How the hell do some people treat their basses?!

[xilddx]

I see basses, some expensive ones, in the For Sale section that have so much major cosmetic damage that I wonder if the previous owner lived in a skip.

I can't believe how some people treat their instruments! There's one up there now (I won't say which) that's a beautiful bass, but it's got massive dents in the neck, scratches and dents all over the body, crap and dust, you name it. We are not talking vintage here, we're talkin bout a young expensive bass that looks like it's come back from a stint in Helmand Province.

What the F**K do they do to them?? God only knows what their bedsits look like.

I don't really know why but it makes me angry. I don't like people who have no respect for things, I make assumptions they treat people and animals like that too. Is it me being very judgemental as usual? or do I have a point?

[JackLondon]

You do have a point. Someone who doesn't look after their gear shouldn't have it no matter how hard they've worked to get it!

[Gamble]

Did you see the thread a while back about the F-Bass that jumped out of the owners car boot on the motorway? I get pretty upset if one of my basses gets a knock, so that must have been heartbreaking!

[riff raff]

thats the most ridiculous thing to say.if i work hard(i do) and earn the money to buy the gear i want(i do) i can do whatever i like with it.and treat it however i like.

they're only tools.beat the sh*t out of them i say.

[neepheid]

I appreciate that there is unavoidable wear and tear (like fret wear, lacquer wear on maple fingerboards etc.) and anyone can have an accident, but things like buckle rash get my goat because it is mostly avoidable and a heavily dinged instrument just implies a lack of care and attention beyond the accidental which I tend to see as a negative trait in people. If something's worth doing, it's worth doing right, and that includes instrument ownership.

[Shockwave]

[quote name='silddx' post='735940' date='Feb 5 2010, 11:16 AM']I see basses, some expensive ones, in the For Sale section that have so much major cosmetic damage that I wonder if the previous owner lived in a skip.

I can't believe how some people treat their instruments! There's one up there now (I won't say which) that's a beautiful bass, but it's got massive dents in the neck, scratches and dents all over the body, crap and dust, you name it. We are not talking vintage here, we're talkin bout a young expensive bass that looks like it's come back from a stint in Helmand Province.

What the F**K do they do to them?? God only knows what their bedsits look like.

I don't really know why but it makes me angry. I don't like people who have no respect for things, I make assumptions they treat people and animals like that too. Is it me being very judgemental as usual? or do I have a point?[/quote]

If your talking about my Pedulla (Which is now 20 years old, so probably not the bass your talking about), it now has a new owner because some people can look beyond the looks of a bass. The previous owner who had it before me made all of the wear it has, its been well loved and well played. If a custom shop bass has alot of wear and tear (and no deep cracks etc) I would generally think its because it was such a good bass, the owner couldnt put it down, imo that is a sign of a very good instrument.

Now if there were deep cracks and obvious headstock reglues then i would say that was neglect, if it was paint chips, fret wear then i would say it was probably a damn fine bass and its gathering marks that playing bass can get you.

For the record i do prefer new looking basses if i bought them new, if i bought them second hand i will buy it if i think the wear/damage is acceptable and if the price reflected the use. I would never have got the Pedulla in the first place if it didnt have damage as i could never have afforded it!

Rob.

[harvey1-8]

I try my hardest to look after my gear and keep it clean and tidy. Then odd knock will always happen and I'm gutted when it does.

I don't understand why people abuse thier instruments in the same way that I don't understand why people would abuse their bodies with excessive drinking, smoking and drug abuse.

[riff raff]

if an instrument works properly and is fit for use,i have absolutely no interest or opinion on its aesthetic condition.

and to suggest that not anally cleaning and polishing a piece of wood, somehow means that as a person you are somehow deficient is bollocks. :wacko:

[Bilbo]

Different people have different values and, for some, the cosmetic aspect of bass ownership are less important than they may be for you. Some people gig more than others, some never leave their home. Some play in quiet cafes, others in spit and sawdust venues where chicken wire crosses the front of the stage. Some people play the bass with their teeth or set fire to them. Some people have lots of basses others have one. Some people are clumsier than others. Some people are married to women who throw their guitars up the garden when they have an argument. Some people stick stickers on their guitars, or spray paint them. Some polish them lovingly every day, others never clean their guitars at all. Some people spend thousands on guitars as an investment and lock them in bank vaults until they can accrue even greater value.

Viva la difference, I say! Jaco's Bass of Doom looked like s*** but sounded fantastic.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Shockwave' post='735975' date='Feb 5 2010, 11:39 AM']If your talking about my Pedulla (Which is now 20 years old, so probably not the bass your talking about), it now has a new owner because some people can look beyond the looks of a bass. The previous owner who had it before me made all of the wear it has, its been well loved and well played. If a custom shop bass has alot of wear and tear (and no deep cracks etc) I would generally think its because it was such a good bass, the owner couldnt put it down, imo that is a sign of a very good instrument.

