Part of playing is caring for your Bass...but what do YOU leave to the pros?

[thatonedude02]

I am a firm believer that to play an instrument, part of the learning process is knowing how to care for your instrument. This might be because I was taught this way when I was younger learning to play piano. Simple things like using proper cleaning solutions and polishing the wood were part of the privileged to learn to play.

That said, I wasn't expected to tune my own piano, that was left to a pro.

Though the tuning example surely doesn't apply to bass, what maintenance items would you leave to the pros, and what do you do yourself? Have you learned how to set up your bass? Do you think knowing setup is part of being a bass player? Where do you draw the line?

[Tony G]

I've never learned how to do fret dressing, but I've been doing my own stringing, setups, truss rod adjustments, etc. for many years. I've dabbled a bit at replacing pickups and electronics, but I'm not that good at it.

[Marton]

I do most of normal caring myself, last time I had a "pro set-up" on my instrument, I tweaked some things to get it to my taste.

[Aphid]

I took apart one of my basses today to clean the pots and just clear any general dust and what not. I'm a big beleiver in cleaning my basses properly and taking care of them, I do more or less everything. I don't know how to dress frets though, so that is something I would definetly leave to my local luthier. and I won't mess with the truss rod on any of my more expensive basses, but that's just because my dad always told me not to mess with them. I've done a few truss rod adjustments on my old MIM P so I think I would be comfortable messing with the others, it's just my dad in the back of my mind telling me to leave it to the pros.

[R. Laevinus]

I do everything - except fretwork.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by R. Laevinus

I do everything - except fretwork.

Same here. Setups, electronics, whatever. I know a guy who does phenomenal fretwork so I don't bother. Besides, it's extremely rare that I need fretwork on any of my basses.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Aphid

I took apart one of my basses today to clean the pots and just clear any general dust and what not. I'm a big beleiver in cleaning my basses properly and taking care of them, I do more or less everything. I don't know how to dress frets though, so that is something I would definetly leave to my local luthier. and I won't mess with the truss rod on any of my more expensive basses, but that's just because my dad always told me not to mess with them. I've done a few truss rod adjustments on my old MIM P so I think I would be comfortable messing with the others, it's just my dad in the back of my mind telling me to leave it to the pros.

You don't need a pro to do a trussrod adjustment... just tsake your tme and pay attention to what changes when you make an adjustment.

One of the dumbest things I ever saw was a used Brubaker bass in a store that someone there had tried to adjust the rod on. Brubakers tighten counterclockwise and apparently that person never figured that out. They kept turning the rod clockwise until the strings were well over 1/4" off the neck at the 12th fret. It apparently never dawned on them to turn it the other way.

[darthplagis]

the issue with the piano is that it takes a lot longer to learn to tune and learn the right how to's of tuning. alot of piano tuners i have met (at school mostly) dont actually play piano, they just have a good ear for pitch.

i think that part of knowing an instrument as you learn should be to know how to tune it, and with piano again as an example its knowing that certain keys are dropping out of tune and which other keys are in tune (if that makes sense) so you get the thing tuned.

with bass i think the more you know the better you understand what makes the tone the tone it is (intonation) and how the height and weight of the strings interact in creating the desired sound (string height/width, nut size and material and neck adjustments).

the only thing i dont know how to do is fretwork and check the electrics with a meter, as i am slightly colour blind i was never allowed to learn at school or college, damn health and saftey.

and experience is the best tool as to what is the best way to clean and maintain the finish of an instrument (or how not to.... looking at those relic fanboys ), common sense still the best basic choice (if its abrasive dont use on a thin finish, again relicers )

[Ozonbass]

While I'm a firm believer in the proper care and feeding of my basses, I think some go a little overboard in the set-up department. Truss rod adjustments? Ive almost never needed to do one. Cleaning out electronics? Not an issue on anything I've ever owned.

