Double Bass Green basses and Cracks/Seams

[Kevin Hsieh]

Is it more common to see cracks and seams in green basses, since they're still settling in. I have a fairly new fully carved Xuechang Sun bass and i just got a seam in the same place for the second time. Could it also be that i moved from California to New York in late August and it's adapting to the East Coast climate? I'm hoping this is the case and it's not just bad workmanship (or my inability to care for my bass).

Kevin

btw is gage's open tomorrow morning (before thanksgiving)? I need the seam fixed ASAP cuz i have rehearsal every day next week and 3 theater gigs in two nights.

 

[Ken McKay]

X Sun workshop is excellent to say the least. You do not have a "green" bass. Green might refer to some chinese factories but not Sun.

A bass can open at the top/side seam or back/side seam and it is perfectly normal and actually expected...better to pop a seam than crack a plate.

It is possible that the area that opened again was not glued well though when it was repaired the first time.

Moving to a new climate is generally hard on a bass, especially to the east coast from a dry climate. But it depends on where in CA.

 

[Kevin Hsieh]

thanks ken. i love my Xsun bass. I thought green referred to the relatively new wood.

Yea. I had Bill Merchant repair it the first time. I'm leaving for Jersey tomorrow afternoon but I would like it in the shop to be worked on and be able to pick it up when i get back on sunday or mondya morning so i'll need to drop it off tomorrow morning at Gage's if i want anything done.

I'm originally from the LA county. don't know if that helps

 

[Ken McKay]

Green kinda implies that the factory assembled an instrument from wood that was not dried to the proper specifications of about 5% moisture content. That is different than saying my bass is new and therefor has green wood. a new bass should be properly dried and this is usually "seasoned" for about 3 to 5 years before the instrument is assembled.

 

[Matthew Tucker]

c'mon guys, let's not beat about the bush

 

[Eric Hochberg]

Could it also be that i moved from California to New York in late August and it's adapting to the East Coast climate?

If the heat has recently come on in NY as it has in Chicago, make sure you keep the humidity around 38% where you store the bass. I've had seams open and a rib crack due to dry indoor conditions in the winter. You may need a shorter "winter" sound post made also, if you don't already have one.

 

[Kevin Hsieh]

david gage is shortening my soundpost and fixing the seam and he found another one.

good man!