Proper care and feeding of a bass guitar

Byzcat · #1 10-10-2009, 04:03 PM

So, I'm going to be changing the strings on my Ibanez SR-300 (switching the stock strings out to D'Addario Chrome flatwounds), and I figure while I've got the strings off, I should baby her a bit.

I've only had the bass for about four months, so there isn't anything really heavy duty that needs to be done. I figure, a pre-winter rub of the fingerboard (rosewood) with lemon oil, polish the bridge (which is a bit tarnished, but not bad, it will probably come clean with a good buffing)

My teacher and the owner of the store have both recommended that I use car wax (?) on both the body and... the neck (!?!)

On the body, I can see, but the neck is not painted- not sure what the finish is, but you can definitely feel the wood.

I've been using Endust to get the fingerprints off, and the bass is new enough that I don't think it needs to be waxed. Could I just maybe use Pledge or Endust to clean the neck (careful not to get it on the fingerboard) and have done with it?

(waxing nostalgic for Tasmanian Guitar Polish)

RickenBoogie · #2 10-10-2009, 04:15 PM

I normally change strings one at a time, to keep tension on the neck. It's better for the neck, unless you simply HAVE to take them all off. I use nothing but a polish cloth on my basses as well, and they've stayed shiny new for years, ( I wipe them down after every use). Think about the "one at a time" thing, though.

Pilgrim · #3 10-10-2009, 04:34 PM

Changing one at a time is the cautious way to do it. You can do it that way or change them all - in 15 minutes the neck will re-acclimate to the load, so it really makes no diff.

I prefer Virtuoso guitar cleaner and polish, but plenty of people use car wax.

NOTE: NO CAR POLISH!!

Car polish has abrasive in it - WAX does not. You don't want to polish the finish with abrasives designed to remove road junk from a car. Use products which DO NOT contain abrasives or silicone. NEVER put a silicone-based wax on your instrument.

For some reason, when used in products for musical instruments, the term "polish" usually does not mean that there is an abrasive included.

ByF · #4 10-10-2009, 04:46 PM

Pilgrim didn't specifically say this, so I will: you should not use any product intended for furniture on your bass. Endust, Pledge, all those product contain silicone. Silicone will prevent a new finish or adhesives from sticking to the wood if you ever need to do a repair. Once you get silicone on the bass, it's almost impossible to get it off. You really should not use that stuff.

BTW, if you change to a different type of strings, you will probably need to adjust the trussrod and/or the intonation.

Ed

Pilgrim · #5 10-10-2009, 04:48 PM

Right on, Ed!

Byzcat · #6 10-10-2009, 04:56 PM

ByF- OK, no furniture polish.

The flatwounds are going to be the same gauge as the stock strings, so I'm not anticipating too much adjusting, and I'm having to tweak the truss rod more often than I'd like the past couple of weeks, so I'm used to that.

I had put a set of heavier-gauge flats on the bass, and the neck never did adjust. I'd tighten the truss rod, and the next morning, the neck would look like it was ready for the archery range, I could never get the intonation right, and after a week and a half, I put the stock strings back on. And I got to my lesson this morning, and the thing was backbowed (it's been raining a lot lately here in Mass, lot of extra humidity).