Storing your basses...

[hankazoid]

I just moved into a new apartment. In my old apartment I had a few of my guitars hanging up on my wall and a friend of mine said that hanging them is bad for the neck.

I didn't see his point as I figured the strings would put way more tension on the guitar, and every music store hangs their guitars in the same manner.

I don't have anything that's super rare or expensive and all my guitars are "players." I was just wondering what other people's thoughts are on this and if I should be worried about any long-term effects from hanging my basses.

 

[T-MOST]

Guitar shops hang basses on the wall all the time. It may require you tweek your action more often because of exposure to heat, cold and humidity but it won't actually "hurt" the neck.

 

[Xavier Knox]

Damn, I know gravity had a lot of pull but I didn't realize it had that much pull.

But I do agree, guitar shops hang guitars on the wall and they may sit there for months (and in some cases years) and are perfectly fine.

 

[funkomatic]

The trick is to take them off the wall and play them so much that they don't have a chance to straighten up!

Seriously, though. If it is a well-made instrument I doubt it will hurt the neck. The weight of the bass should only help the truss rod. Especially if you are talking about reinforced or multilaminate necks.

Sometimes the foam pads on the hangers and guitar stands mess up the finish though.

 

[thedude77md]

I've run into issues with hardware prematurely appearing aged from leaving them hanging or in racks. This is also probably b/c I smoke like a chimney so I no longer do it.

 

[9mmMike]

I have a few basses that hang on the wall and have never had a problem with the necks. In fact, the bass that stays in tune the best and has never had a truss rod tweak since the initial setup hangs on the wall all the time so I can get to it without fussing with a case. Unless your hangers are somehow marring the finish, I cannot see how they could ever hurt your bass.
I use the Hercules wall-hangers BTW.

 

[ggunn]

I've run into issues with hardware prematurely appearing aged from leaving them hanging or in racks. This is also probably b/c I smoke like a chimney so I no longer do it.

Yet another good reason to stop smoking!

 

[rcarraher]

I just moved into a new apartment. In my old apartment I had a few of my guitars hanging up on my wall and a friend of mine said that hanging them is bad for the neck.

I didn't see his point as I figured the strings would put way more tension on the guitar, and every music store hangs their guitars in the same manner.

I don't have anything that's super rare or expensive and all my guitars are "players." I was just wondering what other people's thoughts are on this and if I should be worried about any long-term effects from hanging my basses.

My entire collection hangs on the wall (used to sit in stands, but I got tired of cleaning cat hair out of the round wounds), I'd have to go count, but its either 14 or 15 basses (plus a Fender Acoustic Guitar). I have a 72 P bass (the first bass I bought) a 68 Hofner 500/1, a 78 J, my 08 CS J, some 60's Supros, Dano's, 92 Peavey Foundation, Jay Turser, you get the picture.

I live in Oregon where it rains all the time, so you'd think Humidity would be a problem, but strangely its not. I do keep the temp at a constant 66-68 tho'. Used to live in St. Joseph, MO where humidity IS a problem, but I had no problems there either. Knock wood . Don't think I have had to do a setup in 5 years or so, and then just a tweak. I got worried about the Hofner a few years ago and packed it away, but lately I have been playing that alot, so its back out.

 

[speedkills]

I've run into issues with hardware prematurely appearing aged from leaving them hanging or in racks. This is also probably b/c I smoke like a chimney so I no longer do it.

That's called "relic-ing" and there's good money in it...smoke 'em if you got 'em!!