Bass abuse

[IngerAlb]

Is it really necessary to pass so much judgement?

I don't know - you tell me! I've simply presented my opinion and for that I got flamed and labelled (now apparently I'm also a troll...wow!)...who's passing judgement around here?

I avoided touchy subjects as the relic-ing on purpose, precisely not to fuel the fire and I've tried to stay on topic, but for some reason ppl don't like when someone is telling the truth to their face and prefer to start a flame war only because a guy they've never met thinks a beat up bass covered with scratches shows no character but signs of abuse.

 

[IngerAlb]

Looks can be deceiving. I was at a renewable energy get together a while back, and there was this guy there dressed in torn jeans and a faded T shirt. He hadn't shaved in a few days and some would say that he was in dire need of a haircut.

I was out in the parking lot talking to some folks when he came out of the building and climbed into his brand new Tesla. It turns out he is a successful businessman and sits on the Texas Public Utilities Commission. Not a bum at all. Not even close.

Nice story, but how about this? Let's pretend that parking lot is a normal crowded street; you stop the first person you see, point at our guy and ask for an opinion. What would that person respond: "that's a man in dire need of a haircut", or "oh, that must be a successful bussinessman with a weird fashion taste"? You know what I mean? Even if we pretend we don't pass judgements, we actually do it in certain situations. We all do it, it's in our human nature. So let's no be hypocrites about it.

 

[dokazaado]

I don't know - you tell me! I've simply presented my opinion and for that I got flamed and labelled (now apparently I'm also a troll...wow!)...who's passing judgement around here?

I avoided touchy subjects as the relic-ing on purpose, precisely not to fuel the fire and I've tried to stay on topic, but for some reason ppl don't like when someone is telling the truth to their face and prefer to start a flame war only because a guy they've never met thinks a beat up bass covered with scratches shows no character but signs of abuse.

when you opine that people you don't know don't respect themselves based on some superficial observations, that's pretty judgemental, dude.

 

[lkngro]

I don't care as long as the chips and dents and scratches are from me.

 

[Pullman?]

I don't know - you tell me! I've simply presented my opinion and for that I got flamed and labelled (now apparently I'm also a troll...wow!)...who's passing judgement around here?

I avoided touchy subjects as the relic-ing on purpose, precisely not to fuel the fire and I've tried to stay on topic, but for some reason ppl don't like when someone is telling the truth to their face and prefer to start a flame war only because a guy they've never met thinks a beat up bass covered with scratches shows no character but signs of abuse.

Being truthful and tactful are not one and the same. Look at it this way, if I came up to you and said that your car was a piece of crap compared to mine I might be telling the truth. That doesn't mean I had to say it. Thats obviously going to start some bad blood between us.

 

[tplyons]

A bass is a tool, and like any tool, I use it the best I can. Damage will happen after time (when was the last time you saw a mint condition hammer that gets used regularly?) but always wipe it down when you're done and take good care of it, it will last you forever, whether or not it's the prettiest bass on the block.

I had my #1 Marcus Miller Jazz with me for years, took it everywhere, played it 95% of the time. Two dings in five years, both from playing in tiny venues where you can't avoid knocking into something.

If you want them to be in mint condition, don't use them. But if you do use them and don't abuse them, then don't sweat the battle scars.

My 2007 Chevy HHR has plenty of chips from rocks and gravel on the highway, does it mean I don't take care of my car? Oil change every 5,000 miles, tire rotations regularly, and only name brand gas. You're going to think I abuse my car because of that and one scratch picked up in a parking lot? Mighty presumptuous of you. In fact, my car gets used day in and day out to drive 80-250 miles a day, EVERY day. 40,000 miles in the year and a half I've owned it, it darn well better have some dings.

 

[R. Laevinus]

Because a Saxophone is made of precious metals and the slightest dent can ruin the timbre of the instrument. Basses and guitars are hardy and take wear well.

Last time I checked, brass didn't qualify as a precious metal. Also, you'd be surprised at how much punishment a saxophone can take before it starts to go sour in a major way... but I still take very good care of my horn.


Okay guys, look: We all have different standards, and we're just going to have to agree to disagree.

IN. MY. OPINION. Turning around a whacking your headstock on a mike stand or a speaker or whatever qualifies as carelessness. I've only ever done that once. Ever since, I've been extremely watchful, and I always make sure to know where my headstock is in relation to objects in the room.

IN. MY. OPINION. Buckle rash qualifies as neglect. I have never had a problem with pulling my shirt down over my belt to prevent this.

IN. MY. OPINION. Sanding off the finish and leaving the wood bare qualifies as abuse. The finish is there for a reason, and you could at least slap some tung oil on there to seal the pores.

