The DeArmond Ashbory Bass Player's Stand

This stand was designed to hold your DeArmond Ashbory at the same angle as you would play an acoustic bass

Contributed by Kevin Moreland on September 28, 2002

One of the hardest things about playing the DeArmond Ashbory Bass is keeping it balanced while playing. The bass is just too dang small to hold comfortably! That coupled with the incredibly small scale make it a beast to master. Don't despair, this stand will fix one of those problems. Read on...

This bass stand was designed to hold your DeArmond Ashbory (the reissue only) in approximately the same place, and at the same angle as you would play an acoustic bass. You will be amazed at how much easier it is to play once your shoulders are relaxed and you can "float" over top of it. The stand is extremely rigid. In fact, the performer stands on the base of the stand which makes it even sturdier. Check these photos out for some ideas on how to build your own stand. Enjoy!

 Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

The performer stands on the base of the stand, reinforcing it further. There is zero play in the stand - it is solid as a rock!

 

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

The instrument cable goes through a hole in the cradle which holds the bass in place. The bass also fits very snug in the cradle which has padding on all sides.

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

Here you see the bottom of the stand where the metal meets the wood. Don't forget to put some sort of rubber pads to protect floors from scratching.

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

Here is a side view with the bass in the stand.

Here is another view of the bottom of the stand.

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

This corner box gives the stand most of it's stability.

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

Another view of the bass in the cradle.

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

A top view of the stand. The curved bar can be repositioned easily. However, the height of the stand is fixed. There are two pieces that make up the long bar. When building your own, you might want to make the bottom piece longer than you need until you figure out the right height (you can always shorten this piece later with a hack saw).

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

 

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

 

 

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

The cradle is actually three pieces glued together with carpenter's glue.

Photo of DeArmond Ashbory Bass Stand

Here is the back of the stand that attaches to the curved bar.

Conclusion

Hopefully these photos have given you enough insight on how to build your very own stand. All of the parts can be found at your local hardware store for about $15 ($25 total if you factor in a couple of cans of paint). It should only take a few hours to build.

Happy gigging!
Kevin
http://www.themusicdifference.com