Bass pet peeves

[Rocky]

+1 on relic'd basses, the acid-washed and artfully kneehole-ripped jeans of the instrument world. I'd be embarrassed to own something that pretends to have honestly earned mojo. No better than fake antiques IMHO.

I recently asked someone else this question, but I'll ask you too.
Do you only buy new instruments? If you buy used you didn't break that guitar in. You don't know its real history, and so are you now embarresed because you didn't earn the mojo? How is a relic any different? If I buy a vintage bass I didn't cause any of that wear.. Does that make me a poser?

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

So I take it you only buy brand new guitars? I mean you didn't put any of the wear on the used instruments you bought so how is buying a relic any different?

"Replicing" is damaging a musical instrument, on purpose, for the sake of appearances. I almost always buy used gear, but only used gear that has been well cared for.

I recently asked someone else this question, but I'll ask you too.
Do you only buy new instruments? If you buy used you didn't break that guitar in. You don't know its real history, and so are you now embarresed because you didn't earn the mojo? How is a relic any different? If I buy a vintage bass I didn't cause any of that wear.. Does that make me a poser?

"Mojo" is a myth. Either the instrument was taken care of or it was not. I don't care to own any instrument that's beat up.

 

[Rocky]

"Replicing" is damaging a musical instrument, on purpose, for the sake of appearances. I almost always buy used gear, but only used gear that has been well cared for.



"Mojo" is a myth. Either the instrument was taken care of or it was not. I don't care to own any instrument that's beat up.

"Mojo" to me is the way an instrument feels in my hands, and somehow inspires me to play beyond my normal level. Whatever you want to call it many think old beat up basses look cool, and if a relic is done well it feels good too.. Kinda like an old pair of slippers, or riding in an old cadillac convertible..
I think there is a saying that bikers use that applies here... " if I have to explain it to you, you wouldn't understand".

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I recently asked someone else this question, but I'll ask you too.
Do you only buy new instruments? If you buy used you didn't break that guitar in. You don't know its real history, and so are you now embarresed because you didn't earn the mojo? How is a relic any different? If I buy a vintage bass I didn't cause any of that wear.. Does that make me a poser?

"Mojo" to me is the way an instrument feels in my hands, and somehow inspires me to play beyond my normal level. Whatever you want to call it many think old beat up basses look cool, and if a relic is done well it feels good too.. Kinda like an old pair of slippers, or riding in an old cadillac convertible..

A nice old Caddy isn't damaged on purpose - it's a nice old caddy.

And abusing the finish of an instrument is not the equal of breaking in a pear of slippers. It's like ripping up the outsides of the slippers so that they look old.

For electric instruments, there's really very little "break in" happening - particularly with modern neck finishes; I remember taking steel-wool to the back of a new Fender just to get rid of that slippery gloss finish - no longer needed!

But if a person likes the aesthetics of a damaged instrument, that's their choice - but let's all call it what it is: Damage.

 

[bholder]

Dead spots

Stop talking about my favorite bar like that!

 

[Mr. Sound]

OH!... well, Rickenbacker leaves some room for 'peeve'... hard edges wear quickly, pickup covers are odd, under the pickguard lives a spaghetti-monster, they are tough to set up, and most maintenance is a bigger-than-necessary undertaking.
Maybe my peeve is that I love my Ric!!

How could you not love your Ric?..worth all the peeves!!!

 

[radioface]

If I purchase a used bass, it's because it looks as good as a new bass. Any wear on my basses, I put it there. I wouldn't spend hard earned dollars for an artificially reliced bass when I can have a shiny new bass for the same money. If one wants that broken in feel in a bass, play the hell out of it and it'll wear in.

 

[Rocky]

A nice old Caddy isn't damaged on purpose - it's a nice old caddy.

And abusing the finish of an instrument is not the equal of breaking in a pear of slippers. It's like ripping up the outsides of the slippers so that they look old.

For electric instruments, there's really very little "break in" happening - particularly with modern neck finishes; I remember taking steel-wool to the back of a new Fender just to get rid of that slippery gloss finish - no longer needed!

But if a person likes the aesthetics of a damaged instrument, that's their choice - but let's all call it what it is: Damage.

The caddy reference was my analogy for mojo.. I don't consider damage mojo, and I'm not saying or do I think the visual esthetic is mojo. Those scars on an old bass are damage thats true.. I never meant to imply they weren't, but if it makes a player happy no foul right?
I do think its kinda funny that so many are so passionate about thier hatred of relics because of the "fake damage"that the player didn't earn, but many will buy an old beat up bass with just as much damage that they didn't earn.

 

[Bodeanly]

My only pet peeve is that this thread didn't exist until now.

 

[Rocky]

If I purchase a used bass, it's because it looks as good as a new bass. Any wear on my basses, I put it there. I wouldn't spend hard earned dollars for an artificially reliced bass when I can have a shiny new bass for the same money. If one wants that broken in feel in a bass, play the hell out of it and it'll wear in.