As I've said before, there is natural wear and there is abuse. I think we can all agree on that. Where the line falls, is different for every player. Rather than just going around in circles calling names, why don't we all just state where that line is for each of us, and then politely compare and contrast? We could even speculate or discuss why different people have different standards - like money issues, or the aesthetic of the genre we each work in, etc?

 

[El Jefe]

man you guys are going to hate me, i have a fairly new usa p, a 2009 nissan, and a tool box full of very expensive tools. I hardly clean any of them, ride them hard put away wet.....wanna bet who has more fun? im not slowing down to avoid damage and if something i've done is considered abuse....why would you care? as long as its not abusing people or animals.....lighten up!

 

[R. Laevinus]

man you guys are going to hate me, i have a fairly new usa p, a 2009 nissan, and a tool box full of very expensive tools. I hardly clean any of them, ride them hard put away wet.....wanna bet who has more fun? im not slowing down to avoid damage and if something i've done is considered abuse....why would you care? as long as its not abusing people or animals.....lighten up!

Excellent point. I don't.

Wasn't the original theme of this thread about buying stuff?

Would I buy your tools? No, probably not. Do I give a rat's rear that you - IN. MY. OPINION. - abuse them? No, not really.

 

[Pullman?]

As I've said before, there is natural wear and there is abuse. I think we can all agree on that. Where the line falls, is different for every player. Rather than just going around in circles calling names, why don't we all just state where that line is for each of us, and then politely compare and contrast? We could even speculate or discuss why different people have different standards - like money issues, or the aesthetic of the genre we each work in, etc?

I quite enjoy the idea of stating wear the line falls. For me abuse is massive carelessness, leaving it out in the rain is a no no. Buckle rash, a ding on the headstock and pic scratches are acceptable. I don't want to be paranoid about my bass when I play out, so it gets a smack on the head once in a while, could I have avoided it? Probably, but for the venues that I play, where its cramped and dark, I would have to stand stock still to avoid it. To me thats not a show. Mind you I play a 87 rick thats seen its fair share of use, if I had a boutique bass it would solely be for in the house, to me thats not the point of owing any instrument. Every thing is subject to wear and tear I wont do anything to speed that along, but I also wont lose my head when it happens. So judge me for having an entire rig that is older than I am. Its my gear and love it with the same ferocity that anybody else on this forum loves theirs. To say that I disrespect it because I don't treat it the same as somebody else is awfully holier-than-thou.

That last part was not directed at anyone, just the overall feeling i get from this thread.

 

[Korladis]

First off, I am not attacking anyone, it's the other way round, but who cares.

Second, do you actually read before posting?
I said normal wear is unavoidable. As long as you keep the instrument clean and in perfect working condition is all that you can really do - to what extend, it depends on the person & budget. I would change old rusty hardware, replace worn out input jack, or even get the bass repainted if the finish becomes too tarnished - but that's just me.
I wouldn't buy a beat up instrument no matter how good it would sound, but - again - that's just me; I'm not saying that everyone should do the same, it's just my personal preference.

BUT like I previously said: some "scars" can be avoided; if you're wearing the bass at waist lvl, the audience won't see your huge metal buckle - so why the heck would you use such a belt? Just to scratch the back of your bass? And that's just an example. Again: normal wear is to be expected even on the most loved instruments, but eveything else is a no no. No matter how you try to justify it, the rest it's just instrument abuse.

You said that bassists who play beat up instruments have no self-respect.

That is an attack on the character of everyone who plays a well-worn instrument. I'm not sure how you can possibly fail to see that saying people have no self-respect would be interpreted as an insult to their character. It's a pretty serious thing to say.

If you saw me playing the guitar, because you have this really judgmental opinion of other musicians, I think you'd probably assume that I beat it up, just based on its appearance. I got it really cheap and in terms of functionality, fixed it up. However, I'm not made of money, and could never afford to really do anything about the appearance except slap some cheap stickers over the cigarette burns and beer can stains.

You're making huge assumptions about, of all things, other people's self respect because of the appearance of pieces of wood and metal. I don't wear a big huge belt buckle, as I don't wear my shirts tucked in when playing, so what's the point? But if other people do, maybe some guy in a country band or something, who am I, and who are you to judge his look?

 

[IngerAlb]

Being truthful and tactful are not one and the same. Look at it this way, if I came up to you and said that your car was a piece of crap compared to mine I might be telling the truth. That doesn't mean I had to say it. Thats obviously going to start some bad blood between us.

If you would come up to me saying my car is crap compared to yours because you drive a Lambo while I drive a Kia or a Kyundai then it would be uncalled and silly; telling me the same thing because we drive the same brand car, but mine is covered in rust and dings while yours looks top notch would only be the truth - why would I get mad about it?

