Out of curiosity: How do you guys go about disinfecting a bass you've gotten? How to do it in a way that doesn't harm the finish, wood, electronics, etc...
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Thunderbird Club
- Thread starter TBird1958
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- club thunderbird
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Easier to disinfect yourself after playing the bass.
I asked because I have no idea where the bass that I bought has been and who has put their hands on it, and I don't trust people or the people of customs in my island (they're notoriously inept) with the hygiene. So I'd rather err on the side of cautiousness...
Kills bacteria and viruses by disrupting the DNA.
Good to know. As much as I love them, at times I find Firebirds sound a little thin for my tastes.I took the plunge on an Epiphone inspired by Gibson Firebird. I don't regret it. FB pups are not Mimi Humbuckers. I lifted this explanation which I have also read elsewhere.
FB pickups ARE HBs, but, instead of non-magnetic pole pieces with bar magnets on the bottom of the coils, they have bar magnets inside the coils, and solid covers with no exposed adjustable pole pieces, which I believe gives them a fatter and darker sound than LP Deluxe style minis. If I'm wrong about any of this, please feel free to correct me.
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If you’re concerned about what germs your new bass has been exposed to and might still be on it, I’d suggest you first remove and throw out the strings (lots of nooks and crannies that dead skin, splooge and other gross stuff can lodge in). If you really really want to keep the strings then boil them or soak them in rubbing alcohol for a while. While the strings are off spray the body and neck down with any guitar cleaning and conditioning fluid and wipe it dry. Restring the bass and you’re good to go on the instrument.
Much more problematic is the bass case. I’ve received basses from sellers that came with hard cases that absolutely reeked. That’s a much harder issue to deal with. If it’s not too bad you can open the case and let it sit outside in the hot sun for a day or two (not at night, you want the suns UV rays to sanitize the interior). Then bring it inside and put a couple of paper plates in it with a good size pile of baking soda on each plate. Close the case (keep it flat so the baking soda doesn’t dump out of the plate) and let that sit for a few days. Repeat this as many times as necessary to remove the offending smell. If after a few cycles it still offends you, pitch the case, it’s a lost cause and you definitely don’t want to put the bass back into it.
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Fewer windings lead to a pickup with lower output and brighter tone, which helps Firebird pickups sound much more like “silent” single coil pickups than the Mini Humbuckers do. Might be considered thin ?
A decent, but safe on the finish cleaner.
(I've removed pickups and needed to clean the area after replacing moldy foam. I have also used a bleach based cleaner when I found mold and quickly cleaned that off. Mold you do not want.)
Leave it out the case as much as possible.
UV light's are available now, but I have no experience with them.
Same for the case or set it outside in the Sun for as long and as much as possible.
Drier sheets work well in hard cases too.
Yep, done that to mask musty odors. I’ve also put a splash of extract of vanilla on a paper towel and put it in the closed empty case for a few days. When opened, it’s like new Gibson bass day all over again.
Ok some fun for the day, help me spend my money!
I’m totally undecided what color or finish to put on my next build. Here’s the finishing company I want to try out, they have tons of great finishes shown on their website…
Gallery - GuitarPaintGuys - Check out some of our work!
Which finish would you choose?
Design parameters:
Most likely a NR Fenderbird dual pickup build.
Neck will most likely be vintage stained maple with a maple fretboard, black blocks, black binding.
Hardware will be chrome or nickel
Pickguard will be parchment (not white)
I already have black, white, gold, brown and pink Tbirds - so extra points for picking something other than those colors.
I’m totally undecided what color or finish to put on my next build. Here’s the finishing company I want to try out, they have tons of great finishes shown on their website…
Gallery - GuitarPaintGuys - Check out some of our work!
Which finish would you choose?
Design parameters:
Most likely a NR Fenderbird dual pickup build.
Neck will most likely be vintage stained maple with a maple fretboard, black blocks, black binding.
Hardware will be chrome or nickel
Pickguard will be parchment (not white)
I already have black, white, gold, brown and pink Tbirds - so extra points for picking something other than those colors.
- Mar 13, 2008
- 18,895
- 142,212
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist Mike Lull T Bass pickups, The Bass Shop, Seattle WA.
