I just sold a bass online and need to ship it. Why is it that when shipping, people usually loosen the strings? Is it necessary to do? Any benefits to it?
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.
Loosening strings when shipping a bass
- Thread starter WarwickDolphin
- Start date
No reason to do so. It's a holdover from shipping rather more delicate string instruments like violins. 50 years ago the logic was that if an acoustic guitar suffered a blow to the top, having the strings loose would prevent the string tension from causing the damage to spread. NO, none, not any major manufacturer ships guitars (acoustic, electric, hollow, solid) or basses detuned.
Don't detune because the truss rod has to be set to balance the string tension. Loosening one without also loosening the other is more likely to cause a real problem than shipping damage.
Don't detune because the truss rod has to be set to balance the string tension. Loosening one without also loosening the other is more likely to cause a real problem than shipping damage.
If the bass is damaged during shipping (especially any neck damage), and the strings weren't slackened, the carrier's insurance company may use that as a reason to not pay up. (don't ask me how I know) This is especially true with UPS Ground, they require slackened strings to insure. The UPS Customer Service center in my current locale will not insure a guitar without its strings slackened, and they always ask me if I have done so before accepting my package.
You can defy the rules and take your chances, the risk is slight. But right now is not the best time of year to take chances. Cold weather, and temporary help handling packages during the uber-busy holidays?....eh.
Detune a quarter tone. If they ask if the strings have been slackened, say "yes".
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Beat me to it. I understand the idea with a violin, or even an acoustic guitar possibly, but not a solid body bass.
I think you have a misinformed guitarist working at your local UPS. I work part time in my friend's guitar shop. He ships all instruments tuned, mostly via UPS. Also, all instruments arriving from manufacturers come tuned (well, close to it), including UPS shipments. Never been asked about string tension by a UPS employee.
When a damage claim is initiated they'll often want to see all the packing materials, the box, and the bass itself, in situ. Or they may move the damaged item to a facility to be examined. Either way, you're at the mercy of an insurance adjuster who'll decide if loosening 'a quarter tone' meets their requirements. Good luck with that.
Next time you're at UPS ask the clerk for the official UPS insurance requirements re guitars (if they even know). Just because no one asks, doesn't mean UPS doesn't have a policy in place. They do.
I can think of more than one reason why manufacturers, or guitar shops, don't need/want to detune before shipping. But those reasons don't apply to non-business individuals who occasionally ship a bass. Which includes most of us here on TB. We don't make the rules, but we are usually subject to them.
