Tip: cleaning inside the bass

[Matthew Tucker]

Take a 3ft length of string and tie a loop in both ends. make an inside-out loop of duct tape sticky-side out and tie this onto one end of the string. Throw this into your FF and hang the other end of the loop around the upper FF tab. Leave in the bass for a few days while you play it. When you pull it out, all the dust and shavings and crud inside the bass comes out stuck to the tape.

OK. Now I want you to share your tips for stopping the silks from getting damaged as you string and unstring and restring.

[bassist14]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

OK. Now I want you to share your tips for stopping the silks from getting damaged as you string and unstring and restring.

i always use shrink tubing for this purpose

[Paul Warburton]

Originally Posted by Matthew Tucker

Take a 3ft length of string and tie a loop in both ends. make an inside-out loop of duct tape sticky-side out and tie this onto one end of the string. Throw this into your FF and hang the other end of the loop around the upper FF tab. Leave in the bass for a few days while you play it. When you pull it out, all the dust and shavings and crud inside the bass comes out stuck to the tape.

OK. Now I want you to share your tips for stopping the silks from getting damaged as you string and unstring and restring.

Matthew, I always thought I was close to having O.C.D., but you're the man!

[bassist14]

i know this method for cleaning the inside of violins:
put some uncooked rice inside, shake the violin a while. when you put it out it takes all the dust with it.

but, how much rice do you need for a bass?

[bonaventura]

that's a great tip thanks. that dust is hoppin' all over the place. i'll give that a try next spring cleaning...

the way i've cleaned inside the bass is with a 4' length of plastic tube stuffed into a rag in the vacuum cleaner hose opening, slowly moving it back and forth to get the clumps of dust out.

[robobass]

Go organic. Dust mites?

[Eric Rene Roy]

Originally Posted by bassist14

i know this method for cleaning the inside of violins:
put some rice inside, shake the violin a while. when you put it out it takes all the dust with it.

but, how much rice do you need for a bass?

Just be sure to stress that it is UNCOOKED rice. Shops have been burnt by this suggestion in the past...and getting gummy rice out of an instrument is not fun!

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by eroy

Shops have been burnt by this suggestion in the past...and getting gummy rice out of an instrument is not fun!

Sound like a little earner though ... Oh dear, we HAVE to take your top off now, Madame ...

[hdiddy]

Nay... I say let the dust bunnies be!

It's just a record of history of where the bass has been. I would only remove them if it was full of pube hairs or something.

[drurb]

Originally Posted by bonaventura

that's a great tip thanks. that dust is hoppin' all over the place. i'll give that a try next spring cleaning...

the way i've cleaned inside the bass is with a 4' length of plastic tube stuffed into a rag in the vacuum cleaner hose opening, slowly moving it back and forth to get the clumps of dust out.

Yup-- me too.

Originally Posted by drurb

That's essentially what I do except I wrap the duct tape around the end of the vinyl hose until it is thick enough to seal when inserted into the vacuum handle. It can be easily pulled out and re-inserted without the need to re-tape.

There's a thread devoted to vacuum cleaner tricks. Geez, I've been around here a long time!

[bassist14]

Originally Posted by eroy

Just be sure to stress that it is UNCOOKED rice. Shops have been burnt by this suggestion in the past...and getting gummy rice out of an instrument is not fun!

i thougt about writing this when i was posting, but did not find the right word... (i am from germany...)
but i edited my post

[Ike Harris]

Originally Posted by eroy

Just be sure to stress that it is UNCOOKED rice. Shops have been burnt by this suggestion in the past...and getting gummy rice out of an instrument is not fun!

Is minute rice quicker?

[Michael Eisenman]

No, the grains are much, much smaller.

[bassteban]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

Nay... I say let the dust bunnies be!

It's just a record of history of where the bass has been. I would only remove them if it was full of pube hairs or something.

I thought it was actually dust mice that inhabited DBs.
I have herds of dust buffalo in my house, BTW.
On topic, I have propped my(proper, not slab)bass up at a roughly 45-degree angle, face tward the floor & blown out the inside w/an air nozzle at 30 psi or so.

[fingers]

Those dust guys are my friends.

My life's pretty sad.

[Matthew Tucker]

Originally Posted by hdiddy

Nay... I say let the dust bunnies be!
It's just a record of history of where the bass has been.

I'd rather a small clean card with names and dates on it, for that purpose!

[forester]

MT thanks for the inspiration..when cleaning the fireplace flue, i drop a knotted cord down to the hearth..tie a chicken by the feet..reel it "gently" up... said chicken panics..flaps,clucks,bucks,seemingly scours the flue clean of soot,ash etc...repeat if nesessary... cook,eat chicken same "fowl" principal would apply with my bass if i use a tufted titmouse or a chickadee.

[Jed Kriegel]

I like your style!

[Matthew Tucker]

Hmmmm. Gives charcoal chicken a whole new perspective! Well, I suppose boy scouts are getting harder to come by ...

[salcott]

15 or so years ago, when my bass underwent some major work, they saved the "mouse" in a ziplock bag, and with tongue-in -cheek formality, reinstalled it when I picked up the bass.