Author Topic: Priistine or road worn? (Read 798 times)

count · « **Reply #30 on:** February 12, 2012, 11:41:13 AM »

My Tiran-worn series I has lots of dings and dongs, and I don't think Tiran used his oil and cloth that much.

My dad keeps bugging me about tidying it up, but my cousin who has a 52' P-bass says he will hang me up from my eyelids and force me to blink if I as much as come close to it with cleaning equipment..
Needless to say his bass has a proper roadworn look.
I'm not really sure what to do, tidy it up or let it age with grace.

wishbass · « **Reply #31 on:** February 12, 2012, 11:53:42 AM »

Nothing wrong with doing whatever preserves it.The oldest antiques only lasted because somebody cared at some point.Dirt and grime won't help preserve it.That being said,you don't have to refinish it.Carnuba works great!As for your cousin,part of the whole classic guitar/bass schtick is the roadworn look. Nobody wants a roadworn Ferrari,or a beat up old '57 Chevy.Iwouldn't do anything that contributes to that look .........

poor_nigel · « **Reply #32 on:** February 12, 2012, 06:12:56 PM »

Nicolai, I would definitely do what I wanted to do with a bass I owed. You paid for it, so please yourself, not others. Personally, I am not a member of the 'road worn' camp. My old 1980 bass is in the shop with Jimmy's, waitin its turn for rebueatification. I was surprised when Mica told me she had several basses there getting refinished a couple of weeks ago. So there seems to be a few of us who like our basses looking nice. The next custodian of my ebony bass will be a happy camper. That is a fact.

count · « **Reply #33 on:** February 13, 2012, 12:42:27 PM »

My bass has an oilfinish, so luckily all it needs are some rags and a squirt of oil. Figure I owe it that, thinking I will go for something in between of a full respray and letting it deteriate. Hehe.. Don't worry, Tiran's bass is in good hands.

Btw, what do the guys recommend as far as brands/types go.?

811952 · « **Reply #34 on:** February 13, 2012, 01:02:45 PM »

Here's an interesting take on the road-worn thing. A bassist friend and I were at a musicians gathering yesterday and one of the guys stepped up on stage with his dad's ancient and seriously road-worn (the kind bought with years, not money) Jazz Bass. My friend automatically assumed it had been purchased that way, until I told him different. So have all these road-worn instruments ruined it for instruments that actually have been road-worn? I think in many ways they have.

John

wideload · « **Reply #35 on:** February 14, 2012, 04:35:31 PM »

The finish on my Alembic seems to hold up much better than previous over the counter instruments I've had, so wear is taking longer to develop. Not complaining at all - I try to take care of my bass, but I don't pamper it ( well, maybe a spa appointment for Valentine's Day).

serialnumber12 · « **Reply #36 on:** February 16, 2012, 05:27:01 AM »

a guitar is not a female .....so beat & fukkk it and wear it dowwn .....thats what playing it is all about.

jeramaya · « **Reply #37 on:** February 17, 2012, 12:52:52 PM »

Um, ok.

It's been interesting to read about both the so-called road worn instruments as well as the ones made out of used woods. My favorite was the bass made out of the Opry's floor. Cool stuff!

As for my own Epic, I've been gigging with it since '96 and, aside from a recent fling with a Squier (laugh it up, fuzzball!), it's been my go to baby. But I don't baby it. There's buckle rash, some pick scrapes, and nice gouge in the neck pickup where my thumb has dug a healthy groove. Doesn't bother me one bit. It adds character. Plus, that's what a hammer is for! Cheers, J

pace · « **Reply #38 on:** February 17, 2012, 09:35:58 PM »

For what it's worth, I logged a couple of hundred gigs on a '96 ?lan before selling it to a fellow club member, and the finish was impervious to any sweat/acidity from its time spent w/ me.... Granted, I don't abuse my instruments, yet in the heat of the moment I didnt have any inhibitions.....

rustyg61 · « **Reply #39 on:** March 04, 2012, 09:32:10 PM »

I'm a relative newbie here as my SCSD just celebrated her 1st birthday last month, so the newness hasn't worn off yet, and I hope it never does! As soon as I get home from a gig, my Alembic gets a bath before I do! I do a full polish on the finished wood & bridge, & wipe down the strings & fretboad to remove the sweat & grime from the gig. I can't bear the thought of riding her hard & putting her up wet! These amazing instruments are functional works of art that can Take a licking & keep on ticking so play them as hard as your style dictates, but I think they deserve the same TLC that the factory gives them when they are built & shipped out to us. I am still in awe every time I open my case at the pristine beauty that awaits my caress!!

georgie_boy · « **Reply #40 on:** March 05, 2012, 07:51:47 AM »

Well said Rusty!!
But, when I get home at 4 am from a gig, there's no way it gets all that treatment until the next day.

G

rustyg61 · « **Reply #41 on:** March 05, 2012, 12:23:23 PM »

Sometimes I even polish her between sets! LOL!

tmimichael · « **Reply #42 on:** March 06, 2012, 02:35:10 PM »

I agree with Georgie Boy...at almost 60 years old, and after working all week, setting up after work on Friday, playing 4 hours and then tearing down....AS MUCH AS I ADORE my new Series II....she waits until the next day to get cleaned and polished.
But I sure am working through that bottle of Alembic Polish in a hurry!!!

(Message edited by tmimichael on March 06, 2012)