Bass Smashing

[basslyon]

Hey y'all

So I have a parts bass which has been my staple for a while, but its has some body wear, grounding issues and the strap pins never hold properly so when the strap pin f%^& up again last night i figured smash it and get a new body from warmoth.

so i gave it a good wack but it didn't smash. so guitar smashing techniques. whats the best way to do it?

i have a carbon fiber neck on it so thats not going anywhere. just wanna destroy the body.

[Plays_For_Dog]

Real men hold it in two hands and smash it over their foreheads.

[bassteban]

I do it w/my mind.

[ZanaZulu807]

Lol.... Love how this is in the "Technique" section. I'll NEVER forget the night I smashed my Warwick Corvette just for the hell of it after our last song.

I basically did an overhand swing and made sure the rear strapbutton part of the bass landed flat against the floor, the bridge and bridge pickup were the first things to fly off. Second wack resulted in the body cracking right down the middle, neck getting very loose from the body, and strings flying around wildly. Last few wacks sent the bass in splintered pieces (including the neck) that the only thing that was left was the electronics and the wenge fretboard. Nowadays I could really use a nice Warwick....

[Tanner5382]

Buy Pete Townshend's instructional video.

[Nev375]

Solid bodies don't smash well. The neck, having less cross sectional area, is more likely to be damaged.

All the issues you mentioned are easily repaired BTW.

[Eugene Festus]

I would use a jack hammer.

[iridiumrocks]

Originally Posted by ZanaZulu807

Lol.... Love how this is in the "Technique" section. I'll NEVER forget the night I smashed my Warwick Corvette just for the hell of it after our last song.

I basically did an overhand swing and made sure the rear strapbutton part of the bass landed flat against the floor, the bridge and bridge pickup were the first things to fly off. Second wack resulted in the body cracking right down the middle, neck getting very loose from the body, and strings flying around wildly. Last few wacks sent the bass in splintered pieces (including the neck) that the only thing that was left was the electronics and the wenge fretboard. Nowadays I could really use a nice Warwick....

Why?

[bunnykeeper]

It's most likely a 2- or 3-piece body. Before you smash it, tap the seams just a bit with a slotted jeweler's screwdriver to get the party started. A smallish chisel would also do nicely.

[JimmyM]

I once saw Mike McCready of Pearl Jam try to smash his guitar and it wouldn't bust, either. Bashed it into the stage floor repeatedly and nothing happened. Anyway, not sure why you'd want to bust up your bass when it's already been done way better by Pete 48 years ago, but not my bass so whatever

[john grey]

Why not give it to some kid in the audience who would not be able to afford it? When Townsend did that any years back there were a great many people who thought he was just a spoiled little rich kid with a tantrum. When people do that (smash their stuff) there are quite a few people who really get disgusted by them.

Anyone could smash them: but it would show some style to pick out some poor kid and give it to him or her.

[BassNeo]

Originally Posted by john grey

Why not give it to some kid in the audience who would not be able to afford it? When Townsend did that any years back there were a great many people who thought he was just a spoiled little rich kid with a tantrum. When people do that (smash their stuff) there are quite a few people who really get disgusted by them.

+1

you play a good show, you inspire someone else to play. It would be easy to spot someone in the audience who has been watching you.

[So Low Bass]

I vaguely remember hearing an old-timer talk about Jascha Heifetz smashing his priceless 1690 fretless Stradivarius on his accompanist’s Steinway piano.

The audience loved it… it was a children’s concert.

[staindbass]

best and easiest way to do it in one shot is to do an overhead swing (like your splitting wood with an axe) and have it hit the top edge of a monitor, face down so right where the neck joins the body, the strings and top frets contact the monitor first. that puts the weight of the body behind the fulcrum point, and will crack off right at the neck. the only pressure you need is to dislodge the screws holding the neck. if you try and crack one sideways, (as in hitting the edge of the guitar body on the stage) you have to crack through both sides of the neck pocket, and crack off the neck screws. thats why the body usually falls apart/splits first.

[staindbass]

* that method may harm the neck

[ggunn]

John Hiatt says...

He threw one down from the top of the stairs
Beautiful women were standing everywhere
They all got wet when he smashed that thing
But off in the dark you could hear somebody sing

Oh it breaks my heart to see those stars
Smashing a perfectly good guitar
I don't know who they think they are
Smashing a perfectly good guitar

It started back in 1963
His momma wouldn't buy him that new red harmony
He settled for a sunburst with a crack
But he's still trying to break his momma's back

Oh it breaks my heart to see those stars
Smashing a perfectly good guitar
I don't know who they think they are
Smashing a perfectly good guitar

He loved that guitar just like a girlfriend
But every good thing comes to an end
Now he just sits in his room all day
Whistling every note he ever played

There oughta be a law with no bail
Smash a guitar and you go to jail
With no chance for early parole
You don't get out untill you get some soul

Oh it breaks my heart to see those stars
Smashing a perfectly good guitar
I don't know who they think they are
Smashing a perfectly good guitar

Late at night the end of the road
He wished he still had the old guitar to hold
He'd rock it like a baby in his arms
Never let it come to any harm

Oh it breaks my heart to see those stars
Smashing a perfectly good guitar
I don't know who they think they are
Smashing a perfectly good
Good
Guitar

[IncX]

this reminds me of that Cake song with a chorus that goes "how do you afford your rock and roll lifestyle?"

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by john grey

Why not give it to some kid in the audience who would not be able to afford it? When Townsend did that any years back there were a great many people who thought he was just a spoiled little rich kid with a tantrum. When people do that (smash their stuff) there are quite a few people who really get disgusted by them.

Anyone could smash them: but it would show some style to pick out some poor kid and give it to him or her.

Yeah, I've heard that argument before, but I'm not a fan of telling people how to spend their money or treat their possessions. I'm not in favor of smashing guitars and wouldn't do it myself (unless one really pissed me off), but it's his to do with it what he wants, and if he wants to smash it, that's his business.

[jim777]

Originally Posted by ggunn

John Hiatt says...

Oh it breaks my heart to see those stars
Smashing a perfectly good guitar
I don't know who they think they are
Smashing a perfectly good guitar.....

We used to cover that back in the mid-90's great tune!

[ZanaZulu807]

Mr. Novoselic with his mighty Ripper around :21 sec..... ‪Nirvana - Endless nameless - Live & Loud‬‏ - YouTube