Double bass storage question.

I can never bring myself to pack my instruments away, they are works of art and I want them them out on display! It's also nice to have them just sitting there with no barrier between me and playing or practice.

That said my cello probably has a warped bridge for a reason.

 

every bassist I know keeps them out in the open unless they haven't had time to unpack from the last gig. usually in a stand or leaned into a corner.

 

Yes, I just keep mine in a stand or leaned into a corner. These instruments are meant to be used, and unless your hosue has very strong temperature and humidity changes, I don't think a case has any particular benefits.

 

My bass is also a beautiful work of art and craftsmanship, and deserves to be seen in its original state and heard by all, which is exactly why I keep it in the case overnight or just when I’m not playing it. I took a more lenient view of things in the past when I had a hybrid and a ply and even had (still do) the nice wooden stands Upton sells, but finally came to my senses once I upgraded to a fully carved bass. I'd rather keep the instruments in as stable an environment as possible, hence always storing them in their cases (plus monitoring and adjusting humidity when necessary, using the Boveda humidity packs over the winter months, etc.).

 

Mine is out of it's bag leaned in the corner of my office (not at home). It's a ply bass, a relatively stable environment, and no one else goes in the room so I'm not too worried. When I stored it at home with small children around, it was always in the bag and chained to the wall.

As far as strings go, leaving it out won't make a difference unless you live in a house with no windows next to the ocean or a toxic chemical plant. Most double bass stings will last a long time...usually longer than the player's interest in that particular set.

 

Mine sit in the corners of the room. I don't provide them any special care unless I'm camping with them at a festival, and even then I treat um pretty rough.... They love it.

 

I've found that the biggest impediment to a regular practice schedule is having to take the bass out of the bag. If you have enough room and don't have to worry about kids and/or pets and humidity stays between 35 to 45 percent, shouldn't be an issue to leave it out.

 

A musical instrument is meant to be played, often. Violins and trumpets are easy to put in and take out of a case. Double basses, not. Put your bass in a stand so that you can start playing it at a moment's notice. That is worth a lot more than keeping the dust off of it.

Both of my basses sit naked in their K&M stands.

 

Same - I like the out and accessible. I've been working from home the last 4 years so having these all out in the open in my office gives my eyes a much needed break from the computer screen while getting in additional practice. I also keep humidity around 40%.

 

Both of my basses are on stands with no cases. Of course, all my other instruments are also stored in the open: two acoustic guitars, three ukes, one mando, and one ABG.

 

I keep my double bass on a stand but cover it with a light sheet to keep the dust off but so it is still easy to play in moment, unlike if it was in its case. Strangely, I keep my guitar, EB,EUB, banjo and mandolin in their cases, which might be why I don't play them as much as the DB, which I usually play every day.

 

I don't think any dust can damage your strings more than any rosin. And strings with rosin on them last for years. Cover your bass or don't, it will have no impact on strings or fingerboard. Learn to get used to clean it regurarly. I never covered my bass at home until recently, when I got small kids armed with pencils and other sharp objects, crawling dangerously around the house.

 

I clean and polish my bass frequently because I live in an open concept house with ceiling fans that help heat/cool the house and do a great job of blowing dust all over the place including the area where my bass is standing so I use the sheet to keep the whole bass including the scroll and tuners clean.
I also have sweaty hands and wipe down the neck and strings of any instrument I am playing after using it.
I'm not as obsessive as this may sound, I would rather keep my instruments clean and not have to do a major clean up a couple of times a year and I like my instruments to look good at gigs.

 

I only put the bass in the case for transport. At home, it is usually in a corner or on the floor resting on it's side. With that said, if i had a second bass i never played, i am not sure where i would put it for long term storage. I'd probably leave that out too though so i can play it sometimes.