Buttoned-down shirts and glossy finishes?

[lordradish]

Hey folks....

I've mostly played satin/oil finishes for most of my life, which tend to hide blemishes, but this year I picked up two brand-new Stingray 5HH's, with glossy finishes. I mostly play in a jazz trio lately, and dress a bit nicer than I would on a dive bar gig, and that means a buttoned-down shirt. I really don't want to scratch the hell out of those basses. Any tips? Just get polo shirts? What do y'all do if you don't want to scratch up your basses (I know there's also people who don't care about that, and that's fine, too - that's not me, though).

 

[jeffb28451]

I thought I was the only one that thought about that. Yes, Polos…all the time. If I had a gig that would let me afford a Pat Wilkins refin, I’d be happy to dress like Robert Palmer.

 

[spiritbass]

As long as the buttons are plastic, they shouldn't scratch the finish (all of my instruments are gloss-finished). One trick I always use is to move my belt buckle around to my left hip to avoid 'buckle rash'. It's so easy to prevent...

 

[lordradish]

As long as the buttons are plastic, they shouldn't scratch the finish (all of my instruments are gloss-finished). One trick I always use is to move my belt buckle around to my left hip to avoid 'buckle rash'. It's so easy to prevent...

Thankfully I figured that one out a long time ago, no buckle rash!

 

[tb-player]

Two things I don't do... button-down shirts and glossy finishes.

Problem solved.

 

[jd56hawk]

Hey folks....

I've mostly played satin/oil finishes for most of my life, which tend to hide blemishes, but this year I picked up two brand-new Stingray 5HH's, with glossy finishes. I mostly play in a jazz trio lately, and dress a bit nicer than I would on a dive bar gig, and that means a buttoned-down shirt. I really don't want to scratch the hell out of those basses. Any tips? Just get polo shirts? What do y'all do if you don't want to scratch up your basses (I know there's also people who don't care about that, and that's fine, too - that's not me, though).

Dress shirts with hidden buttons.

 

[MotorCityMinion]

Go all out with a tie. Plenty of cool ones out there.

 

[WayneP]

Thankfully I figured that one out a long time ago, no buckle rash!

+1! Been doing that since the early 1980s!

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

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[monsterthompson]

Go all out with a tie. Plenty of cool ones out there.

 

[chuck1073]

Most basses these days have a poly finish that's pretty tough. I'm sure your Music Man basses fall into that category. I do like the "tie idea" above. Especially for a jazz gig.

 

[Killing Floor]

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Are you sure the buttons are scratching the finish? If they’re the usual plastic, I don’t think they’re hard enough to do that to most poly finishes.

 

[Altitude]

I thought I was the only one that thought about that. Yes, Polos…all the time. If I had a gig that would let me afford a Pat Wilkins refin, I’d be happy to dress like Robert Palmer.

Actually Pat Wilkins mostly does matte.

 

[micguy]

Plastic shirt buttons aren't gonna cause issues. Your belt buckle is the real villain. I always buy tall shirts (I'm tall, but not ridiculously so, and the tail on my shirt protects the finish from the belt buckle. You need shirts that look decent untucked.

 

[five7]

I had a long sleeve cowboy shirt with snaps scratch my stealth bongo.

 

[Cleezmo]

I played my Modulus Q5 for several years in gig where I wore a button-up shirt. IME, plastic buttons won't scratch the finish, but will (after many, many gigs) leave some similar 'swirl marks' as you see on poly finishes from your fingernails. At least all of my basses have those fingernail swirl marks that you don't really see unless you put the light on it just right....

And definitely +1 on the belt-buckle-over-to-the-side rule!

 

[tindrum]

Tuxedo T shirt problem solved

 

[monsterthompson]

Tuxedo T shirt problem solved
View attachment 7039383

 

[musicmansf]

I find that jean rivets on the pocket seam are also a problem.

 

[Plain Old Barry]

You could put clear packing tape or paint protection wrap on the back and even wear studs. We use them on race car noses.

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