How does the airline companies determine a guitar was not detuned, after it was already broken?
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Relevant information as Taylor weighs in on the subject.
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I don't know.
Just the string tension along is not enough to snap the headstock off a bass.
As mentioned earlier,some kind of "shock load" has to happen.
Just the string tension along is not enough to snap the headstock off a bass.
As mentioned earlier,some kind of "shock load" has to happen.
- Jun 6, 2012
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They ask you when you try to file a claim. If you state that is was not detuned, they reply with 'Sorry, we won't cover that as there was too much stress on the neck'. If you state that it was detuned, they reply with 'Sorry, we won't cover that as manufacturers ship guitars tuned to pitch for a reason'.
I'll get right on proving that something never happens.........I guess other than demonstrating that almost EVERY manufacturer ships in tune I'll have quite the struggle to prove your negative for you.........
- Jun 6, 2012
- 4,837
- 6,859
- Disclosures
- I don't wait 30 minutes after eating, to go swimming.
I know of a set of deaf ears that will fall upon.
Two things that strike me as adding credibility to their viewpoint.
First, why would they take on liability of giving this advice to their customers if they weren't sure? And second, oh yeah, they actually have performed extensive drop tests, presumably not in their imaginations.
I read through that Taylor page, and it made me think of something that I am probably completely wrong about, but here goes:
Truss rods act to balance the tension of the strings on the neck, but on most, if not all, guitars/basses, the truss rod, essentially, ends at the nut, so how does a truss rod help prevent a headstock from breaking? Jim Kirlin's comment regarding truss rods prompted this thought.
Truss rods act to balance the tension of the strings on the neck, but on most, if not all, guitars/basses, the truss rod, essentially, ends at the nut, so how does a truss rod help prevent a headstock from breaking? Jim Kirlin's comment regarding truss rods prompted this thought.
Imagine holding a bass at the neck joint and then trying to break the neck by pulling forward on the headstock. Now imagine holding a bass at the nut and trying to break the headstock off. The longer lever in the first case makes it much easier than the short lever in the second case. Now if you take the strings off fine, but then imagine trying to break the headstock off in the opposite direction. It should be roughly the same amount of force.
I think the point here is not that the truss rod can play a part in protecting the headstock but rather, as has already been stated, that if you remove tension from the strings, now the truss rod is forcing the neck into a back bow. If you remove the tension from the strings, you should remove tension from the truss rod. All of this loosening and tightening of stuff surely opens up much more potential for damage and wear than just leaving the tension on everything to begin with...as literally thousands of instruments everyday are shipped this way with no issues.
Whoa! You cannot reason someone out of something they did not reason themselves into!
Please do not let these vendors of logic ruin our passion for shipping. Continue, please...
The truss rod counteracts the string tension. If you loosen the strings you will be applying a lot of back bow to the neck. Why do you think that is better than strings and truss rod both at opposing tension?
I've purchased a lot of basses online, many of them new in factory sealed box. All the new ones arrived with full tension and none had a problem.
I've bought basses made in Korea, China and Indonesia, all shipped from those countries to the MF warehouse in Kansas City, then shipped to Honolulu, and never had a problem with a neck.
I've bought basses made in Korea, China and Indonesia, all shipped from those countries to the MF warehouse in Kansas City, then shipped to Honolulu, and never had a problem with a neck.
The one I received with the strings slacked also had the truss rod loosened.
It was just fine as well, not unlike those you received that were tuned to pitch.
That supports the whole point of what everyone is saying. If you loosen the string, loosen the truss rod. If you don't loosen the truss rod, don't losses the strings (too much). Hugely different from loosening strings and not the truss rod. And the reasoning by now should be clear.
OK, so everyone is saying you should loosen the strings & the truss rod?
That sounds right to me.
That sounds right to me.
OK, so everyone is saying you should loosen the strings & the truss rod?
That sounds right to me.
Let's just hope the manufacturers never decide to ship that way. All the basses at GC would be hanging on the wall in that condition.
