Author Topic: String Tension (Read 268 times)

spliffy · « **on:** May 05, 2003, 05:29:17 AM »

Would I be damaging the neck if i let the bass sit with the strings loose? I might have to put her away for a month or two and thought I could loosen the strings and keep her in her case.
I have heard arguements both ways, but thought I would come to this forum for the final word.
Thanks

dean_m · « **Reply #1 on:** May 05, 2003, 06:40:45 AM »

Hey Spliffy,

My take on this is that the bass doesn't know it's not being played so... (a famous Mica quote)
Just as you wouldn't losen the strings after each time you play it, the same applies for it to just sit in a case. Plus, any time you drastically change the tension on a neck, you give the wood a chance to complain ie: bow or warp.
I'm not a tech or a luthier but in my experience, I would say to not losen the strings.
Just my 2 cents worth

Dino

dannobasso · « **Reply #2 on:** May 05, 2003, 07:54:00 AM »

I would also say don't bother. I went to Ireland for 4 months and packed all me babies away and just gave them a good clean and said goodnight. No problems when I returned. There was a time when basses were shipped with the strings loose but that doesn't happen anymore. The last few Alembic came out of the case IN TUNE! Don't be afraid to try doing adjustments on your own. Most guys (unless they are truely giving a @#$%^& about what they do) do the bare minimum and don't really know about dual truss rods and adjustable nuts. Too many options just confuse em!Use that cashish you will save and buy more Alembic stuff.

jet_powers · « **Reply #3 on:** May 05, 2003, 08:20:26 AM »

I agree with Dino and Danno. The instrument is designed to have that tension on the neck. If it's not there it's unnatural.

You don't have to worry about doing your own adjustments. Unless you're doing something drastic, chances are you are not going to do any real damage. It just takes some time and patience. Apparently most people have neither so they don't really do anything to their axe.

John

alembic76407 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2003, 10:56:16 AM »

But how about if you fly with your bass?
I've heard you should detune your bass. any thought's

wayne · « **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2003, 12:22:06 PM »

The airlines say you should....the lovely Mica says you shouldn't.

The instument is actually more stable tuned to pitch. Alembics are shipped from the factory all over the world tuned to pitch. I've heard that even Taylor acoustic guitars are shipped tuned to pitch. And I'm sure that commercial cargo is handled less kindly than checked baggage.

I traveled with the my new Series II last summer from Texas to New Mexico (not nice climates at that time of year). The bass had Thomastic Jazz Rounds on it (very light gauge). It was still in tune and in perfect playing condition when I opened the case at the baggage claim area.

C-Ya.............wayne

dannobasso · « **Reply #6 on:** May 05, 2003, 12:28:19 PM »

I have heard that you should detune it due to drastic temperature changes in the cargo hold.
I have had my basses shipped 2nd day air UPS from Alembic without them being detuned. I would think that the temperature affects all of the components not just the wood. I know some cats are able to put them in the main hold. Way back in 78 I had a Gibson Ripper. The brochure that came with it said you should open the case 1/2 to allow the warmer air to circulate to aviod warping. Yeah right!

sstillwell · « **Reply #7 on:** May 05, 2003, 04:19:21 PM »

The only reason to open the case slowly is for some older guitars, like old Vox instruments, that had a very hard, very brittle finish. Rapid changes of temerature would cause the surfaces to expand: the varnish and wood had different coefficients of expansion...the finish would crack. The wood itself was fine...it was the finish that couldn't take it. Detuning the instrument wouldn't have changed anything.

dannobasso · « **Reply #8 on:** May 05, 2003, 07:46:13 PM »

True , true on a hollowbody or even semi-hollowbody. But on a new solid alder/maple bass with a set neck?
I actually followed this bit of advice until it became a total pain in the patoot. I was young, naieve, and worked for weeks to buy the thing. $300.00 in 78. I even used the fanning motion to circulate the air into the case. I wonder if some guy in Kalamazoo wrote it just for laughs?

bigredbass · « **Reply #9 on:** May 05, 2003, 10:38:53 PM »

spliffy:

I would not detune your ALEMBIC for storage over any length of time.

The action of your bass is the product of a balancing act; i.e., the tension of the strings you use versus the particular stiffness of the neck system of your bass. JetPowers is right: It's built for this.

You won't damage anything with the strings limp. However, wood is imperfect inasmuch that a repeatable application of tension will not always result in a repeatable amount of relief along the neck. Since action is measured in thousandths of an inch. only a little difference will be noticeable to your hands. When you eventually retune, it will hardly be surprising if you don't find yourself thinking that something feels different. If you are able to feel small changes in the way she plays, be prepared to 'touch up' your action, very easily done on an ALEMBIC.

I'll skip the airlines disinformation. Detuning a guitar came from the old days with acoustic guitars, who were considerably more delicate and fussy than a modern Taylor or Martin. 12-strings could be especially troublesome because of all the tension, resulting in swollen tops at the bridge, usually on cheap 12-strings. The paint checking came from the lacquer finishes and sudden temperature changes. Again, the older finishes weren't as durable as modern lacquers, and Gibson's quality control in the 60s and 70s didn't help, either. ALEMBICs have oil or urethane finishes, so this is of no concern to us.

J o e y