Traveling

[King Weapon]

hey all. i know when air traveling with a bass it is safe to detune to avoid neck warp. is this the same with traveling by subway or underwater tunnels (such as the Holland Tunnel in NY)? does this type of travel effect the bass at all? thanks!

 

[Eric Moesle]

Manufacturers ship their instruments fully tuned, whether by semi-truck, air cargo, or train - to and from cold climates to warm climates. There is no legitimate reason to detune it. Your instrument is designed to have the neck under tension.

Anyone who tells you differently is functioning under myth.

 

[Turnaround]

Regardless of where you are going or what transportation you use, the neck should be kept in balance. That's what the trussrod is for. So detune if you wish, but counterbalance the reduced tension by slackening the trussrod the equivalent amount.

Or better still, just leave the instrument in tune and leave the trussrod alone. It's all balanced then (assuming the trussrod was adjusted properly in the first place).

 

[q_of_doom]

When traveling far, place something like thin foam between the strings and the neck. That will stop unnecessary wear on your frets and strings from string vibration. By keeping the strings tuned, the neck remains stable and you're less likely to do a major setup when you get to your destination.

These were the tips given to me by the world-class luthier Andy McGibbon in Johannesburg when I sent a vintage bass to him for restoration.