The Not Bongo is gone again

[syciprider]

After keeping me company in the New England winter, she is flying back to SoCal.

I will be going home at last this coming Friday as well. Then it's off to Korea to catch the ship (where the Dargie Bongo and Markbass combo wait) and get some haze gray and underway time

So why did the FEDEX clerk ask me if I loosened the strings when I shipped the Not Bongo yesterday? I sensed that he expected a Yes answer so I replied in the affirmative.

 

[Dr Stankface]

IIRC, one of our EB associates informed us that loosening the strings when shipping was a bad idea.

 

[silverburst]

The only time to loosen the strings is on Les Pauls so you don't snap the headstock off.

 

[joshbrake]

The only time to loosen the strings is on Les Pauls so you don't snap the headstock off.

the joint on an SG guitar is even weaker actually... be very careful throwin' em around!

 

[oli@bass]

Total newb question: What is the idea behind loosening the strings? And if you do so, shouldn't you also open the trussrod?

 

[Duarte]

I appreciated the fact Robert loosened the strings of my SR4 when he sent it to me, I thought that was 'good practice'

What harm can it do?

 

[silverburst]

The EBMM factory doesn't loosen the strings when they ship the basses out new.

 

[joshbrake]

Total newb question: What is the idea behind loosening the strings? And if you do so, shouldn't you also open the trussrod?

People assume that the changes in temperature while the bass is in transit will have negative effects on the neck because there is tension on it from the strings. Seems to make sense at first glance, eh?

Except for the fact that the guitars neck being DESIGNED for that exact tension. If you loosen the strings on your guitar, your truss rod, which is set to counteract the hundreds of pounds of tension coming from the strings, now has no tension pulling against it. Much worse situation than traveling without loosening the strings.

 

[Jazzbassman23]

Those of us who've been around for awhile know that the prevailing wisdom says that an instrument should be shipped tuned to pitch. I think what syciprider was referring to is the prevailing opinion of the shipping companies that an instrument should have its strings loosened, and if they're not, they will not honor any damage claims. Now, who you going to trust? FedEx or Big Poppa?

 

[syciprider]

Big Poppa and EBMM probably know a few things about shipping basses.

And every MM I ever got via mail or pvt carrier was tuned to pitch.

 

[stu42]

Noted guitar tech, Dan Erlewine, has written a couple of articles on how to pack a guitar for shipping and he recommends loosening the strings before shipping a guitar.

I can't find the original article I read about this but this is another one by him which focuses on Les Pauls in particular.

Les Paul Forum

 

[Dr Stankface]

I could understand why you'd do so for a Les Paul but not for a MusicMan bass.

 

[Oldtoe]

I like to ship my basses with a live snake in the case so they can keep each other company.

I get a lot of static from recipients over this practice, though.

 

[Dr Stankface]

Seems like a pretty legit anti-theft system to me.

 

[syciprider]

I like to ship my basses with a live snake in the case so they can keep each other company.

I get a lot of static from recipients over this practice, though.

How about a free stingray to go with their Stingray?