How to accelerate the speed to age my bass

[rogerhe]

Hey guys:

I am sure I am not the only one who raise this question, or at least keep this question in my mind.

I am a fan of relic guitars, and I am playing hard on my bass, by gigging, practising, hope I can have nice scratch, paint crack on the body, and make it looks like road worn model. It has been played for almost two years, still look like a new bass.

So my question here is, usually how many years we need to stick on one bass, before it can really be called a road worn look bass?

Roger

[bubinga5]

i wouldnt worry about it... whats more important is the music you can make from it.

[pica]

Could just buy a Fender Road Worn bass and not have to worry about it.

[rogerhe]

Is there anything to do with the body finishing?

[pedroims]

Many new basses are bullet proof, a bass with thin nitro finish or oil finish will show worn very quickly

[Trayster2]

Ask Darryl.

[CBNJ]

Originally Posted by pica

Could just buy a Fender Road Worn bass and not have to worry about it.

IMO, doesn't even come close to a real aged instrument.

[Texsunburst59]

I you're really serious about relicing a bass. Get on google and look at a many vintage basses as you can. Study all the common worn areas. Search the web for steps to relic a bass. With the 100's of pics you study and the info you get on relicing,you should have a chance on getting the look you want. Personally, I think it means a whole lot more to add all the abuse as scars to your bass naturally.

[wvbass]

If I was going to fasten something to my bass, I would use double-sided tape. That way, I could remove it later.

I would stay away from speed and other drugs.

[j.kernodle]

Originally Posted by wvbass

If I was going to fasten something to my bass, I would use double-sided tape. That way, I could remove it later.

I would stay away from speed and other drugs.

that's funny right there.

[GM60466]

Years ago, I hung a bass from the ceiling in a bar we played at. I left it there for six months. The smoke took a toll on the finish but nothing else changed. I paid $40 to have it cleaned and biffed out. Never again. Just play your pbass hard, it will age itself.

[BassSurfer]

Just play, play, play man...

[bassteban]

Lend it to a *friend*

[Ric5]

- Let a bass player in a punk band use it for a year.
- Don't use a case or a gig bag.
- Take it to the ocean with you and expose it to sand and salt.
- Lend it to a day care center for a month.
- Get out your power tools and sand paper.
- Leave it out in your back yard exposed to sun and rain.
- Play it with a large metal pick hard and sloppy.
- Drop it down the stairs.
- Go for a walk and drag it behind you.
- Play it with big drum sticks.
- Put on some big stickers then remove half the sticker.
- Play it while wearing a big brass belt buckle.

[Ric5]

Sand paper, dremmel tool, scratchy pad, Lemon oil, Zymol, and lots of elbow grease.

[sbpark]

Originally Posted by bassteban

Lend it to a *friend*

+1

[SquierJazz72]

You might just have to look at worn basses and try to replicate that yourself, if you really want to.

Modern poly finishes are pretty hard. I've had my strat for 5 years now, played almost daily, for a long time. Hardly a mark. My Jazz bass is a former rental instrument, probably abused good during that time. Again, not a mark.

Aging just doesn't come as quickly as it did for the nitro finishes.

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by Ric5

Sand paper, dremmel tool, scratchy pad, Lemon oil, Zymol, and lots of elbow grease.

That's a very tasteful looking relic.

[Mike in Chicago]

Man, just when you think you've seen it all on this site.

[Rip Topaz]

If you're wanting to do a respectable looking relic, your best bet is to first refinish it with nitro, and go thin with the clear coats.