Shipping a ric bass

hieronymous · Post by **hieronymous** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:13 pm

OK all you veteran eBayers, question for ya: when you ship a bass, do you leave the strings tuned up to pitch, or do you loosen them, and if so, how much?

There was a recent article in Bass Player Magazine, where veteran luthier Dan Erlewine said that he detuned the strings when he shipped them, but another store owner said that you shouldn't! Any preferences? I wasn't going to, but just received a bass from Rumbleseat Music, and the strings had been completely detuned.

Thanks in advance! Oh, and look for a post in the next couple of days for a new 4008FG!

rick_ovic · Post by **rick_ovic** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:19 pm

Harry, John Hall says keep them tuned to pitch.

hieronymous · Post by **hieronymous** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:20 pm

Sounds good to me! It'll ship tomorrow! The bass I received came in a much sturdier box than the one I had, so I'm kind of glad I waited.

rick_ovic · Post by **rick_ovic** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 5:32 pm

Great stuff Harry, thanks. Your 4008 FG sounds wonderful!

thx1955 · Post by **thx1955** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:16 pm

Not sure what is recommended for other manufactures but Rics should ship in tune.

pflash4001 · Post by **pflash4001** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 6:36 pm

Ship it to me! I'll let you know how things turn out when it arrives!

bob_atherton · Post by **bob_atherton** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 11:45 pm

This is interesting as I always detune about 1/2 to 1 tone, don't know why, just habit.

72rick · Post by **72rick** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:47 am

I'm glad to hear a strong supportive voice givin to what I've always done.
I can't remember any manufacturer shipping any Guitars or Basses in any other manor.
I've shipped two '74 Rick 4001's back east and a Hamer 12-String Bass to Bass Central in Florida, all tuned standard. And the lady at the UPS shipping Hub always quizing me on if I took the strings off first. Like they're the instrument shipping pros(ya, more like Trunk Monkeys!).

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 6:18 am

When I ship a bass I send it in tune ... if they insist on detuning then I tune to E flat ...

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:14 am

Here's the skinny on why you should leave it tuned:

The construction of the neck has three elements: the neck itself, the strings, and the truss rods. The strings are tension members, compressing the wooden neck from one side. The truss rods (on the other side of the neck) are the other, counteracting, tension components. The three elements work in concert when the instrument is in tune to balance out the stresses. By detuning, to throw off this balance. Might not hurt much or even at all, in individual circumstances, but why leave it to chance when there's a sound engineering reason to do it a certain way?

hieronymous · Post by **hieronymous** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 10:34 am

Thanks for the insights everybody! Keep 'em coming!