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Alembic Club » Alembic Basses & Guitars » Archive 2005 » Archive through December 23, 2005 » Storing your alembic for the winter. « Previous Next »

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jseitang
Intermediate Member
Username: jseitang

Post Number: 122
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 1:46 pm:   Edit Post

hey guys i have a question.

how do you guys store your alembics? both long term and short term?
im planning to go on tour, and im DEFINITELY not bringing my alembic on the road, so its staying at the studio in her case for an extended amount of time.
how would you guys store it? should i keep the bass case on its side? or flat on the ground? or upright? i know strings should be loosened, am i forgeting anything else? your opinions please.
serialnumber12
Advanced Member
Username: serialnumber12

Post Number: 235
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 2:17 pm:   Edit Post

Make sure you store it laying flat w/nothing on top of it,and secondly if you're going on tour, make sure whomever will be looking after it you all are on very very good terms,i know a bass player who lost everything while it was in a storage locker,someone cut the lock and cleaned him out!,,,,& if you live in a city that floods, then put it in your attic (if you have one)or store it under your bed,or store in closet against the wall behind all the jackets & stuff where it can be hidden from burgulars, or simply take it with you every where you go, Even to bed!.
j_gary
Intermediate Member
Username: j_gary

Post Number: 142
Registered: 6-2005
Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 2:54 pm:   Edit Post

What I've done on occasion is leave her with someone I trust. I live alone, and more than once have returned home to find the place had been hit.
I lost some nice instruments as a result. Sadly it seems the hairballs knew I played and sought out musical equipment. Good luck.
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 2776
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 3:19 pm:   Edit Post

There is no reason at all the loosen the strings. The bass will not know it's being stored, so leave it tuned. You do loosen strings on acoustic instruments, because without regular observation, big problems can occur as they are much more fragile compared to solidbody instruments.

If you insist on loosening the strings, also loosen the truss rods since they are expecting string tension - otherwise you will come home to a very backbowed neck.

It should be kept in a place that does not receive huge swings in humidity or temperature. A home that is occupied is ideal. Avoid storing near outside walls if possible.
jseitang
Intermediate Member
Username: jseitang

Post Number: 123
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, November 14, 2005 - 11:55 pm:   Edit Post

mica
how about your ideas on position of the bass when stored? in the case on its side, flat or upright? does it matter?
i guess i wont loosen the strings, i usually would do that to my upright so id assume i'd do the same for my alembic.as far as safety is concerned, the bass will be kept in a very safe and hidden place...
gbarchus
Intermediate Member
Username: gbarchus

Post Number: 144
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 12:30 am:   Edit Post

I usually place mine, tuned, up against a wall (in its case) in the back of a clothes closet behind the clothes. I feel a lot better when I get home. It's the first thing I check. But, now you know where to find it!

Gale
811952
Senior Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 560
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, November 15, 2005 - 7:06 am:   Edit Post

I don't store mine. Why not take it on the road?

John
jseitang
Intermediate Member
Username: jseitang

Post Number: 124
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - 7:34 am:   Edit Post

because i cant play my alembic on tour. its way too heavy. a solidbody series II with 70's style thickness. instead im playing my road bass, my rickenbacker 3000.
so as for storing, would the bass be better off on upright, flat or on its side in the case?
811952
Senior Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 561
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - 10:36 am:   Edit Post

Wimp.. ;)

My inclination in that situation would be to store it on it's side in the case..

John
jseitang
Intermediate Member
Username: jseitang

Post Number: 125
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - 10:58 am:   Edit Post

wimp!!??.... dont get wrong, id rather play alembics than any other bass world; and i do have full intentions to have alembic build me at least two more basses in the near future( they will be mindblowing to say the least.) but $$$ talks and i ain't got the beans yet for another custom alembic. i would however be very interested in a series I medium scale if anybody has one?
bob
Senior Member
Username: bob

Post Number: 541
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - 11:05 pm:   Edit Post

I doubt it matters much, but if I were obsessing about it, I would stand it up. Flat or side has some potential for putting more stress on the neck, depending on how well the case fits. Standing up should take most of the weight on the body, and let the neck mostly just sit there.

And yes, leave it tuned. It will probably be that way when you return.
mica
Moderator
Username: mica

Post Number: 2796
Registered: 6-2000
Posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2005 - 11:19 pm:   Edit Post

I was thinking about this today, and I'm with Bob, that upright is best for the neck. The only consideration being that it be stored in a way that it won't sllow it to fall over.
811952
Senior Member
Username: 811952

Post Number: 564
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 7:49 am:   Edit Post

Jimmy,

I was joking about the wimp thing, just ask my back!!

John
jseitang
Intermediate Member
Username: jseitang

Post Number: 126
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, November 17, 2005 - 8:56 am:   Edit Post

i know its all in good humor...
really though, i'd play alembics all the time, i just want more alembics, different ones to satisfy my palete.
captain_jan
Junior
Username: captain_jan

Post Number: 28
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 4:11 am:   Edit Post

Up here in the north the climate can be very dry during the winter. So far I have not experienced any major differences on any of my two Alembics except the short scale Series I pops out the frets on both sides of the neck. Only a little bit though, the neck itself still stays straight. The Jaydee on the contrary bends the neck quite a lot every winter. Since I never take the Alembics with me to long trips they stay safely lying flat in their cases, strings in tune.
beelee
Intermediate Member
Username: beelee

Post Number: 131
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 6:08 pm:   Edit Post

I've always kept my basses tuned to pitch in their cases standing upright when not in use with no problems ( acoustic, electric guitars and Chapman sticks also) no matter what season it was, the temp in my house stays pretty consistant............ although about a year or more ago I went to change the strings on my Conklin 7 string bass I noticed the frets on both sides of the neck popping out and a split starting to run up the fingerboard in between the D and G strings about 6 inches long, It freaked me out cause of all the years playing, different types of instruments i've owned , and having another Conklin 7 that was older and kept in the same spot ( that nothing happened to) , I was like how the hell did that happen ? I'd never seen that happen before

I bought one of the Planet Waves large instrument humidifiers and put it in the case and in a few days the frets were back to normal and the split completely disappeared and hasn't come back since, boy was I relieved.
richbass939
Senior Member
Username: richbass939

Post Number: 478
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Sunday, November 20, 2005 - 7:12 pm:   Edit Post

Jseitang, requesting permission to e-mail you. I'd like to take a stroll down memory lane and talk about your Rick 3000.
Rich
jseitang
Intermediate Member
Username: jseitang

Post Number: 128
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Monday, November 21, 2005 - 12:39 am:   Edit Post

sure richbass939
i would love to talk to you about my basses.

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