Now if there were deep cracks and obvious headstock reglues then i would say that was neglect, if it was paint chips, fret wear then i would say it was probably a damn fine bass and its gathering marks that playing bass can get you.

For the record i do prefer new looking basses if i bought them new, if i bought them second hand i will buy it if i think the wear/damage is acceptable and that the price reflected the use. I would never have got the Pedulla fretted in the first place if it didnt have damage as i could never have afforded it!

Rob.[/quote]
No, not yours mate

BUT, [i]"If a custom shop bass has alot of wear and tear (and no deep cracks etc) I would generally think its because it was such a good bass, the owner couldnt put it down, imo that is a sign of a very good instrument."[/i] I'm sorry but I think that's absolute nadgers. The odd ding and scratch I can understand, but I can't see why any instrument should end up looking like it's spent six months in the Gorbals because someone "loved" it.

[Clarky]

I have found that if I have a completely mint instrument (especially an expensive one like my old Shuker JJB) I am so OCD about keeping it fresh and shiny that it actually takes away some of the enjoyment of owning and playing it as I become paranoid about damage. I guess this probably goes back to the pro musician versus dabbler/hobbyist thing, to some extent, as I think of basses as things of beauty and objects to desire. If I was gigging night after night I guess the condition of my basses (and my attitude) would be rather different.

[Musicman20]

[quote name='Clarky' post='735986' date='Feb 5 2010, 11:44 AM']I have found that if I have a completely mint instrument (especially an expensive one like my old Shuker JJB) I am so OCD about keeping it fresh and shiny that it actually takes away some of the enjoyment of owning and playing it as I become paranoid about damage. I guess this probably goes back to the pro musician versus dabbler/hobbyist thing, to some extent, as I think of basses as things of beauty and objects to desire. If I was gigging night after night I guess the condition of my basses (and my attitude) would be rather different.[/quote]

+1 on the OCD. I'm the same. First slight ding is always the worst.

I'd quite like a well used vintage that I don't have to worry about. Not abused, just used but worn naturally.

I think after the famous P bass swap me Clarky and Nigel did, it's obvious we all care about the instruments rather like they are a piece of art.

[SteveO]

I sometimes wonder about the apparent lack of care of instruments, I for one would be worried that somethings going to fall off or cut out mid gig (which is why I always carry a spare ) but whats the problem? If someone wants to mistreat their gear then thats their prerogative, and lets face it we're not talking about rare priceless works of art here, they're mass-produced consumer goods. I don't think the assumption that its an indication of animal cruelty is a particularly fair one either . I don't really care about my basses as long as they remain in good working order, but I would and have spent a fortune on taking care of my cat when most 'normal' owners may have opted for euthanasia.

[umcoo]

[quote name='silddx' post='735940' date='Feb 5 2010, 11:16 AM']I don't like people who have no respect for things, I make assumptions they treat people and animals like that too. Is it me being very judgemental as usual? or do I have a point?[/quote]

I think there's some truth in this. I once saw Pete Townsend throw a puppy into a stack of Hiwatts.

[Wil]

The cosmetics don't matter one jot. I'm very much of the opinion that if you save up and spend your money on anything you can do whatever you like with it - if its a state when you sell it on then expect to not recoup your outlay.

I think it's far more important to make sure your instrument is set up well and in good working order - chips, dents, scratches, dirt, all irrelevant. I do tend to look after my instruments, though, as it makes good financial sense.

[Shockwave]

[quote name='silddx' post='735984' date='Feb 5 2010, 11:44 AM']BUT, [i]"If a custom shop bass has alot of wear and tear (and no deep cracks etc) I would generally think its because it was such a good bass, the owner couldnt put it down, imo that is a sign of a very good instrument."[/i] I'm sorry but I think that's absolute nadgers. The odd ding and scratch I can understand, but I can't see why any instrument should end up looking like it's spent six months in the Gorbals because someone "loved" it.[/quote]

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. The only othe conclusion in my theory is that maybe the player doesant have anymore money to spend on a different instrument hence the wear and tear. However, every instrument i have played on with "Wear and tear" and general scratches and dents (like the Pedulla) has been an absoloute player. If something is more then a year old and hasent got a scratch or dent or any sort of play wear, i immediately get suspicious to its playability. Whether its me just being paranoid well.... meh.

[Prosebass]

You can say the same about Cars , some people waste hours of their lives polishing them on Sunday mornings ?
If you want to keep a bass looking like new then fine, thats your perogative, but others don't care , doesn't make them 'less of a person' and whatever they do with their basses is entirely their choice.
As a bass builder it does not upset me to see one of my basses a year on with dings and scrapes in it, the main thing is that the owner is enjoying the bass and treating it as they see fit.
I don't see basses as 'prized posessions' to be coverted but more as tools and 'a means to an end' and after all as Bilbo said, the bass of doom wasn't pretty but it sure sounded sweet.
Pino Palladino has gone through 4 necks on his MM fretless and it wasn't through over polishing them !

