How to Care for an Upright Bass

The upright bass has the lowest musical range of the string instruments. The next highest range is the cello, then the viola and then the violin. Proper care will make your bass last and keep it from cracking. Follow these steps to care for an upright bass.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

1. Loosen the strings when storing the upright bass for long periods of time. Keep it at room temperature. Too much humidity causes the wood to swell, and too much dryness causes the wood to dry out and crack.

2. Let your bass adjust to temperature changes for about 45 minutes before playing or tuning. Strings expand as they get warm.

3. Use adjustable bridges or pickups to adjust the sound of your bass. You can also sand your bridge, but if you sand too low it will cause the strings to buzz.

4. Replace strings one at a time to prevent the bridge or sound post from collapsing. The sound post is located inside the instrument.

5. Wipe your strings off with a soft cloth after playing to remove rosin buildup. Too much rosin affects sound quality.

Tips & Warnings

• All parts of the bass, except the strings, can be cleaned with any type of wood polish. Strings can be cleaned with steel wool.

• Care for tuning keys by using a thick grease or WD-40.

• Never store an upright bass in a car. Extreme heat can cause the wood to dry out, and the glue and varnish to melt.

• Don't try to make repairs to your bass. Take it to a professional.