Do you wipe your bass down after playing?

[Geek99]

@chris_b @gjones

personally I’m very clean, and having lived in a caravan for 18 months as a kid through the hottest summer and coldest winter on record, I really value “personal clean” having known “personal unclean”. I wash my hands before playing but I don’t clean my bass each time just like I don’t sanitise a hammer each time. 

[FinnDave]

1 minute ago, Geek99 said:

I don’t sanitise a hammer each time. 

Those poor nails!

[Paul S]

Another 'wash hands before playing but never wipe bass afterwards' kind of chap. 

In fact I think the only time I do clean my basses is when I first get them (if secondhand) and then when I put them up for sale.

[stewblack]

I started cleaning strings and wiping down after doing a mini tour with grimy uncared for strings. 

A long time ago, I hadn't played with such frequency before and hardly ever changed my strings never mind clean them. 

I did the last two gigs with bleeding fingers which was an exquisite kind of hell. Never wanted dirty strings again. 

But the body of the bass? No. 

[Bobthedog]

30 minutes ago, Geek99 said:

@chris_b @gjones

 I don’t clean my bass each time just like I don’t sanitise a hammer each time. 

For me it is more about the appearance of the bass rather than the sanitisation. I don't care what my hammers look like. The finish on all my basses looks pants if covered in fingermarks and dust.

I also clean the back of the neck to keep it fast. 

 

Having just read Stew's comments, I don't clean the strings but do give them a wipe after a long play

Edited June 3, 2020 by Bobthedog

[4000]

Can’t say I care if my bass is nice and shiny. I don’t really like nice and shiny.
 

I only wash my hands before playing if I’ve either been doing something that means they’re actually dirty for some reason (gardening, painting, DIY etc) or if I’ve been eating something with my hands that might affect the strings or finish (e.g salt from crisps). 

[Staggering on]

I always wash my hands before rehearsals and gigs to get them clean after load in and set up. My hands sweat a lot so I wipe down the neck and strings from end to end carefully every time I play, even if only for a few minutes at home. Same routine for EB, EUB, DB, guitar and banjo.

[4000]

My hands hardly sweat at all. To be honest, I spend most of the year freezing, so never get the opportunity!

[Drax]

Summer gigs (remember them) always a beer towel handy, and sweatbands - for playing practicalities not instrument care. 

Occasionally wipe some dust off a pick up but only ever really cleaned a bass to sell it. 

All power to those more fastidious owners. I think if you’re regularly cycling through ownership of high end boutique basses (as @CamdenRob might occasionally do) - I can see why you might be a more caring owner. 

[arthurhenry]

20 hours ago, CamdenRob said:

Am I alone here or does anyone else do this?

Yes, everything you say is completely normal for me. In fact I clean my bass with polish before every gig and wipe it down afterwards.

[BlueMoon]

Yeah....I tend to wash my hands before and wipe the instrument after playing. Takes no time at all. Gold hardware also gets a special wipe down, since I've found that it rapidly tarnishes in my hands if not.

[dmccombe7]

Because of the style of band and costumes i have to wear i do sweat a fair bit and will always have a bar towel on my amp to wipe the neck if it gets a bit sweaty or sticky. I'll probably wipe the back of neck after every 2-3 songs and sometimes give the strings a quick wipe too. I wipe my bass down after a gig. Mainly strings and neck with the body getting a quick wipe.

I usually polish my bass before a gig altho we only gig every couple of months. 

I'll do a full clean and polish at every string change. Have flats on my main bass so string changes are none existent at moment but as its my main gigging bass it gets done before a gig.

Oddly enough i cleaned amd Briwaxed my Warwick Thumb today as its not used much and not been done for a while. Thought i should after the recent hot spell. Reckon i do the un-gigged basses once a year with occasional wipes if i use at home.

Dave

 

[seashell]

The only time my bass gets a wipe over is when I'm putting it into the bag before a gig.

I invariably have clean hands before playing, as I will no doubt have been to the loo just before!

I always intend to wipe the bass down after the gig. But I nearly always forget in all the excitement. 

(Ah those were the days, she adds ruefully)

 

[Barking Spiders]

Before noodling I clean my hands with sanitiser so I don't infect it with covid 

[deepbass5]

When we get out of Lock down and you all are back out gigging, you'll forget about wiping your bass down.

Remember the days before James Last, who i hear you say. when it was still OK to stop after every number for a swig of your beer or for someone in the band to light up. you couldn't see anybody in the room for smoke, or know when it was time for Bingo until they put the lights on.

The band would be first to the buffet table for the chicken in the basket or the fish n chips. well all that grease and fag smoke is why a 60's Precision is now forth £5000.

Bring back Wem column speaker i say,  you need somewhere to balance your fish n chips and pint. so you can continue to add value to your bass during the gig.

 

[Nicko]

I generally wash hands before playing, but rarely wipe the bass afterwards.  I sweat a lot, but it doesn't seem to affect the strings much.  If I look at the bass and see dust on it I might give it a quick wipe but otherwise I clean the bass when I change strings but a set will normally last me 12 - 18 months (rounds). 

I find maple more resistant to dirt build up than rosewood.  

[dmccombe7]

Removed cause i made an absolute plonker of myself by mis-reading the post. 

Edited June 4, 2020 by dmccombe7

[ubit]

9 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Swearing at your bass will have an adverse effect on your intonation. 

Had you been playing a fretless then swearing with a slur might have been acceptable.

Dave 

I think the jokes on you as you misread his post 😉

[Geek99]

On 03/06/2020 at 13:18, 4000 said:

My hands hardly sweat at all. To be honest, I spend most of the year freezing, so never get the opportunity!

Are you a prince ? Trauma-induced presumably 

[dmccombe7]

9 minutes ago, ubit said:

I think the jokes on you as you misread his post 😉

Darn it i did misread the post and i'm laughing at myself for being a plonker.

My apologies. Should have gone to specsavers

Dave

Edited June 4, 2020 by dmccombe7

[ubit]

5 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Darn it i did misread the post and i'm laughing at myself for being a plonker.

My apologies

Dave

Hugs all round for being good guys 😘👍

[Bassfinger]

Wash my hands before playing, clean the strings and instrument after playing. 

[oldslapper]

On 04/06/2020 at 18:02, dmccombe7 said:

 

My apologies. Should have gone to specsavers

Dave

I went to spocsuvers now my eys are mugh butter.