Have I destroyed the neck of my bass?

[Meddle]

Hey all.

I left my Stingray copy lying against some laundry last night, really absent mindedly. When I got in from classes today I noticed the first 3 frets buz uncontrolably on each string, and that water has been absorbed into the maple around the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th frets, making the wood darker immediately behind the fret for about half a centimeter. It looks like a shadow.

If I allow the wood to dry out will it return to normal, will I need to get it set up, or is the neck junk?

[Gord_oh]

i dont know much about water soaked wood, but with electronics you use rice to draw out moisture without harming anything.

maybe someone here knows better than i do.

[PSPookie]

I think if you let it dry out and give it a good setup then you should be ok.

[Meddle]

It never needed a setup before, is it likely to change?

[Rickett Customs]

Originally Posted by Meddle

It never needed a setup before, is it likely to change?

It may, but that's always a good excuse to do a set up.

[FunkMetalBass]

I'd definitely let it dry fully before doing anything.

[Pilgrim]

Chill.

Let it sit for a week with strings at normal tension, then re-evaluate. if you need a setup, you do. If not, you don't. Que sera, sera.

[Rickett Customs]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

Chill.

Let it sit for a week with strings at normal tension, then re-evaluate. if you need a setup, you do. If not, you don't. Que sera, sera.

+1 and buy a stand, would ya?

[MooseLumps]

I mean no offense, but this will be much less likely to happen if you drop 20 Euro into a stand or a little more into a hard case. I know I can't afford to replace the neck on an EBMM.

I should dry out in a week or two, then you can give her a good setup. Lesson learned, I take it?

[Darkstrike]

Worst comes to worst.........

[Zooberwerx]

Leave it in a room with either the heat or AC on. Climate control systems generally incorporate some type of dehumidifier which will promote drying. This is also works with damp carpets, water-soaked drywall / ceilings, and the like.

Riis

[Meddle]

Thanks for the heads up. Just had to tell the band I might have ruined my no1 jamming/composing/gigging bass. They were not amused.

As a violin owner/player I never left my violins next to radiators in cases, I guess basses are no different.

I actually own a stand but left it in my parents house (doh!) so lesson thoroughly learned.

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by Meddle

Thanks for the heads up. Just had to tell the band I might have ruined my no1 jamming/composing/gigging bass. They were not amused.

As a violin owner/player I never left my violins next to radiators in cases, I guess basses are no different.

I actually own a stand but left it in my parents house (doh!) so lesson thoroughly learned.

Solid body basses are indeed no different - just a bit harder to damage. I also recommend a stand, or wall-hanging so the instrument is off the floor.

This gives you a good excuse to visit home, collect the stand, and ask your mom to do your laundry!

[draftsmann]

Originally Posted by MooseLumps

I mean no offense, but this will be much less likely to happen if you drop 20 Euro into a stand or a little more into a hard case.

Euros? Not in the UK

I'd be wary of force-drying. Letting it dry naturally is the way to go.

[Meddle]

Every day I pick it up and it buzzes slightly less!

[Pilgrim]

Originally Posted by Meddle

Every day I pick it up and it buzzes slightly less!

Demonstrating that patience is a virtue!

[Meddle]

I went out and bought a nest of Allen Keys. The truss rod needed minimal tweaking for the thing to play perfectly again. I will monitor it closely because if it still has to dry out a little bit more I might need to tighten the rod again.

Thanks for the tips though, especially keeping the strings on. I was in the process of removing all the strings when I read that. My flatmate was in my room at the time and was killing himself laughing at that one.

[MrTAteMyBalls]

it will probably be OK. several years back i worked at a music shop repairing guitars. A guy brought in his epiphone electric that had been sitting in his car for 2 days during a flood. The guit was totally submerged for 2 days straight(no case). i let it dry out for a week, slapped on new strings, slight neck adjustment and VIOLA. Like buttah! the electronics were fine, too.

anyways, glad it worked out for you!

[Berger912]

never never force dry the wood, it can become brittle or warp. setting it in rice and letting the rice draw the water out might work but heat to dry it it a bad idea. my brother in law is a wood worker. depending on how water logged the neck was will determine if it will be ok, but my guess is it wasnt that bad if it is already getting better. i personally dont know a ton about wood but i asked my bother in law for you as i would have been devistated if i did that to my tobias.

[Meddle]

My main concern was that a fret or two had somehow become promenant and was making the lower frets unplayable. I think maybe getting water in the fingerboard expanded the wood to the extent that the truss rod was over-compensating for the mushy wood ontop.