Thats cool.. Im playing a new Stingray , and like you I love the look of a new bass, and I was really bummed when I first damaged my 58RI, but to late now.
However I also love the look, and feel of old well played instruments, and have played some awesome relics that one would be hard pressed to tell the difference FEEL wise..
I understand you only buy used in new condition, but would you consider a player who buys an old bass lets say a 64 P bass that is really beat up a poser as they did not cause that damage and wear? If not, whats the difference between that an a player that buys a relic?

 

[Rockbobmel]

I see I'm not alone here. I wouldn't be opposed to buying a used instrument that has "mojo" or really feels nice, whether it is worn or shiny. I would gravitate to the cleaner instrument first. If the worn instrument was worn in naturally would be interesting, but it would need work because it was maybe neglected and not be in "new beat up condition"

"but many will buy an old beat up bass with just as much damage that they didn't earn."

I don't care if I put the wear or someone else did. I just don't want the factory or Luthier to put it there.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

The caddy reference was my analogy for mojo.. I don't consider damage mojo, and I'm not saying or do I think the visual esthetic is mojo. Those scars on an old bass are damage thats true.. I never meant to imply they weren't, but if it makes a player happy no foul right?
I do think its kinda funny that so many are so passionate about thier hatred of relics because of the "fake damage"that the player didn't earn, but many will buy an old beat up bass with just as much damage that they didn't earn.

I get it - but I'm also one of those guys who has never bought an old beat-up bass. Perhaps I've never played one that spoke to me. I recall *very clearly* going up to Voltage Music in Hollywood maybe...20 years ago? and looking at a bunch of mid '60s J basses (I was in the market). The were in a range of condition - a few thrashed, a few in good shape and the rest in the middle) - not a one "spoke" to me. And I've had that moment, many times, when an instrument just felt "right" - but none of these mojo-filled basses did. I think, in part, because I take care of my stuff and it bugs me to see gear that is abused. I'm funny that way. But to each his own - this thread should not devolve into yet another 'relic vs non-relic' things.

 

[3rdWatch]

My pet peeve is walking past my basses hanging on the wall really wanting to play on my way out the door to go to work! Arrgh, and getting home so worked I can't muster the same unction...

 

[squirefan]

Dead strings on secondhand basses you want to buy

OTOH, people who use 'has brand new strings' as a selling point...umm, probably not the ones I use! I can pretty much tell if it will suit me, regardless of what strings are on it.

 

[radioface]

Another pet peeve is basses with poor access into the upper positions on the neck. If a bass has 20,21,22,24, or more frets or positions on a fretless, I'd like to be able to reach every last one comfortably. I would also like to see a greater variety of fretless basses and eubs offered. Another pet peeve, and this one is aimed at Bass Central, don't show me basses you have already sold. If I can't buy a bass that someone now owns, then why show it? Bragging?

 

[jim nolte]

I just watched that again last night. The sound perfectly matched what was being done on stage. Rick Danko has a weird way of playing; he can make easy stuff look hard, and hard stuff look easy. Awesome bassist, and an awesome singer as well.

I don't know why yours sounded awful.

most of the Last Waltz was overdubbed except for the drums. They even had to do an artist airbrush on Neil Youngs' nose , had a huge coke ball hanging out of it. Jim

 

[Rocky]

I get it - but I'm also one of those guys who has never bought an old beat-up bass. Perhaps I've never played one that spoke to me. I recall *very clearly* going up to Voltage Music in Hollywood maybe...20 years ago? and looking at a bunch of mid '60s J basses (I was in the market). The were in a range of condition - a few thrashed, a few in good shape and the rest in the middle) - not a one "spoke" to me. And I've had that moment, many times, when an instrument just felt "right" - but none of these mojo-filled basses did. I think, in part, because I take care of my stuff and it bugs me to see gear that is abused. I'm funny that way. But to each his own - this thread should not devolve into yet another 'relic vs non-relic' things.

I use to live on Gardner and Sunset back in the late 80's so I know the place your talking about. I use to go there, and play all kinds of basses, and I agree that just because its old doesn't mean its good. However, I did find more than a few that I would have loved to own.. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford them then either..

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I use to live on Gardner and Sunset back in the late 80's so I know the place your talking about. I use to go there, and play all kinds of basses, and I agree that just because its old doesn't mean its good. However, I did find more than a few that I would have loved to own.. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford them then either..

Yeah, even the very thoroughly CBS examples were too much money for me.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

most of the Last Waltz was overdubbed except for the drums. They even had to do an artist airbrush on Neil Youngs' nose , had a huge coke ball hanging out of it. Jim

Funny - just watched that (again) too, last week. I saw it in theater on a "first date" when I was 16!!

Anyway - I was really underwhelmed by almost all of the playing *except* Levon Helm. Man, that guy could play. The rest? Meh.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

OTOH, people who use 'has brand new strings' as a selling point...umm, probably not the ones I use! I can pretty much tell if it will suit me, regardless of what strings are on it.

Yeah, but how can you tell how a bass *really sounds* if the strings are completely dead?