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='umcoo' post='736001' date='Feb 5 2010, 11:52 AM']I think there's some truth in this. I once saw Pete Townsend throw a puppy into a stack of Hiwatts.[/quote]

[spacecowboy]

What i don't understand is the whole Fender Vintage thing, its almost expected that if you buy a Fender Bass say from the 70's its perfectly acceptable for the bass to be beaten to hell, scratched, paintless, dinged, dented and call it Mojo'd *lame*, yet i have a 24 and 26 Year old set of Warwick Streamers in pretty much perfect condition and i am absolutely certain that i will maintain their appearance and overall quality for at least the next 10 years keeping them almost mint for my own collection or potential re sale value.

I can't understand it when someone spends alot of money on a bass just to mistreat it, a cheap Japanese £60er sure, but anything over a couple of hundred quid? surely its in your interest to look after it?

[Adrenochrome]

Some big assumptions. I look after my basses but they all have dints to the neck and headstock. Almost all of those are from gigging in pubs with drunk people dancing etc (as a backing vocalist I'm often stood at the fron near punters). My basses are tools for making the band sound good.

[Bassassin]

[quote name='Clarky' post='735986' date='Feb 5 2010, 11:44 AM']I have found that if I have a completely mint instrument (especially an expensive one like my old Shuker JJB) I am so OCD about keeping it fresh and shiny that it actually takes away some of the enjoyment of owning and playing it as I become paranoid about damage. I guess this probably goes back to the pro musician versus dabbler/hobbyist thing, to some extent, as I think of basses as things of beauty and objects to desire. If I was gigging night after night I guess the condition of my basses (and my attitude) would be rather different.[/quote]
I can agree with this to a certain extent - a lot of my basses are pretty cosmetically tatty - basically because they're 30+ year-old mid-range Japanese instruments that have been abused/neglected/gigged to hell & back, or all 3, by their previous owners. I actually really like the "battle scars" on these old basses & the life & history it implies, and usually these are the ones I'm most comfortable gigging with. On the other hand my newer basses, and the odd vintage Jap "closet classic" get treated very cautiously because I hate the idea of doing damage myself, especially to something pristine.

Jon.

[Prosebass]

[quote name='spacecowboy' post='736018' date='Feb 5 2010, 12:01 PM']yet i have a 24 and 26 Year old set of Warwick Streamers in pretty much perfect condition and i am absolutely certain that i will maintain their appearance and overall quality for at least the next 10 years keeping them almost mint for my own collection or potential re sale value.[/quote]

I think you have hit the nail on the head there. Everyone has their own ideas on basses , some collect them , some see them as investments, some just play them, some have 20, some have 1 . We can't all agree for obvious reasons , as the famous bard said, 'basses are all things to all men'

If its your bass then do what you please with it. I clean my main bass at least once every house move
And don't forget there is a big difference in the 'price' of a bass and its 'worth' as the saying goes 'pity him who who knows the price of everything and the worth of nothing' or something like that...My 81 Hofner SB7 will be with me till the grave as it priceless to me but it is not coverted or pampered.

Edited February 5, 2010 by Prosebass

[WalMan]

You bought it with your hard earned cash (hopefully & not a parents deep pockets) so by all means treat it like crap if you want but surely it is your instrument and if you do you are storing up problems.

Both my basses are 20-30 years old. The Wal was my workhorse for a good 25 and does have a couple of small dings, along with some laquer cracking. The L2500 I've only had a couple of years but going by the serial is about 20 years old and still looks pretty much mint.

It does sadden me to see the loack of respect some people have for their gear. I saw a band a few years back who finished their set and the bass player dumped his bass on the floor face up with the neck resting on the edge of a low drum riser For goodness sake a stand is only a few quid!!

[Clarky]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='736025' date='Feb 5 2010, 12:05 PM']I can agree with this to a certain extent - a lot of my basses are pretty cosmetically tatty - basically because they're 30+ year-old mid-range Japanese instruments that have been abused/neglected/gigged to hell & back, or all 3, by their previous owners. I actually really like the "battle scars" on these old basses & the life & history it implies, and usually these are the ones I'm most comfortable gigging with. On the other hand my newer basses, and the odd vintage Jap "closet classic" get treated very cautiously because I hate the idea of doing damage myself, especially to something pristine.

Jon.[/quote]
For the same reasons I am delighted that my recently acquired 70s Fenders have some 'mojo' (sorry if its sounds lame, spacecowboy) as it means I am not paranoid about them. Mind you they are both only lightly mojo'd, sort of relic-lite

[WWRRSS]

If I owned a new or expensive bass I think I'd mother it to a ridiculous extent but while I'm playing skatty noise-rock in dirty pubs with a cheap bass, I'll probably continue to kick it's head in.