joeystrange Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I think I'm the odd one out here. I look after my basses and I'd never break them but I'm not bothered about the odd chip or scratch here or there. As long as it doesn't affect their playability then I don't really care. At the end of the day they're tools that are designed to do a job. As long as they still do that job then what does it matter if they're a bit beaten up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 And after all if you don't like the look you can always get them refinished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrenochrome Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 All my basses are covered in minor scratches/wear marks and dings, and I wouldn't have in any other way! Have you never played a gig where there's been people dancing and falling over into the band, crowd surfing, or you've had to dive past someone to fiddle with the desk to stop feedback etc etc? If you play mainly pubs and a few rock clubs like we do, you don't use expensive work of art basses, so my basses aren't investments at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I get more dings at home, my studio is very small, stuff gets kicked over as I am reaching for other stuff. Not to say that there aren't chunks taken out of instruments from gigs as well. Stuff falls over, it matters not. Buckle rash is real, and I don't wear belts anymore, but it turns out button rash also happens. Also, years of playing in a leather jacket/studded wristbands \m/ back in the day have taken a fair few chunks from the front of many of my instruments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Aha, Falkirk, I remember, Behind The Wall. Knew it was a daft name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Has no one here ever had a drummer knock something over, or a rhythm guitarist suddenly decide to tug at a lead which mysteriously found its way right next to your bass? The odd knock here & there is inevitable, especially if you play pubs I've played a few where, when you walk through the door, you wonder where the hell you're going to be able to set up... Tight spaces, drunken, dancing crowds - you don't have to be clumsy - the rest of the world covers that for you... Buckle rash is a common enough occurrence Have you ever seen a car which is a few years old, with absolutely no blemishes? And being made of metal and painted with the hardest setting paints, they're even tougher than guitars... It wouldn't put me off buying a bass I really liked But, if I knew a bass to be a good few years old, without a single blemish, I'd probably be thinking "Hmmmm, has this been re-sprayed?" Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymondo Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Like a few others on here it's the little holes in my shirts that irritate me...my bass was bought new 20+ years ago,has dents ,chips and buckle rash. It did bother me when the first marks were made but after so long and so many gigs it doesn't bother me at all now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I think it depends a lot on the guitar. My guitarist has owned a 70's strat almost from new. There are large areas where the laquer & paint have come off. He is very careful with his guitars though. There is the usual wear on the top where his arm rests/rubs, but there are other areas where you would not expect contact wear. The guitar has been knocked over a few times in it's long history, but not to the level you'd expect when looking at it. Looking at some old photos recently I was surprised at how different it used to look with a full coat. These days getting on for 25% of the paint & laquer has been replaced by mojo . It still sounds great though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 [quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1378806923' post='2204770'] Has no one here ever had a drummer knock something over, or a rhythm guitarist suddenly decide to tug at a lead which mysteriously found its way right next to your bass? The odd knock here & there is inevitable, especially if you play pubs I've played a few where, when you walk through the door, you wonder where the hell you're going to be able to set up... Tight spaces, drunken, dancing crowds - you don't have to be clumsy - the rest of the world covers that for you... [/quote] +1. Many of the playing areas we play we can barely fit into. Although to be fair I've probably had more dings at home, an example being where I picked up a cup of tea that was sitting on a metal mat. The mat stuck to the cup (which I hadn't noticed as I wasn't looking at it), fell off just as I put the cup to my lips and the edge put a noticeable scar on the front of my main bass, which happened to be standing nearby. How do you avoid things like that? I've had dings caused simply trying to get a bass back in its case onstage in very cramped conditions (i.e. most of the gigs we play). FWIW as long as there's no structural damage it really doesn't bother me one iota. I quite like dings etc. I personally think there's little more wrong-looking than a brand new minty Fender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 [quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1378718887' post='2203495'] Simply move your belt buckle to the side (one loop to the left or right). Problem solved. [/quote] Been doing this forever. While my basses do get marked (after hundreds of gigs, it's difficult not to acquire a scar or two), they don't get battered into a relic in anything less than geological time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telebass Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Additionally, I find it a really weird thing that people dislike new basses BECAUSE they are new. I love them shiny and new, and do my best to keep them that way, while accepting that wear and tear happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 ive never yet heard of a punter coming up at a gig and asking to see the back of an instrument to check for buckle rash and if they did would your bass skills diminish in their esteem if your bass was all scabby like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlfer Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 [quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1378884976' post='2205875'] ive never yet heard of a punter coming up at a gig and asking to see the back of an instrument to check for buckle rash and if they did would your bass skills diminish in their esteem if your bass was all scabby like? [/quote] My bass skills diminish in their esteem when we do the first number! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 [quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1378885954' post='2205888'] My bass skills diminish in their esteem when we do the first number! [/quote] Mine too..... Oh no, looks like turning into a "bass player jokes" thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_the_bass Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Tiny holes in t-shirts? Check Buckle rash? Check Scuffs, dings, chips and other assorted playing marks? Check Am I worried? Not really as 99% of those marks have happened at various gigs I've played up and down the country. As such; everyone of those imperfections is a little bit of my bass playing life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 (edited) I can't see the back of my guitar when I'm playing, so really couldn't care less if it has buckle rash. Dings etc dont effect sound or playability... Just play the thing, enjoy it and maybe wipe the blood and semen off once a year. I do however care a lot about setup, making sure screws etc are tight, and a clean/oiled fingerboard every now and then, but that falls under the playing comfort umbrella. Edited September 11, 2013 by Wil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 [quote name='Wil' timestamp='1378931251' post='2206771'] and maybe wipe the blood and semen off once a year. [/quote] no, the semen stays on the bass.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 [quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1378930019' post='2206749'] Tiny holes in t-shirts? Check Buckle rash? Check Scuffs, dings, chips and other assorted playing marks? Check Am I worried? Not really as 99% of those marks have happened at various gigs I've played up and down the country. As such; everyone of those imperfections is a little bit of my bass playing life. [/quote] +1 I think they call it "character" well, that's what I call my own wrinkles & grey hairs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 [quote name='Wil' timestamp='1378931251' post='2206771'] maybe wipe the blood and semen off once a year. [/quote] I've just got cat hairs on mine. I think I'm missing out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted September 12, 2013 Share Posted September 12, 2013 [quote name='seashell' timestamp='1378974963' post='2207152'] I've just got cat hairs on mine. I think I'm missing out! [/quote] Must ignore obvious euphemism... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 Small rehearsal rooms, narrow walkways , clumsy drummers and playing by the toilets in pubs have caused 1or2 bumps.oh, and the low ceilings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVbass Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 [quote]I've just got cat hairs on mine. I think I'm missing out[/quote] Judging where your cat's been from your avatar I'd definitely wipe them off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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