Keep 'em in cases when I'm not playing them, wipe them down from time to time and tighten up anything that seems loose...about it.

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by R. Laevinus

I do everything - except fretwork.

Yup, Ive never done fretwork either. Everything else I can handle, setup, intonation, replacing hardware or electronics, any thing else I can handle.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Ozonbass

While I'm a firm believer in the proper care and feeding of my basses, I think some go a little overboard in the set-up department. Truss rod adjustments? Ive almost never needed to do one. Cleaning out electronics? Not an issue on anything I've ever owned.

Keep 'em in cases when I'm not playing them, wipe them down from time to time and tighten up anything that seems loose...about it.

I gig and my instruments are set up with pretty low action. The trussrod is there for adjustment... nothing overboard about that. It's part of proper care IMO. By the same token, I know guys who look at theirs as if it's some sort of mythical creature that can only be tamed by Ye Olde Luthier.

[Phalex]

I can change strings, adjust intonation, neck relief, PUP height, and action. I'm having a new neck put on (Not even going to attempt it).

I never seem to clean or polish anything though.

[stflbn]

I do everything but any routing needs on my own gear.

(a cinical person could compare a low end bass to early girlfriends... great to learn new things on, but probably not the one's you end up spending your whole life with. Find something cheap and learn new things - meaning fretwork, crowning, wiring, etc)


.

[Nedmundo]

I do almost all basic set-up myself, including truss rod adjustment, intonation, saddle height, etc., and I've found learning this to be extremely useful. I've done some minor repairs and parts replacements too (bridge, tuners).

I don't do electronics work, largely because I don't have a good work area for it. This is frustrating, because I'm generally good with tools, and the pickup swaps can get expensive! When I bring in a bass for electronics work, I'll have my tech check the setup too, because that extra TLC never hurts. I haven't needed any fretwork done, but I'd leave that to the pros too.

[ProfGumby]

The only things I have ever had a pro do was replace a speaker in an amp, though I'd do that myself now. And un-warping/re setting a neck with steam and clamps or whatever voodoo they doo....both were in the early 80's.

[not_jason]

Originally Posted by Ozonbass

While I'm a firm believer in the proper care and feeding of my basses, I think some go a little overboard in the set-up department. Truss rod adjustments? Ive almost never needed to do one. Cleaning out electronics? Not an issue on anything I've ever owned.

Keep 'em in cases when I'm not playing them, wipe them down from time to time and tighten up anything that seems loose...about it.

That is a shocking statement. There isn't an instrument I've owned that I haven't adjusted the truss rod on. In the life-or-death sense of the word "need", i guess it's not a requirement a lot of times, but it can make a huge difference sometimes. If you change string gauges or something like that, it can often times be an important step towards keeping the instrument performing correctly.

[JHRyan]

Originally Posted by not_jason

That is a shocking statement. There isn't an instrument I've owned that I haven't adjusted the truss rod on. In the life-or-death sense of the word "need", i guess it's not a requirement a lot of times, but it can make a huge difference sometimes. If you change string gauges or something like that, it can often times be an important step towards keeping the instrument performing correctly.

The type of bass and climate may have something to do with that though. I haven't messed with the truss rod on my fretless for 11 years now and the neck hasn't moved.

[dan stanton]

I do all my set-ups. But I see nothing wrong with having a "pro" do it. I do have to say, there ain't much funnier than seeing someone show up at a gig with dried wax in the crevices uf his pick-ups.

[electracoyote]

Frets to the pro. I have not the proper knowledge nor the proper tools.

Everything else I have learned how to do myself and even invested in some special tools.

At the very least, every player should learn how to deal with a truss rod and bridge assembly, and anything else that only requires common hand tools. Understanding the mechanics of your guitar and how to fine-tune it to taste is part of being a musician IMHO.

[Ric5]

I build my own basses and customize my basses and I frankenstein my basses. I do pretty much everything on my basses. Except I don't start with a blank piece of wood.