STANDING UP OR LAYING DOWN?

[LITTLEWING]

Okay, here's a daft one, but it might make all the long-term difference. After a gig/rehearsal/home run-through, blah, blah, you lovingly put your baby back in it's case after wiping down the strings etc, etc. Now....is it best to stand the case up against a wall, lay it on it's side, or lay it on it's back?

Discuss.

[cazzag]

As i look at my babies right now, they are sitting up right in their racks :-)

[neepheid]

In a case (and by case I presume you mean hard case) I can't see it making much difference. Furthermore, as I like to see and be able to pick up a bass whenever I want to, I have mine lined up in a rack, so I haven't really given it much thought.

Edited August 13, 2012 by neepheid

[bertbass]

Both basses in their cases, in the hallway, on their sides / backs with the handles on the top ready to pick up.

[Lozz196]

After a gig, just put down on the floor in the case. Next day, taken out from the case, put in the rack.

[police squad]

at home, I never really touch my gigging gear. They all sit in their gig bags waititng to be loaded into the car.
There is always a guitar/bass/acoustic leaning against or hanging on the wall in the lounge. So I use them.
After the gig I don't even wipe them down. Straight back into their gig bags (except when I'm using a Les Paul, hard case for them)

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='LITTLEWING' timestamp='1344896034' post='1770931']
Okay, here's a daft one, but it might make all the long-term difference. After a gig/rehearsal/home run-through, blah, blah, you lovingly put your baby back in it's case after wiping down the strings etc, etc. ......
[/quote]

Wipe down the strings? Nah, you've lost me there.

I used to to put my '62 Jazz in a black bin bag if it was raining, it never saw a hard case or gig bag the whole time I owned it and if it wasn't being played it was leaning up in some corner, not on a stand.

I take more care of my basses now but I've never worried about whether the case is upright or flat. I've some flat under the bed, some standing up in cupboards.

[PlungerModerno]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1344934031' post='1771159']
Wipe down the strings? Nah, you've lost me there.

I used to to put my '62 Jazz in a black bin bag if it was raining, it never saw a hard case or gig bag the whole time I owned it and if it wasn't being played it was leaning up in some corner, not on a stand.

I take more care of my basses now but I've never worried about whether the case is upright or flat. I've some flat under the bed, some standing up in cupboards.
[/quote]

LOL at least she had something to keep the damp off.
As long as it's you alone moving and storing the bass you might get away with that!

[Bilbo]

The Wal is hung on the wall. Double bass is on a stand. See picture no. 12

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30761458.html

Narrow hallways militate against leaving basses in the thoroughfare.

[Wil]

My instruments tend to be slung against a wall before I collapse in a heap on the sofa, and probably left in their cases until the next rehearsal.

[Conan]

Nice house Bilbo!

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1344938719' post='1771266']
The Wal is hung on the wall. Double bass is on a stand. See picture no. 12

[url="http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-30761458.html"]http://www.rightmove...y-30761458.html[/url]

Narrow hallways militate against leaving basses in the thoroughfare.
[/quote]

well played sir, free plug...

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1344924888' post='1771037']
After a gig, just put down on the floor in the case. Next day, taken out from the case, put in the rack.
[/quote]

^this. Lying down it can't fall any further by being knocked from standing by a loose drummer. For storage, always standing up; in or out of a case/bag.

[Rexington]

Last time I checked, my bass was propped up against the sofa in our music room. I should imagine it's probably fallen over by now... I realise neither of these things will earn me any pro-points!

[Silvia Bluejay]

Am I right in believing that the all-important thing is never to have the bass lean diagonally in a way that rests its weight on the neck? (That can only happen with soft cases and the "naked" bass when leaning against a speaker etc.)

Edited August 14, 2012 by bluejay

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='bluejay' timestamp='1344951637' post='1771547']
Am I right in believing that the all-important thing is never to have the bass lean diagonally in a way that rests its weight on the neck?[/quote]

That was what I was told by the guy who built my custom - and he had a lot of experience; and tended to get a bit manic in his beliefs. I would imagine he was talking about long term, rather than a few minutes/hours or so. IIRC he said if you knew you wouldn't be playing a guitar for more than a week it should be vertically in it's case (preferably with a neck support around the 5th fret area) and with the strings slacked off a couple of turns. Yes, he was that vague about it.

[Bilbo]

Pretty much but I wouldn't lie awake worrying about it. The main thing is to make sure it won't fall over if knocked. For me, lying it down may be safe in terms of it falling over but everyu time I lie mine down, I can feel another inch come off the veneer i.e. great if you are lying it on a carpet, not so good if the floor is tiled or wooden etc.

[kevin_lindsay]

At home I have all my instruments (guitars and basses) on stands. That way, they're easily accessible whenever I feel like playing any of them. Whenever I go out to gig, I can then select which instruments I feel like using. The cases are stored in a walk in cupboard in my hallway.

Edit: I just found a Taylor Doyle Dykes Desert Rose acoustic an a built in wardrobe in my bedroom - I'll need to buy another stand so I can get that out on display too! Hahaha

[seashell]

At home I have the Fender on a stand in the living room for easy access. I keep the gig bag in the hall as I have found it handy for blocking entry to the neighbours cat when it tries to dart in the front door . Another use for a gig bag...cat menacing!

[SteveK]

[quote name='LITTLEWING' timestamp='1344896034' post='1770931']
Okay, here's a daft one, but it might make all the long-term difference. After a gig/rehearsal/home run-through, blah, blah, you lovingly put your baby back in it's case after wiping down the strings etc, etc. Now....is it best to stand the case up against a wall, lay it on it's side, or lay it on it's back?

Discuss.
[/quote]Providing you've got a half decent case, then the orientation of the bass/case makes not a jot of difference.

[Matt P]

i've got hardcase for everything so orientation doesn't matter but i've also got a few stands around the place and a big rack for the cases, so there's usually a couple of basses and a couple of guitars on stands or wall hangers and the rest along with the cases are all in one big rack, i like to have a bass to hand to noodle on.
Matt

[Musicman20]

Fender had something on their site a year or so back that mentioned the best storage is in its proper hardcase, then having the hardcase upright, so the bass is stood up like it would be on a stand. This saves room and apparently it is easier on the neck. No idea if that is true but that is how all of mine are stored.

[thodrik]

Double bass goes in corner. Basses are usually placed in on a stand, but sometimes left on the sofa or bed if I know I am just going to come back and play it as soon as I come back from work/shops etc.

If I have gigs and/or rehearsals within a short space of time, the bass I am using stays in its gig bag, somewhere near the door. The hard cases are kept in a cupboard as I only use them when I am travelling longer distances. They take up too much space in the flat and are too heavy to carry to rehearsal if I walking to practice, which usually takes 45 minutes.

[jackers]

I thought this thread was going to be about something else entirely....

Carry on....

[lowdowner]

I only have soft gig bags so I lie them down on their backs when I get back from a gig and then - in the morning - straight back in the rack(s) so I always have them at hand for some noodlin'