Good point. Without all that tension it's likely to get lazy, start eating nothing but cheetos, ice cream and hot pockets. It'll lie around on the couch all day watching tv for hours and before you know it your P bass is ready to be restrung with 6 additional strings.
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How long can a bass neck endure with no strings?
- Thread starter Netherlord
- Start date
Good point. Without all that tension it's likely to get lazy, start eating nothing but cheetos, ice cream and hot pockets. It'll lie around on the couch all day watching tv for hours and before you know it your P bass is ready to be restrung with 6 additional strings.
How about two strings at a time? How about new strings? Even better... Let's all go snap some G-strings, after work. Who's coming with me?
This "box" thing has some serious legs. Not sure if it will ever reach tort or best bass for metal status but hey, who knows?
Last time I forgot to put my bass back in the box it caught on fire and burned down my house and killed my friend.
He also played a Fender Coronado. Small wonder the bass gods struck him down.
As long as it's not the bass you use for metal, you'll be fine.
that's a nice bassThis guy? I think it's just his career that died...
What's cool is that it doubles as a box.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I have one bass neck and one guitar neck that are not attached to anything just yet. They have to be kept in a locked closet so they don't get out and cause trouble. That's what happens if you don't keep 'em bolted down and strapped down with strings. Be very careful around feral necks, especially feral bass necks.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I bought a neck through unplayed bass from a collector about 3 years ago. The bass was made in 1995 and still had the factory fitted strings and it arrived perfectly in tune and the action was lovely low and buzz free. All my basses are neck through and I've had the strings off for days at a time when Iv'e been cleaning them and oiling the neck etc and when they are re-strung it was just back to normal. Never had a problem after removing strings.
Oh, come on. Everyone knows Billy died from mixing Pop Rocks with Coke.
Years ago I bought a Fender Jazz. It had been in the case with no strings for many years. The neck was seriously back-bowed, even after I took the tension off the truss rod.
I strung it up with no tension on the truss rod and monitored it over the course of several days. As the neck yielded under the pressure of the strings I began to add truss rod tension. Eventually things settled out. Fortunately the neck did not twist on the way back.
So the bass was not fine but it ended up fine.
I agree that OP should replace the truss nut. As long as the nut is off and the tension is off the neck you can leave it that way forever. In the future when you clean your strings again, then you can.
So to the specific question - I'd say do your cleaning and see how the neck responds. If you put the strings back on and the action isn't right then you know you went long enough that the neck began to respond and shift. It will probably come back but you may need to adjust the truss rod (replace that nut).
I strung it up with no tension on the truss rod and monitored it over the course of several days. As the neck yielded under the pressure of the strings I began to add truss rod tension. Eventually things settled out. Fortunately the neck did not twist on the way back.
So the bass was not fine but it ended up fine.
I agree that OP should replace the truss nut. As long as the nut is off and the tension is off the neck you can leave it that way forever. In the future when you clean your strings again, then you can.
So to the specific question - I'd say do your cleaning and see how the neck responds. If you put the strings back on and the action isn't right then you know you went long enough that the neck began to respond and shift. It will probably come back but you may need to adjust the truss rod (replace that nut).
Feel no fret (huh!).
It's the worst of myths that still perpeturating the net. that:
a) you should not change all of the strings at once, but one at a time.
b) you should take all off the strings when storing it for a long time.
People still can't get that these two advices contradicts each other. And yet they come with different excuses, and explanations of why these two rules applies. Basses in music stores has hanged around longer on their walls, than any of us has had any bass stored for longer periods of time under our beds. No reason for either. Your bass should be able to take ANY of these options. Either having it without strings for a long time, or strung up for a long time. Period. Otherwise your bass isn't worth any other sh*t than as a use as a door stop. Period. Go ahead. How else would you think maintenance should be carried out on any bass?
It's the worst of myths that still perpeturating the net. that:
a) you should not change all of the strings at once, but one at a time.
b) you should take all off the strings when storing it for a long time.
People still can't get that these two advices contradicts each other. And yet they come with different excuses, and explanations of why these two rules applies. Basses in music stores has hanged around longer on their walls, than any of us has had any bass stored for longer periods of time under our beds. No reason for either. Your bass should be able to take ANY of these options. Either having it without strings for a long time, or strung up for a long time. Period. Otherwise your bass isn't worth any other sh*t than as a use as a door stop. Period. Go ahead. How else would you think maintenance should be carried out on any bass?
They store them and ship them with the truss rods slack.
The OP's situation is one of unbalanced forced. The force of the strings wanting to bend the neck forward is countered by the back force of the truss rod. Remove the strings and you are left with only the truss rod force which WILL bend your neck backwards.
That was Mikey, the drummer for Billy's band. Just an avalanche of tragedy.
You know who would have loved talking about boxes? Nobody. Cats love boxes.
Hopefully he is up in heaven playing his jerkweasel harp with Billy rubbing his belly.
Unless the Mothman took his soul... Then it's carrot flavored oatmeal for eternity!
