So how long does it take to play in a brand new bass....?

[Beedster]

What it says above really......? How long do new wood, new PUPs, and any other stuff need to settle down?

[thisnameistaken]

It depends entirely on who built it, IME.

Edited November 26, 2009 by thisnameistaken

[Beedster]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='666890' date='Nov 26 2009, 11:27 PM']It depends entirely on who built it, IME.[/quote]

Rickenbacker

[Al Heeley]

Oooooh, are you not happy with it then? They are a quirky little company. You can shorten the 'bedding in' period by lending it out to forum members to play different types of music on over a 6 month period, this is said to help spread the load. Are you anywhere near Huddersfield? I can help you.

Edited November 26, 2009 by Al Heeley

[Beedster]

[quote name='Al Heeley' post='666896' date='Nov 26 2009, 11:33 PM']Oooooh, are you not happy with it then? They are a quirky little company. You can shorten the 'bedding in' period by lending it out to forum members to play different types of music on over a 6 month period, this is said to help spread the load. Are you anywhere near Huddersfield? I can help you.[/quote]

LOL, no, quite the opposite, it just appears to me that it is breaking in very nicely and becoming noticebly more resonant. I'm just surprised that it would change significantly over three months. Than again, I don't know how long it sat without strings before it came to me?

Bung me a grand and you can have it as long as you want Al

[steve-soar]

About 10 seconds.

[Al Heeley]

[quote name='Beedster' post='666903' date='Nov 26 2009, 11:37 PM']Bung me a grand and you can have it as long as you want Al [/quote]
Can I choose the currency?
Actually surprised too in 3 months there's much change, have you had to tweak the action/set up? New strings ? Different gauge? Hell I don't have to tell you this stuff!

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='Beedster' post='666903' date='Nov 26 2009, 11:37 PM']LOL, no, quite the opposite, it just appears to me that it is breaking in very nicely and becoming noticebly more resonant. I'm just surprised that it would change significantly over three months.[/quote]

Are you sure it's not just you getting more familiar with it over those three months, and finding a sound you like more?

[JTUK]

Depends..

A new build can take months to settle down, IME....
And I would say more than a few years if the neck was brand new and very slim.

But as far as playing it in... I find that a few days with a change of strings that have the right tension could be enough.
A most recent bass has the same strings and just a slight drop of the action and I am growing into it quite nicely, I think.

Working out the pre in the most confusing thing now, though... but a most enjoyable work in progress

[jakenewmanbass]

I noticed a bit of settling with the Alembic but it was amazing out of the box. If you listen to the makers comments they talk about wood 'learning' its new job (rather than being a tree) so I guess I'll see even more improvements.
My good upright is from 1880 so thats almost bedded in now

[Johnzy]

I've got a 05 streamer stage II as my main work horse, and I've noticed it change over the 4 years I've owned it.
the sound has matured a little, but its more the stability and tuning i've notice become more and more consitant!!
give it another 5 years and might be in the same league as those status basses!!!
the feel is getting better. hated the warwick frets at first, but they've "spread" a little and work really well.
I guess every bass has to learn who's the boss!!!!

[Bilbo]

I know old acoustic instruments become better over time from being played intune for decades etc but am not sure how much of that translates into solidbody electric instruments. Personally, I woudl expect a bass to be delivering right off the production line and any 'improvements' over time to be subtle.

[sixshooter]

About 50 years

[51m0n]

It can definitely take a while. I think the amount it changes and the time taken is dependant on so many things, but obviously the construction materials and attention to detail have a lot to do with it. Graphite is so stable that I doubt it wears in a lot.

My Roscoe was staggeringly good (to me) out of the box, but its definitely changing, although I cant say how much is me learning to play it better, and putting on a different type of string etc etc....

[Linus27]

Is it a case of not settling in but actually the wood changing? Would the moisture content of wood naturally change over the years and thus changing the feel and sound the wood creates??

[4 Strings]

Not sure how convincing the science is about all this. All woods are sealed and so any moisture content change is going to be very slow. But having said that it took 4 days of being in a cold basement for the neck on my Jaydee to need adjustment to the truss rod (slackening - only to need retightening a week after I got it home).

There are theories of vibrations doing things to woods and instruments used by orchestral string players seem to have a minimum age of ~100 years. I've had my Jaydee as only bass for over 20 years but I'm not sure I've noticed any change during that time. Its wonderful but if its changed its been too slow for me to notice.

I now have 2 Precisions, one from '77 the other with a neck from '78 and a new body. The one with the old body sounds much richer, but then I'm sure there are greater differences are in the pick-ups. Certainly any difference will be lost in the mix.

Whereas the sublties may be noticed in acoustic instruments to the trained ear surely they must be pretty well lost on an electrical instrument with all the paraphenalia of pick-ups, cable, connections, amplifiers, speakers, room acoustics etc let alone trying to be heard above a drum kit and an egotistical guiarist.

The important thing is to play it!

[chris_b]

[quote name='Beedster' post='666879' date='Nov 26 2009, 11:17 PM']....What it says above really......? How long do new wood, new PUPs, and any other stuff need to settle down?....[/quote]
A new bass is already months or even years old when you buy it. If it has been properly set up then it has already settled down. Feeling at home with a new bass, on the other hand, takes some bassists a lot longer.

[Cat Burrito]

I think it's as much luck as judgement. I have a great tele that took ages to bed in and it's a great guitar, just wouldn't settle. Equally there are basses I have owned that have been good to go from the off. Wood is a funny thing and sometimes things just take a while.

[Pete Academy]

I've always found nothing sounds better than a brand new instrument.

[Linus27]

[quote name='chris_b' post='667434' date='Nov 27 2009, 02:53 PM']A new bass is already months or even years old when you buy it. If it has been properly set up then it has already settled down. Feeling at home with a new bass, on the other hand, takes some bassists a lot longer.[/quote]


Not sure thats the case all the time. I just ordered a Warwick Corvette Standard and I have been told its going to take 2 - 4 weeks as its made to order. I guess its nice to know my instrument is being personally made for me rather than an off the shelf one. I imagine Fender are more off the shelf.

[4 Strings]

THey might be making it today but hte wood would have been seasoned for, maybe, a couple of years. This is normal for anything made from wood of any quality at all otherwise it will crack if you keep it indoors.

What settles after you buy a guitar?


Greg