If someone asks me "hey, does my bass looks cool or what" - and it looks like crap - I'd say just that to the guy instead of something nice and pleasant so I won't hurt his feelings. When you ask for an honest opinion, you'd better be prepared to handle the truth.

I have my reasons as to why I prefer my instruments to look brand new as much as possible, even after consistent playing; the same way others prefer beat up basses, relics, etc. I don't go around pointing fingers, but I will voice my opinion if someone asks for it. Which is pretty much what this topic is about - I only said WHY I'd never let a bass degrade to a beat up condition. I couldn't care less if other people do the same or whether they agree or not.

 

[Korladis]

I don't know - you tell me! I've simply presented my opinion and for that I got flamed and labelled (now apparently I'm also a troll...wow!)...who's passing judgement around here?

I avoided touchy subjects as the relic-ing on purpose, precisely not to fuel the fire and I've tried to stay on topic, but for some reason ppl don't like when someone is telling the truth to their face and prefer to start a flame war only because a guy they've never met thinks a beat up bass covered with scratches shows no character but signs of abuse.

You think you've been flamed? Please. You said other people, who played beat-up instruments, had no self-respect. That's incredibly insulting.

You shared your highly judgmental opinion, and other people told you exactly what they thought of it. If you don't want others to vocally criticize your opinion, don't put it out there.

 

[IngerAlb]

If you saw me playing the guitar, because you have this really judgmental opinion of other musicians, I think you'd probably assume that I beat it up, just based on its appearance. I got it really cheap and in terms of functionality, fixed it up. However, I'm not made of money, and could never afford to really do anything about the appearance except slap some cheap stickers over the cigarette burns and beer can stains.

There are a lot of topics on forums about DYI refinishing projects; people seem able to obtain outstanding results with little money (and a lot of work). Maybe using a can of spray on a bass won't look as good as a factory finish, but it will certainly look better than a bass covered in scratches and dings - and it WILL PROTECT THE WOOD from external factors - which is precisely why the manufacturers use some sort of finish on a bass.

I appreciate a DYI finish - even far from perfect - simply because it shows the owner cares for his instrument. Ok, maybe he can't afford to pay for a pro job, but at least he tried to do something about it instead of letting that bass degrade even more.

The guys who dedicate their time to bring old beat up instruments to life by cleaning them up, refinishing them and replacing faulty parts deserve a medal.

 

[Korladis]

Well, I'm not a hero. Besides, the wood on this guitar (it's a guitar, not a bass, the finishes on all my basses are fine, even if there are some scratches) isn't showing. The primer is in spots.

I'm also no good with a paint spray can. Plus, the body finish is flat black, while the neck is bright yellow (I have considered sanding off the yellow paint on the neck and refinishing it black, but time and money... when I have one, I don't have the other). I have things much more vital to worry about, especially when it comes to money, than some scratches on a guitar.

 

[IngerAlb]

Well, I'm not a hero. Besides, the wood on this guitar (it's a guitar, not a bass, the finishes on all my basses are fine, even if there are some scratches) isn't showing. The primer is in spots.

I'm also no good with a paint spray can. Plus, the body finish is flat black, while the neck is bright yellow (I have considered sanding off the yellow paint on the neck and refinishing it black, but time and money... when I have one, I don't have the other). I have things much more vital to worry about, especially when it comes to money, than some scratches on a guitar.

Then simply learn not to take to heart third party opinions

I'm not that good with a spray can either - that's part of the reason why I try to keep my instruments in mint condition: I know my limits and if I can't fix something, I try not to break it in the first place.

 

[Jason P Bass]

The way you take care of your bass says a lot about you; IMO the ppl that don't care about their gear and think it's cool to have dings and scratches on their basses don't respect themselves.

Just my opinion...

ORLY?


Jaco
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Eddie

Eric
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Willie

Paul Simonen

And lastly, this miserable, self loathing guy needs no introduction.
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Stop feeding the trolls.

 

[Korladis]

I don't consider it "broken." It has some scratches in the paint. Nothing that affects the functionality at all.

Maybe you should try to evaluate other musicians on their playing and sound instead of how shiny their hammers are.

 

[Delta_Petra]

How about this. A ratchet in bad shape will perform poorly, a bass with buckle rash (which has been pointed out as abuse) will perform just the same. I imagine it takes a monumental amount of buckle rash abuse to actually affect the bass.

+1 ^This is what I was talking about.

 

[dj150888]

Crickey, IngerAlb. While I get the point you're making, the extrapolations you make from that point are mind blowing. Ever been tested for OCD?