Keep in Bag or Stand?

kiwlm · #1 10-12-2009, 09:22 PM

I have tried searching but to my surprise did not find any topics similar to this.

I am a home player who plays 1 hour a day on average. For the past year, I have been leaving my bass on the stand, but I just realized that it have been collecting dust. My guitarist friend just told me that the guitar belong in the bag when its not being played. The stand is just for you to put when you need to go to the toilet or have a drink. Is he correct?

All these while I thought the bag is just for transporting.

If I keep it in a bag, where and how should I put it? I can lean it against some wall but that seems to be prone to it being knocked over. Contrary to the stand where I can put it anywhere in the room instead of having to be near a wall.

bassist4dalord · #2 10-12-2009, 09:29 PM

The stand works. Every now and then take a polishing cloth or something similar and wipe the dust off. Just my $.02

Revvv · #3 10-12-2009, 09:30 PM

The bass is safest on the stand. Just clean the bass regularly. I leave all of my equipment on the stands.

Guess what, the basses and guitars you find in the music store are all on hooks or stands. It never hurt them there.

**jmattbassplaya** · #4 10-12-2009, 09:35 PM

I keep all my guitars and basses on stands unless I`m favoring one or two basses in particular, or if I`m going to be out of the house for more than two consecutive days. Keeping them in bags has always felt like an excuse to be lazy and not take them out to practice. Sounds pathetic I know, but it`s the truth. However, just seeing my basses out and ready for me to play is always a nice sight and it always makes me want to pick one up to play.

That being said, I`ve noticed that my strings do tend to wear down a bit faster when they aren`t in a bag, but that doesn`t really bother me since I prefer a mellower tone and that honestly could just be happening because I`ll play the bass more often since it`s already out.

IMHO, it really doesn`t hurt having the bass out as long as:
1. Your region doesn`t experience constant and drastic weather changes.
2. You don`t have younger siblings or children who may knock it down on accident.
3. You make sure the electronics stay clean and well dusted.
4. You don`t live in a house with smokers.

PJSShearer · #5 10-13-2009, 05:51 AM

Mine stay in bags behind the sofa nowadays, where I can get at them quickly. They used to live in cases under the stairs, but they never got played due to the hastle of gettting them out.

I'd not feel safe leaving them out on stands as that's just asking for them to be knocked over - I have 3 cats, a westie and a 10 year old daughter (in ascending order of danger)!! and top of the pile would be my wife - she'd need to move them to clean/dust/vacuum and that is definitley asking for trouble :-).

Soverntear · #6 10-13-2009, 06:41 AM

i always keep mine on the stands. i find I play allot more when i canse a bass and not a case. sure i worry my cats will get a them. but i bought a Hercules stand for a reason

billoetjen · #7 10-13-2009, 06:49 AM

My two pitbulls know to stay away from my stands when they're duking it out. Only once one of them tripped over a patch cable and I walked over to them. That's all it took. I've never hurt either of 'em, but they are shockingly intelligent beasts and learn quickly.
If I had Labs, I'd probably keep the axes in cases or a locked room.
But seriously, on a stand, the instrument will get much more and more frequent practice. And the research shows that frequent practice is what makes the biggest measurable improvement.

fearceol · #8 10-13-2009, 07:02 AM

Personally I always keep mine in gig bags. I suppose it depends on people's circumstances, pets, children, etc. The obvious plus for bags is they help to protect against moisture and dust. Also, I don't suffer from the "cant see it, so wont play it" phenomenon.

stylonpilson · #9 10-13-2009, 07:07 AM

Captain Beefheart - rule #9.

S.P.

BluesWalker · #10 10-13-2009, 07:10 AM

I always keep mine in their gig bag when I am not practicing or gigging. I keep them in a safe place that is accessible. It only takes a minute to get it out of the bag. Keeping them on a stand is an accident waiting to happen.

