Wow I never expected so many players to be using special oils and fancy cloths.. To each his own I guess.. I play for a living and love the dirt my bass accumulates. Me my car and house are always clean, I just personally find my bass feels better when all the dirt, so to speak, is in all the right places.. I always do my own set ups but recently had a bass tech do a repair and when I got my bass back he had cleaned it.!!. It was shiny, slippery and didn't feel as comfortable as it had with the many many many hard working hours i'd put into it. Unless you're playing with mud covered fingers then I think the argument of a clean on stage visual thing is really overkill. But just to be clear, there is a difference between dirty (heavily played and worn) and unhygienic..
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Do you clean your basses regularly?
- Thread starter Lazerrus
- Start date
I can't stop sticking my fingers under the strings trying to get the dust out... even when there's no dust there. It's kind of like when you constantly cleane your glasses, even thought they're perfectly fine.
Occasionally I put a cloth in to try and get as much grime out as I can, but usually I only go for the full clean when I am changing strings!
____________________________________
www.justjamit.com - Free live music streaming over the net
____________________________________
Occasionally I put a cloth in to try and get as much grime out as I can, but usually I only go for the full clean when I am changing strings!
____________________________________
www.justjamit.com - Free live music streaming over the net
____________________________________
What cleaning products are best for metal? 
Seriously, I subscribe to the philosophy that if you don't let your instruments get DIRTY in the first place, cleaning them isn't as much of an issue. Accordingly, I don't obsess over cleaning my basses, but I don't let them get DIRTY either. I just take it for granted that my instruments should be clean, and care for them as the need arises. I don't do anything fancy; my normal cleaning routine involves GHS Fast Fret on the strings and wiping down the whole instrument with a soft dry cloth. For more significant cleaning, like buildup on the back of the neck, I use a damp cloth, or whatever brand of wet wipes my wife bought this week, followed by the soft dry cloth. Like I said, nothing fancy...
Seriously, I subscribe to the philosophy that if you don't let your instruments get DIRTY in the first place, cleaning them isn't as much of an issue. Accordingly, I don't obsess over cleaning my basses, but I don't let them get DIRTY either. I just take it for granted that my instruments should be clean, and care for them as the need arises. I don't do anything fancy; my normal cleaning routine involves GHS Fast Fret on the strings and wiping down the whole instrument with a soft dry cloth. For more significant cleaning, like buildup on the back of the neck, I use a damp cloth, or whatever brand of wet wipes my wife bought this week, followed by the soft dry cloth. Like I said, nothing fancy...
Engine207
Losing faith in humanity...one call at a time.
I'm way too OCD to let a speck of dust land on my basses. If one does manage, it is detected by a complex series of sensors that are programmed to notify me by text message as to which bass is under assault and the offending speck's location, to within 5mm.
Seriously, I keep everything of value that I own clean and in top repair, regardless of whether it's a "tool" or not. My '80 Ric is an 8/10, and it's got a zillion hours of play. My wife sewed a nice dust cover for my guitar stand, where all my basses live when they're off-duty, so they don't require much, but I use Lizard Spit or Martin's and a microfiber cloth as necessary.
Seriously, I keep everything of value that I own clean and in top repair, regardless of whether it's a "tool" or not. My '80 Ric is an 8/10, and it's got a zillion hours of play. My wife sewed a nice dust cover for my guitar stand, where all my basses live when they're off-duty, so they don't require much, but I use Lizard Spit or Martin's and a microfiber cloth as necessary.
After a gig, mine go right in the case. its when I get home and they come out of the case (and this is really only the TBird) that they get wiped down. The Nitrocellulose is sensitive to moisture and acid in the oil from hands. When I first used it I thought... nah the instructions are nuts. After a few playings my beautiful new bass was looking pretty funky. So I pulled the strings and waxed it with swirl remover and then the wax from the fender guitar care kit. I have to keep up with it or it starts to look like that again so I have gotten to where after playing a gig I will use the spray cleaner from that same kit and wipe it down. Personally give me the urethane finish, the NC lacquer is a pain in the neck.
