Angel

[quote name='paulears' timestamp='1412349316' post='2568130'] I'm really sorry - but I have never understood how this works? Antique dealers of it to add (illegal) extra value, because people think distressed condition equates to age, and age in an antique equates to extra value. In a guitar, unless the instrument has a history, then a good condition old guitar always outsells a wrecked one. So it's down to image? Is it cooler to play a really worn guitar? I guess it might be. What I do note is an excellent distressing job, that looks very real - so I can appreciate the effort put in. I'd just rather play a new looking one myself. [/quote] I completely understand that. I'm not bothered with the history of a guitar/bass, I just find the aged look more appealing. It's just a finish option, like sunburst vs black. I really don't like sunburst! People like different things. For example, I would take an old MGBGT or TR6 every time over any modern sports car you put under my nose. A lot of people (most?) would probably think I'm mad, but it’s no contest. I don’t know why, I didn’t ask to be that way, it’s just how it is. From a practical point of view, if I have an expensive instrument I find that I treat it with ultra care, desperate to not get a scratch on it. It all feels very un rock n roll! If I have a battered finish, I can leave it out, drop it, ding it, do all that stuff and not bat an eyelid. It is like comfortable slippers vs stiff new shoes. But all that aside, I totally respect anyone else’s right to hate relics for any reason they choose to give.

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1412343408' post='2568054'] Like it How did you get the jagged effect on the painted edge below the controls ? [/quote] As mentioned, I used 'liquid masking fluid' (available from art shops). I 'painted' the areas that I wanted showing as wood using a small brush. It's done fairly quickly as the stuff dries onto the brush pretty sharpish! You then spray the body, and lacquer it, and when it is all dry, you rub vigorously over the masked bits with the palm of your hand and it rubs off. This leaves a nice 'rough' edge. Looks best if you darken the wood afterwards.

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1412343480' post='2568056'] It's better than many I've seen, I like the attention to detail with the aged sticker, though the scratchplate looks a bit clean/new but it could just be the pic. Relicing isn't my thing, but you've done a good job IMHO. [/quote] Actually, the scratchplate looks cool 'in the flesh'. It's only the cheap Squier one, but I wire wooled it with some fine stuff to get the gloss off, and I got it looking particularly decent under the strings, where it looks subtly 'grimed' where hands won't 'polish it up a bit' over time. I'll try and take a pic, but it may be too subtle for my camera. Thanks for the generous words people!

Some people love relics, some people hate them. I happen to like them a lot if done what I consider to be well enough. I don’t claim that mine are historically accurate, or correct in any way, but I basically try to just get a certain look and feel that I am happy with. I personally feel very happy with this one, although I’m sure some of you will see it as an act of vandalism! Anyway, I fancied trying to do a relic type bass after the reasonable success of my 'Angel' Tele that I built over a year ago. I wasn't planning to kill my expensive Fender CS bass, so I bought a new condition Squier CV for £200. It was the usual ‘plastic’ finish and shiny chrome - all the stuff I really don’t go for at all! Looks aside, it was fantastically playable though. To be honest I can’t believe what a great bass it is for the money. Having dismantled it, I stripped all the finish off with flame, scraper and sanding. I then had that moment when it looked like tatty scrap wood where I thought ‘oh dear, what have I done!’, fortunately it’s not game over at that point. Grain filler went on (apparently a good idea) then a good sand down. I used liquid mask and painted areas on the body that I wanted to be ‘worn through’, then sprayed with white nitro from Manchester guitar tech. No undercoat, as I wanted to try and get that ‘sunken in’ look. Lacquer over the top then a light dusting with some tinted lacquer to give a bit of an aged feel. Rubbed off the mask, and then rubbed some paint into the wood bits, and cleaned it off again with a rag to darken up those patches a bit. Did a few dings with various objects. All the chrome was put in a sealed bucket with an open jar of hydrochloric acid. After an hour or so of constant checks, it was finally at the degree of tarnish that I was looking for. I made a couple of worn stickers as I like the look of them on old basses, not everyone’s thing but I particularly like Vince Ray stuff so that is what they are. The neck was laboriously sanded to get rid of the thick poly finish, then a once over with lacquer. Sanded the neck again and took it right off the back behind the first 5 frets. The neck still looked a bit ‘clean’ so I mixed up some brown paint, wiped it on, let it start drying then wiped back again. Doesn’t represent ageing at all, but it definitely looked better for the overall vibe. Controversial, but I stuck a non squire logo on. Having stripped the finish off the neck, I only had a regular Fender one in my stash of bits. I would have been happy enough with a Squier one as it is a good bass at the end of the day regardless of badge, but to be honest I didn’t fancy the wait for one, I couldn’t wait to get it together! I will probably etch ‘squier’ into the neck and body joint next time I have it apart. Anyway, the bottom line is that I am very happy with how it has turned out. Marmite stuff I know, and all I can say in its defence is that it may not be the best relic job in the world, but I don’t think it’s the worst! I can’t believe how much I am enjoying this bass, it is so good that I am now selling the CS and possibly my Status as well, as neither of them get a look in any more! Here's a few pix:

I have 5. I only play 1.

Blackmachine I presume. Nice! Awesome beard as well!

I must be the only person who isn't really a fan! I was a MASSIVE Queen fan as a kid, and stayed so right up to the intro of synths (the game), where my interest started to wane. I wasn't aware of bass players much at all back then, and I don't recall ever really 'hearing' JD on a record before Another one bites the dust and Crazy little thing called love. Nothing wrong with him, but I have just never thought about his playing at all. Even now, those two are the only JD basslines that I have any recollection of at all. Suggest to me a couple of great JD basslines and I'll dig out my old vinyl and see what I think now that I have grown a pair of 'bass' ears in my old age.

Greetings and welcome to the forum!

Ha ha at the damp chipboard comment! Once you have read that it really does look that way! I'm sure it's amazing in real life.

I once bought a strat off eBay, had it sent to work, dismantled it completely during lunchbreak, smuggled the bits home and then announced that I was going to make up a guitar from spare bits & pieces that I had accumulated over the years. The plan worked.

Hi Iain Welcome to the forum! Some nice gear you have there.

Looks ace! (to use a term from 70s school) The only thing wrong with it is the fact that the bridge and pup covers look way cool, but tI just can't play with them on