Billnc · #11 10-13-2009, 07:18 AM

I've got a dedicated practice area, keep them in a stand. I can grab the basses at any time. Everything is set up for it to be very easy for me to just sit down and practice, work cd area, sheet music etc all in arms reach.

dalkowski · #12 10-13-2009, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billnc

I've got a dedicated practice area, keep them in a stand. I can grab the basses at any time. Everything is set up for it to be very easy for me to just sit down and practice, work cd area, sheet music etc all in arms reach.

+1. If space (and kids and pets) allows, that's the way to go for me.

PJSShearer · #13 10-13-2009, 08:13 AM

Cetainly in the UK, where houses are generally smaller than in the US, the chances of having a "dedicated practice area" are between slim and none in the average 3 bed semi-detached house with a family - there's simply nowhere in my house where two basses on stands wouldn't be "in the way".

I had to negotiate seriously hard to have my Ashdown 2 x 10" Combo in the house, rather than leaving it in the garage to rust like my old Traynor 1 x 15" Combo!!.

98dvl · #14 10-13-2009, 11:53 AM

I find if I keep mine on a stand, or hanging, I'm more apt to pick it up and practice... If it's in a case/bag, I'll thinking about picking up to play, but will pass because I'm too lazy to open the case/bag.

For example, if I'm sitting around waiting for my wife to get ready to go somewhere, if my bass is sitting on it's stand, I'll pick it up and fiddle around a while. When she's ready, I put the bass back on the stand, and we can leave right away.... If it's in a case, I know I got to put it back in the case, so I don't even bother taking it out to fiddle around with while waiting for her because she'll for sure be ticked off if she has to wait for me to get the bass back in the case - and the case put away.

Hoover · #15 10-13-2009, 01:49 PM

if I kept my bass in the bag I'd probably never play it!

stands ftw

grifff · #16 10-13-2009, 01:51 PM

A luthier once told me that keeping instruments on stands that press against the neck can warp them. Is this in any way true?

Chris K · #17 10-13-2009, 01:52 PM

I have a wall set where I can hang a bass during the day - grabs the neck like a pair of tweezers. It's more out of the way compared to a stand, because the bass hangs flat against the wall. And safer, because it cannot tumble - for the same reason I use a stand where the bass is hanging instead of standing. Overnight (after the last time I play during the day) I put it in its case.

Essentail is to avoid sudden changes in temperature. So be careful with draught, central heating, direct sunlight.

Caca de Kick · #18 10-13-2009, 02:00 PM

I always keep them in cases when not in use for a few reasons:
Prying eyes, don't need to give any outsider a reason to come in when I'm not home.
Knocking them over, I've got kids and a dog.
And cleanliness, I read in a BP mag years ago that leaving them out for dust to collect would result in shorter string life, and I've been getting a year out of all my DR highbeams, so it may really be true.

johhn smith · #19 10-13-2009, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJSShearer

Mine stay in bags behind the sofa nowadays, where I can get at them quickly. They used to live in cases under the stairs, but they never got played due to the hastle of gettting them out.

I'd not feel safe leaving them out on stands as that's just asking for them to be knocked over - I have 3 cats, a westie and a 10 year old daughter (in ascending order of danger)!! and top of the pile would be my wife - she'd need to move them to clean/dust/vacuum and that is definitley asking for trouble :-).

this guy is right. you need to evaluate your domestic hazards first. but if you have the ability to place your guitar safely on a stand i would do it. i have for years with no problem and i firmly believe " out of sight out of mind ". i have guitars all over the house and i don't know how many times i will have sat down intending to do something worthless like watch tv, then i look over and see my guitar, pick it up and the next thing i know i have gotten in a half a hour or an hour of enjoyable playing time. there are a lot of different types of stands out there - some are more stable than others. you'll have to look around for what best suits you.

Billnc · #20 10-13-2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grifff

A luthier once told me that keeping instruments on stands that press against the neck can warp them. Is this in any way true?

I use a "boat" where the instrument sits sideways, rather thane a U shaped stand, just in case. Either way, I've never had a neck warp.