What would you do? (Vintage P-bass decision)

[miles'tone]

Leave it as it is. Your history is on there, as is a bit of Natasha Schneider's. 

[Dan Dare]

"Still has the name tag on. Don't touch it. Don't even look at it".

 

[Useless amateur]

51 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

"Still has the name tag on. Don't touch it. Don't even look at it".

 

Hilarious film. The volume goes up to 11 🤣🤣🤣

[Belka]

Keep it as it is. Also, if you do it in green, then technically, from a vintage point of view, the tort guard will be incorrect. It was only sunburst, shell pink and olympic white that came with tort pickguards back then, so although I'm sure it would look good it in green, it wouldn't look like it did when it left the factory.

[Marcray]

51 minutes ago, Belka said:

Keep it as it is. Also, if you do it in green, then technically, from a vintage point of view, the tort guard will be incorrect. It was only sunburst, shell pink and olympic white that came with tort pickguards back then, so although I'm sure it would look good it in green, it wouldn't look like it did when it left the factory.

That was one of my initial thoughts but I was able to find a few examples of custom Sea Foam green with a tort guard.  Surf Green is usually paired with a white guard, but they sure are pretty with a tort.  Honestly, it’s my instinct to stick with the white unless there was some indisputable reason that a refinish would improve the bass, which it will not.  Everyone here has made some great points which I’m grateful for. 🙂

[TheGreek]

Leave it alone, or do the least you have to.

It may not be completely "original" but I'd keep it as "original to me" as I could.

[hooky_lowdown]

I don't know if it's me, but I think there maybe, just maybe a concensus here?!?! 😉

[Sibob]

Keep it exactly how it is. And then order a custom from someone like Moollon, Olinto or Limelight to address your want for a Sea Foam over Sunburst curiosity.

Simples

Si

[Marcray]

52 minutes ago, Sibob said:

Keep it exactly how it is. And then order a custom from someone like Moollon, Olinto or Limelight to address your want for a Sea Foam over Sunburst curiosity.

Simples

Si

I’m attempting to downsize here!! 😁

[Adee]

I wouldn't touch it, looks amazing, its your history ... bit like having a face lift, could go either way

[Skybone]

On 30/09/2020 at 17:27, Marcray said:

Our intention is to do what needs to be done, after all, that bass has been around a while. 

You answered your own question in your opening statement.

Go with that.

[Sibob]

7 hours ago, Marcray said:

I’m attempting to downsize here!! 😁

Incorrect 😂

Si

[Mykesbass]

Conservation not restoration. Looks fabulous, has loads of history.

[ezbass]

LEAVE IT!

There, you’ve been told 😉. Fab looking bass, reminds me of my refin ‘63.

[ubit]

On 30/09/2020 at 17:44, Happy Jack said:

If the look & feel of the bass are a direct result of decades of you playing it ... leave it alone!

If you do nothing now, then you retain the option to something later. If you do a refin now then that history is destroyed, and you can never get it back.

This. I have an old Status Eclipse that I gigged all through the 90’s and early 2000’s. It was full of travel worn loveliness. Stupidly I painted it years ago and now I regret it so much. If I want it back to factory colour I have lost all the history of it. If I don’t I have lost all the history of it.