Bass Guitar For Dummies
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Keeping your bass guitar happy is really quite simple. If you’re comfortable, your bass will be comfortable. You want to keep it out of direct sunlight, and you want to keep it out of the snow — at least for any extended period of time. The safest place to keep your bass is in its case, but then it can be kind of a hassle to get to when inspiration strikes.

If you want to keep your bass handy, place it on a sturdy bass guitar stand, preferably with the strings covered by a soft cloth. Just make sure you set it up in a safe corner of the room that doesn’t get a lot of traffic. (In other words, don’t place it in the path of the family dog, which just happens to be a clumsy Saint Bernard.)

If you have a gig bag (a soft, padded carrying pack), you can store your bass in it when you’re not playing. The gig bag gives your bass some protection (actually a good gig bag can give the bass a lot of protection), and it also allows you to get to your bass relatively easily.

Nearly all bass guitars are solid-body instruments, making them quite sturdy. Solid-body bass guitars have a large tolerance for humidity and temperature change, but you still need to make sure you keep your bass in an area with a reasonable, consistent temperature. Room temperature with moderate humidity will do the trick, making your bass as happy as a clam.

When you go away and can’t take your bass with you, be kind to it. Put your bass in its case and keep it in a climate-controlled environment. You can stand it upright in a closet or lay it flat under your bed. Don’t store your bass in a damp basement or an uninsulated garage. You want it to still love you when you come back, don’t you?

About This Article

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About the book author:

Patrick Pfeiffer is a professional bassist, bass educator, and composer. His former clients include Polygram, Red Ant Records, Arista Records, and other major labels as well as Adam Clayton of U2. He has recorded with George Clinton, Phoebe Snow, Jimmy Norman of the Coasters, Paul Griffin and Bernard Purdie of Steely Dan, and many other stars.

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