How to accelerate the speed to age my bass

[Meddle]

Originally Posted by oldleftybass

How do you know those machines don't flinch???

That's some Asimov material right there.

[sanderic]

Just keep the bass stored in your car for a couple of years. Or during the summer, put it it the deep freeze overnight, then in your car trunk all day.

[smperry]

Just a reminder: Updated 11-24-11 : Basses Forum Rules PLEASE READ

Also, if a post is problematic...please report and ignore. thanks.

[rogerhe]

Hi guys:

I am a new TBer, and this was my first thread on TB.
I have been disconnected from internet for a while, and am really surprised there have been so many replies when I log onto TB again.
Thank you for all your attention and sharing, partly because I picked the wrong word - 'fasten' in the title, and which might catch most of your eyes. I apologize for my English as it's not my native language. :-)
My intention was trying to ask 'why I can hardly leave any mark on my bass by playing and gigging', I like relic looking bass, I respect all your views but I have no interests to purposely doing that.
I have got my answer, finishing plays the important difference between nitro and poly, thanks guys, great learning, I will take finishing into account when I acquire my next bass.
Btw, where can I find Nitro finishing bass? I am a fender / squier guy, any particular model from these brands is nitro finishing?

Thanks

[Rip Topaz]

Simple fact is this:

Even with the Fender/ non-Fender threads, there's ALWAYS that one guy that doesn't like them, but feels the need to post anyway.

Come on, people. Grow up a little. Not everyone likes the same thing you do. It's called life.

Why waste the time to post on a topic just to say that you don't approve. Who cares if you don't like it?? Nobody.

The OP had a legitimate question. If you can't help, why are you even posting? Does it make you feel better about yourself to put someone down? Are you one of those people that ones to Guitar Center and pokes fun at the kids who aren't as good as you? Feel better??

Same thing here. If you don't like or approve of a relic finish, regardless of what's involved in the making of said finish, who cares?

[Rip Topaz]

The AV series is the lowest end models that feature nitro, other than a few one off here and there, like the Road Worns.

Truthfully, not many newer Fender models use nitro.

[rogerhe]

Thanks mate.

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

The AV series is the lowest end models that feature nitro, other than a few one off here and there, like the Road Worns.

Truthfully, not many newer Fender models use nitro.

[Rip Topaz]

Now there's also the option of stripping and repainting in nitro, if you really want it to show aging.

[fuzzychaos]

Originally Posted by Rip Topaz

The AV series is the lowest end models that feature nitro, other than a few one off here and there, like the Road Worns.

Truthfully, not many newer Fender models use nitro.

If you can find one, the Highway One's also have a nitro finish.

[SolarMan]

Originally Posted by fuzzychaos

If you can find one, the Highway One's also have a nitro finish.

But don't they have a different undercoat? (That prevents the normal natural nitro wear?)

This is what I have been told so I actually have no idea if it is true or not.

[smperry]

After deleting a ton more posts, I'll try one more time...reopening.

Please read this: Updated 11-24-11 : Basses Forum Rules PLEASE READ

If you don't have actual advice on how to relic an instrument, or you don't like relics, don't post in this thread, and don't call people that like relics posers, etc.

I'll close the thread and do infractions from here on out if people can't follow this.

Also, this thread is not the place to discuss the rule...if you want to discuss it, send a message to the administrators using the "Contact Us" button. Even if it weren't Valentine's Day....I've spent enough time on this as it is.

[Rip Topaz]

Originally Posted by SolarMan

But don't they have a different undercoat? (That prevents the normal natural nitro wear?)

This is what I have been told so I actually have no idea if it is true or not.

I believe so. I'm no expert, but didn't Fender change to a thinner undercoat sometime around then? They may still have the thicker undercoating.

On a related note, my 60th Anniversary P has the "thin skin" nitro, and I swear if you even fart when walking past, it'll cause a ding in the finish.

I'm assuming that the Highway Ones were like this, too. The draw being that they tend to relic naturally a lot faster than a normal nitro paint job with many clearcoats.

[Jim Carr]

If you want a Fender bass with thin nitro, Road Worn is a good choice.

[Meddle]

Simply to quickly age the finish, I would make it really thin. If it is poly finish I would try and use something like 240 grit on a power sander to thin the finish down (be careful on the corners) then buff it back up to a shine.

The deal is, with genuine playing wear you don't see the action of individual movements as much as general wear on one spot. Think of a 2nd hand car where the carpet is worn out under the pedals not because of a single event but due to constant gradual use. If you look at my laptop you can tell I'm left handed because my thumb has worn the space key shiney on one side.

Something like a Bill Nash relic probably looks 'right' when up onstage rather than more subtle playing wear so if you gig a lot you might want to over-egg the relic process a bit for 'theatrics'.

Or... buy a Highway 1 body off Ebay. The one Highway 1 P-bass I played in store was already losing the satin finish and going shiny round the edges just from general in-store demo use.

[REME7178]

I am conflicted on the issue, I constantly polish my bass with a micro fiber cloth after I get done playing. I don't stress too much over knicks and dings, I always tell people when it happens "It's not going to be new forever.", but I do not go out of my way to intentionally ruin my bass and I do not understand why anyone would. I just boought a bass with two major spots where the paint in chipped off and cracked to the wood, my guess it it was maybe dropped hard twice on opposite sides (left and right). I like the color and I was thinking about sanding the spots down, prime the spots, spay paint them with the closest match I can find, and clear coat it. I have seen these type of touch up jobs and they pretty much look like someone tried to touch up the spots. I am going to sand the spots any way so the cracks and chips do not get any bigger. I can do a couple of things, I can attempt the touch up witch will look obvious, I can have two sanded bald spots and apply wood oil or a clear coat, sand it all down and paint the whole body witch I really do not want to do because I like the color and it looks better then I could do with a rattle can, or I can get it reliced and keep most of the original paint. The only problem with getting a relic job done is that I do not want to destroy my bass with burns, gouges, dents, chemically corroded/rusted parts, or cracks in the body. What should I do, I am leaning toward the two bald spots. I basically just want to stop any further damage to the finish.

[GreaserMatt]

Originally Posted by fuzzychaos

If you can find one, the Highway One's also have a nitro finish.

I agree; those things used to be everywhere; now you can't find them it seems...

[Davo-London]

I appreciate the OPs request as my 76 P body has a poly finish and you have to be brutal with sharp objects to make a mark. My 64 P is battered beyond belief! With dents where thumbs and plectra have been and maybe only 50% paint left on the body. What a difference!

Good luck with your nitro quest!

Davo

[davidjackson]

Originally Posted by Ric5

Don't use a case or a gig bag.

Never thought of it before but isn't this obviously the best way to 'relic' a bass?

[Bassic Playing]

A lot of you guys mentioned having a bass resprayed with nitro. How costly is that as an option?

[Davo-London]

Not sure but you'd have to inform the nitro-sprayer what you are after! They may compensate for the delicacy of the coating and do lots of coats!

Davo