I have an SCHB II and an HB II and they balance just fine. I have seen other complain that their HB PRS guitars had a little neck dive. The only guitar I can remember owning that did that was an SG. I have a factory mistake SG now and hasn't given me any real issues with neck dive. I also don't play it much. I bought it because it was a factory mistake that they wanted shipped back to them.

 

[AP515]

I had a Mira with slight neck dive. Makes sense though, thin body, 24 fret neck.

 

[dmatthews]

I had a Mira with slight neck dive. Makes sense though, thin body, 24 fret neck.

Yup, same here, and slight is the word. A good strap fixes that up.