Do you "personalize" your bass?

facepalmmaster · #1 07-31-2012, 06:41 PM

I know some people leave their basses clean, some scratch them up and put stickers and such on them. Which one do you do, i'm thinking of putting some stuff on mine. If you do, i'd love to see it!

GM60466 · #2 07-31-2012, 06:48 PM

I like 'em clean

facepalmmaster · #3 07-31-2012, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GM60466

I like 'em clean

I used to like the look of the clean finish, but after a while I get bored :P

ma4rk · #4 07-31-2012, 07:03 PM

I bought my Stingray brand new 12 years ago, I tried to keep it looking new however the odd dent & paint chip incident has occured over the years. The first dent bugged me, but now I like them as they've added character - saying that I don't go out of my way to damage the finish!

Jazzdogg · #5 07-31-2012, 07:04 PM

I personalize my basses by disassembling them, removing the frets, recontouring the bodies, and refinishing them.

1SHOT1HIT · #6 07-31-2012, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

I personalize my basses by disassembling them, removing the frets, recontouring the bodies, and refinishing them.

Doing this currently just to have something made the way I want it.

Who knows maybe this will be my new thing.

rapidfirerob · #7 07-31-2012, 07:10 PM

Leave my Alembic untouched, since 85, besides a few minor blemishes over the years.

Pilgrim · #8 07-31-2012, 07:13 PM

My basses are treated like valuable instruments. I take good care of them, keep them in the best shape possible, and don't add stickers or markings. Mine can be 10 years old and look new...and they usually do.

2behead · #9 07-31-2012, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ma4rk

I bought my Stingray brand new 12 years ago, I tried to keep it looking new however the odd dent & paint chip incident has occured over the years. The first dent bugged me, but now I like them as they've added character - saying that I don't go out of my way to damage the finish!

This exactly!!!!

agent77 · #10 07-31-2012, 07:17 PM

I have a standard P-bass and I put on a black pickguard, a thumbrest, and a Jazz neck. My Squier Jaguar is stock, with the exception of stings, of course.

georgestrings · #11 07-31-2012, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

My basses are treated like valuable instruments. I take good care of them, keep them in the best shape possible, and don't add stickers or markings. Mine can be 10 years old and look new...and they usually do.

Yeah, that pretty much describes my approach, too... I play 'em and gig 'em, but try to take good care of them as well...

- georgestrings

makaspar · #12 07-31-2012, 07:31 PM

On my 62PRI, I've added a double stop hipshot extender, added and removed the ashtrays a couple of times, I've added the tug bar...

Other than that, I've played it, and put it away as is.. I'll clean something up if it impedes play. It has a few dings, but nothing I'm upset about - or necessarily want to encourage..

Bassist Jay · #13 07-31-2012, 08:03 PM

Certain basses I have does little things to personalize them. Myt first was my 95' Ibanez SR 500 Soundgear bass. I used to have a 93' SR 400 in candy apple red but traded it in on my 95' SR 500. A year later I added my 95' and custom painted it that same candy apple red color as my 93' SR 400 was. My next one was my Guild B-4 ce acoustic bass. I hated the chrome tuners on it but with the way the wood grain was, I thought it would look killer with gold hardware so I put some really nice gold tuners on it. When my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, the Music Man company, actually Sterling Ball approved to build my breast cancer awareness bass that had a little bit of cutom work done to it. That bass will never be gotten rid of. It will be with my family for years to come. Then, on my latest Bongo, I wanted it to have an abalone pickguard and Music Man customer service did a great job of adding that to the order. They had one left so I was pretty stoked about that.

pocketgroove · #14 07-31-2012, 08:18 PM

My main bass is a precision copy, with a nice aged white/cream finish. I painted the pickguard orange. I have yet to see another like it...

**Engine207** · #15 07-31-2012, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

My basses are treated like valuable instruments. I take good care of them, keep them in the best shape possible, and don't add stickers or markings. Mine can be 10 years old and look new...and they usually do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by georgestrings

Yeah, that pretty much describes my approach, too... I play 'em and gig 'em, but try to take good care of them as well...

Same here. I'm conscious of walls, cymbals and guitarists, so there are very few blems on my basses. I wipe them all down as part of my after-jam routine. My OCD is largely the culprit, but having to take care of my work gear so meticulously plays in as well.

I do, however personalize/mod some of them. My Ric 4001 has a treble bezel and a Hipshot bridge; my sunburst Jazz Basses always lose their white pickguards for a black; and my fretless neck wears the body of a Squire P/J.

The only pure stock bass is my SiennaBurst T-40. That one was just as I like it when it came out of Meridian MS.

Jazzdogg · #16 07-31-2012, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1SHOT1HIT

Doing this currently just to have something made the way I want it.

Who knows maybe this will be my new thing.

I only modify basses I plan to keep; if I have no plan to get rid of a bass, I don't worry about its future value, and I am free to make any modifications I desire.

As nice as it might be to own a bass made by a well-respected maker, I would have trouble justifying paying top-dollar for an instrument I "couldn't" modify. If building my own bass were not an option, my second choice would be to find a custom builder willing to collaborate on the design and construction of my instrument. I'm becoming too picky for my own good.

tabdog · #17 07-31-2012, 08:41 PM

I never put stickers or anything
on my basses for 26 years.

Then I got a Squier Bronco and
kind of personalized it.

I named him Petey after the dog
on Our Gang TV series back in the
1950's.

He has a crush on Betty Boop,

Tabdog

Diesel Kilgore · #18 07-31-2012, 08:45 PM

They are my babies, and I treat them as such. But you can't help but get a few dings and scratches.

The only basses I personalize are the ones I set aside for that, usually something bought cheap with an end goal of a look/sound in mind.

spiritbass · #19 07-31-2012, 08:46 PM

Well, yeah, with the eventual, inevitable ding. I try to keep them looking as new as possible. Just a couple of days ago I noticed a small ding/rough spot on the binding of my Ric. I don't hesitate to and enjoy modding. The only bass I presently own that hasn't been and doesn't need any modification is my Super J...

**dalahorse** · #20 07-31-2012, 08:57 PM

Like so many others here, I baby my basses. They are precious instruments and extensions of me. A bit of mojo happens. I wish it didn't. But I keep them as close to 100% as possible. They treat me well, and I do the same for them. The only mods make are strap locks. But I keep the original hardware, even though I will never sell or trade them, or put the original strap hooks back in.