Tune Once and ...

[JDJen]

I have been playing for about 27 years now and just learned this.

A guitar player told me this just this weekend...

"A bass should only have to be tuned once before the gig and never need tuned again the rest of the night". (Yes, he was serious)

WOW!!! I can't believe how much of my life I've been wasting tuning up between sets. I feel like an old dog that just learned a new trick.

 

[NicJimBass]

Try that with said guitarist and see how long it takes him to notice. Then regurgitate what he said right back to him.

 

[Phalex]

I did a bit of recording a few weeks ago. The sound guy specifically asked me to play my Ric. The last time I'd played my Ric was in church about 3 months ago. I took it out of the case, plugged it into the tuner, and it was spot on!

So, I don't even have to tune my bass every three months or so.........

(I at least check my tuning with harmonics between sets)

 

[CapnSev]

He's full of crap, however I will admit that I usually only tune my bass once or twice a gig. My bass can go days without tuning and stay in tune, during transport it might get knocked out a little, so I make sure to tune it every time I take it somewhere for sure.

 

[Jazz Ad]

I don't ever tune my bass more than once per playing session, unless I use altered tuning or just changed strings.
At the end it is still spot on.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

My basses often stay in tune for months at a time. But I check tuning every set during a gig anyway.

When I transport one in a soft gig bag, I'll occasionally bump a tuning key, so it needs to be retuned.

Maybe your guitarist has some altered idea of mechanics and physics.

 

[WhoSeyes]

I only tune my bass before a gig.

Never had to stop for tuning the bass during the gig (thought when I spot a string out of tune I do tune it, even in the middle of a song).

In fact, even before rehearsal I don't usually check if the strings are in tune... I trust my ears.

 

[Rune Bivrin]

Ditto. I'm constantly surprised when I take my bass out of the gig bag after not having practiced for yet another week and attempt to tune it, only to find it spot on. Sometimes the B string needs a slight tweak, but I doubt anyone but me notices...

 

[jaywa]

That guitarist's position was a little extreme... but I've always felt like if you have to tune your bass more than once a set (i.e., during each break), something is wrong. Either your tuning machines need work, or you need new strings, or you're playing too damn hard.

If you have a quality bass with broken-in strings and it's been acclimated to the playing environment, subsequent tuning adjustments should only be minor and few.

 

[ric stave]

I too usually only tune before a gig. If the string are put on correctly, broken in, and the tuners aren't garbage, it's rare that any of my basses go out of tune during a show.
But of course, if I hear it's out then I'll tweak - the only time this usually happens is when someone bumps my headstock, or if there's a big temperature change in the room from the start of the show.

 

[hennessybass]

I usually only have to tune once at the beginning of the set and I'm good - even for a three hour show. I always have a tuner set up just in case something goes wrong. I check between sets just to be sure, but usually am spot on...

The only exceptions might be playing outside in hot / cold / humid weather - but after the bass has been in the elements for 30 min, it seems to settle in and stay in tune just fine. Also might need extra tuning if I just threw a set of new strings on - but that doesn't happen very often.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I did a bit of recording a few weeks ago. The sound guy specifically asked me to play my Ric. The last time I'd played my Ric was in church about 3 months ago. I took it out of the case, plugged it into the tuner, and it was spot on!

So, I don't even have to tune my bass every three months or so.........

(I at least check my tuning with harmonics between sets)

+1

If you have a good quality bass you really shouldn`t need to tune more that once before each set. That said, I always check my tuning before I play but more often than not I can go a week without tuning my StingRay or Streamer.

 

[dannoman]

If its a new set of strings, i agree with that... I haven't had a tuning problem in about 16-17 years.

 

[JohnMCA72]

Staying in tune is a good thing! Having to tune multiple times in a short span is not. I generally don't have to re-tune except after going from one environment to another (change of temp, humidity, etc.) or if something gets bumped. Still, I check before every set & keep a tuner plugged in & ready all the time.

 

[WhoSeyes]

Some people here are saying that the bass stays in tune if its a "quality bass" or has "quality tuning machines".

I own a MIA Fender and an Indonesian Squier and haven't had problems with my tuners on any of them.

 

[elgecko]

I tune once before the gig and my basses stay in tune ALL NIGHT regardless of temperature and humidity! In fact, unless a tuning key gets turned inadvertently, they stay in tune much longer.

One of the advantages of carbon fiber/graphite necks!

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Some people here are saying that the bass stays in tune if its a "quality bass" or has "quality tuning machines".

I own a MIA Fender and an Indonesian Squier and haven't had problems with my tuners on any of them.

I think most people consider the Squiers of good quality That said, I always have to tune my cheaper basses before I play. Something is always at least slightly off.

 

[WhoSeyes]

I think most people consider the Squiers of good quality That said, I always have to tune my cheaper basses before I play. Something is always at least slightly off.

The only difference I find between the stock tuners in both my basses is that the Squier's feels mor "rigid" when tunning while the Fender's are "smoother".

 

[j.kernodle]

I check my tuning between each set, but its usually pretty much on. My Sterling will stay in tune for months at a time. Interestingly enough, the bass that requires the most tuning adjustments is my Ken Smith 5, my nicest bass.

 

[Mulebagger]

my basses with carbon fiber necks don't usually go out of tune. Obviously any bass in a gig bag may have the tuners move and will go out of tune.

My Fender Jazz is the only bass I have that i have to keep an eye on when it comes to tuning. I can't imagine not tuning before a gig... it's just professional to make sure you are in tune before you play.