Anyone else find a bass without strings sort of....cringe?

[Five or Six]

Not really relative but, kinda funny this was brought up. My cousin (bass player) asked me how I changed strings? I said: what do you mean, how? He said he cuts his all at once, OK. I told him mine are done one at a time starting with the "B" string. Tuned and then going to the "E" and so forth.

He asked why I don't just cut them all down at once? I told him it's just my way of doing it. I didn't like all the tension off the neck at one time. This way the neck should stay pretty much where I had put it to begin with, weather it matters or not how it's done? To each their own. All I got from him was a hmmm.

 

[Leigh Semmens]

Sorta naked?......eh?...................McCringe

Mods!!! THis thread should be R Rated, naked bass, INDEED!

 

[-Stingray]

IBTL

 

[Clark Westfield]

Wait, I’m supposed to store them with no strings?

But how can I then play them?

 

[jd56hawk]

Totes!

 

[BobKos]

Detuning (a semitone or two is enough) is a decent precaution against the thing having too much tension from the strings during shipping - no telling what kind of temp or humidity the thing will see during travel, and slightly detuned, the neck is probably very straight - it sees less stress in that mode than it does at full string tension. Bring them up to tension and wait an hour. If the neck is wonky, it wasn't because the strings were detuned - the thing wasn't set up right at all.

I generally agree. The problem I see is that people detune till the strings are just about ready to pop off the tuners. Too loose. Combined with the unpredictable environmental concerns you mention it creates a mess. IMO it is the same thing as overtightening the strings only in the opposite direction.

I have never received a bass direct from the factory (I have received a few that way) in a detuned state. They are ALWAYS tuned to pitch and arrive in good playable condition barring minor setup and tuning adjustments. I once shipped a bass to Alembic and they specifically instructed me to NOT detune it. Good enough for me....

 

[Dyerseve14]

I generally agree. The problem I see is that people detune till the strings are just about ready to pop off the tuners. Too loose. Combined with the unpredictable environmental concerns you mention it creates a mess. IMO it is the same thing as overtightening the strings only in the opposite direction.

I have never received a bass direct from the factory (I have received a few that way) in a detuned state. They are ALWAYS tuned to pitch and arrive in good playable condition barring minor setup and tuning adjustments. I once shipped a bass to Alembic and they specifically instructed me to NOT detune it. Good enough for me....

Funny but detuning the strings is part of the Reverb guide to shipping. I always do it to basses that i have to ship and never had a problem or an unhappy buyer - around 60 of them all over the world for context

 

[Maxra]

We haven't discussed what kind of strings were not on the bass, or whether it has tort or not. Plenty of things left to discuss.

I assume the best kind of strings to not be on a bass are flatwounds, that way the frets may be in better shape - unless Bass4thepublic (see above) has got hold of it and taken them off too.

 

[LonesomeKris]

I ordered new pants once. Took my old pants off until the new ones arrived. I’m now banned from Home Depot…

 

[Dincrest]

This Davie504 video is relevant to this thread.

 

[Ostie]

If I look at an ad on FB or CL and there is a bass for sale with no strings AND the sellers feet in the ad, well, let’s just say that my next call is to my therapist.

 

[GretschWretch]

I like a deal with no strings attached.

 

[JazznFunk]

A bass with no strings is the perfect instrument on which to play John Cage's 4'33".

 

[GretschWretch]

I ordered new pants once. Took my old pants off until the new ones arrived. I’m now banned from Home Depot…

Yes. I can see how this might happen.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Yes. Kinda weird. Wonder if the neck is jacked up and straightens out without strings.

 

[mindwell]

The cave you fear to enter, holds the treasure that you seek.

 

[mikewalker]

- - -

 

[Geogio]

What's the difference between an unstrung bass and purchasing a new neck?

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

There's help available.

 

[Thegreatzambini]

I don't know what it is about a bass with no strings, but I hate it. It makes the bass feel and look SO different, and it bothers me. I don't even like seeing basses for sale with no strings. It's just....weird.

There will be certain times when one of my basses will be bare for a few days until strings come and I can barely look at that bass during that time.

Anyone else share this strange feeling?

Why are you not leaving the old strings on until the new ones arrive?

 

[Watchootognbout]

Suppose all basses in a store where sold without strings.............