My initial feedback would be “if it’s retaining the strings, it should be good”, but I’m sure there are more bass-telligent minds around who could confirm that or show that I have no idea what I’m talking about.
@garydouglas537 I would not be at all comfortable playing with it that way. As it’s a new bass, I’d have them exchange it. They should have actually seen that before letting it go out the store.
As @JustTim noted, the string tree is retaining the strings, even if it is sitting a bit tilted. It is not necessarily defective nor of any need for concern.
The screw for the tree might just need to be tightened a bit. You can try that now by tuning down the D and G strings to the point that there is no pressure on the string tree.
If the screw seems loose, just carefully snug it up with an appropriate screwdriver, then tune up the strings. Easy tweak.
Took my bass to my local shop, they were fantastic. Fixed it in seconds.
It was simply a case of it hadn’t been screwed in properly.
Felt a wally as this was something that i could have easily done myself, i know itnwas also suggested in one of the replies to this thread.
But being new to the instrument, and it still being under warranty etc, im kinda glad i held out and let them do it to avoid the issues if it wasnt as simple, and my inexperience caused bigger issues. Ill know if theres a next time !!
In any case, all sorted and thanks again to you all who took the time to reach out.
I’m sure the shop was glad to do it as well. Most local shops would want you to be happy with the instrument. And an easy fix is always preferable to something complex
The only thing I can say for certain at 53 is I’m competent in a very narrow field (carpentry) and regarding everything else I possess a veneer of knowledge.
But keep in mind that a bass is not a delicate flower. It’s built like a tank.
Essentially every potential issue you’ll ever encounter in your bass journey can be easily rectified with a screwdriver, a hex wrench, and/or wire cutters — plus a few minutes of your time.
In time and with a bit of careful practice, you’ll be able to do your own fixes. But for anything major, having a good tech nearby is gold.