bass storage without strings

A friend gave me a bass that he stored with the strings in tune and the neck came out like an archery bow,while on the other hand he stored a bass for 2 years with no strings and it came out fine(different bass).
My point is it all depends on a few factors,the better the quality bass the better it can hold up to time and temperature changes,some basses can sit like that for years and have no ill effects that a set-up could'nt fix.
While a cheaper bass left in similar conditions can become scrap wood after a short time,cheap poor finished basses cannot withstand the elements like a good bass can,so protective measures need to be taken(bass storing is complex topic varying from one brand to another and one bassist to the next).
If you must store it for a lenght of time i would take a few precautions no matter what brand of bass,I would ease off the tension a little(only to take a little presuure off),then store it in a case away from drastic changes in temperature and humidity,and if its going to be for a long period of time i like to put a small amount of lubricant on the moving parts(tuners,bridge pieces ETC )it will stop corrosion and oxidation(rust) from occuring.
Some people have their own methods that work well for them,ask your teacher or somebody from a music store that you can trust for some pointers,it could'nt hurt to ask more than having to repair a poorly stored bass would(which lowers the value of the bass when you change original parts should re want to sell it).
No matter what kind of bass you have ,taking a few extra steps to insure your investment will survive a hibernation or a few weeks in the closet is worth the effort.

 

I would definately not store it without strings on it. I have a bass that 35 years old that has always had strings on it with no problems. I agree if its going to be stored for any length of time to maybe detune it a half step.

 

If you remove the strings for any length of time I'd advise letting off the truss rod to prevent the neck from bowing back too much. Other than that I don't think there is any problem with storing the bass without strings.