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Buying a road worn bass
- Thread starter msaone
- Start date
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
+1 Well said I know folks with vintage instruments they play regularly that don't look beat up because they take care of them.
Unfortunately no. There are a few other people who are stealth trolls or genuine slow.
What if you buy a used bass someone else wore in? Does that make you a poseur, unworthy of using an instrument someone else has 'earned the Mojo on?
The argument doesn't stand up.
It has nothing to do with with impersonating the military in any way, shape, or form, either, by any stretch of the imagination or tenuous connection to a spurious argument.
Get real, my friends.
The argument doesn't stand up.
It has nothing to do with with impersonating the military in any way, shape, or form, either, by any stretch of the imagination or tenuous connection to a spurious argument.
Get real, my friends.
well. for me its feel and tone. mine isnt that reliced either. great neck, body, hardware, pickup, frets etc. lovely sound.
Add to this "sound great and are pretty much dead-on pre CBS in feel" (yes, true) and we really are done here. Again. Unless you are trolling, in which case, sorry I posted.
EDIT: to stress a point, my RW P is 7.6 lbs = not just light, but really honkin' light.
I own some pretty great basses that would be considered by most "boutique" and my favorite bass to play is my Bluesman Vintage J bass. Plus, I think it looks awesome, so awesome in fact that I ordered another one with even more aging...
The reasons for buying pants without holes don't seem logically applicable to pre-worn basses.
(you can't wear them to work, and in winter your junk freezes somethin' awful)
To the OP: Have you played one of the Road Worn basses?
I was very skeptical about the whole Road Worn thing. That is, until I attended a Fender in-store event. I got to hear someone else demo a Road Worn Jazz bass, and also had a good chat with one of the Fender rep's in attendance.
As it's been stated elsewhere in the thread, Nitrocellulose lacquer finished instruments are somewhat expensive. Prior to the release of the Road Worn series, your only hope for a nitro finished Fender was to own a vintage instrument, or a reissue. The previous range of American Vintage Reissues would sell for a minimum of $1200 new. And the new series of Fender vintage reissues are significantly more expensive than that. When the Fender Road Worn instruments came to market, they sold for well under $1000.
Nitro wears far more differently than a Poly finish. And since it isn't quite sealed, as a poly finish is, the wood can breathe more and over time it will dry out more. This is one of the key features of a vintage instrument. Many people marvel over just how light a vintage bass feels, and that's largely because the nitro finish doesn't serve as a moisture barrier and the instrument dries out even more than when the wood was initially milled.
The Fender reps also let on that the wood used in these Road Worn instruments is different from standard Fender Mexican made instruments. It's reportedly a higher grade of wood. And there has been widespread speculation that Fender is kiln drying the wood to a degree that is comparable to an instrument that has been naturally aging for some 40+ years. Further speculation is that a dryer piece of wood is more resonant than a less seasoned piece of lumber.
As for the performance of the instruments? Many people who have tried Fender Road Worns have regarded them as the best instruments to come out of the Mexican production facility. That may be due to the fact that a good deal of the production team that works on the Road Worn series was trained personally by staff from the Fender Custom Shop.
When I first played a Road Worn bass, I was shocked. I was apprehensive about the concept. But the neck felt so natural in my left hand that it was remarkable. And the tone was fantastic. I was convinced, and eventually I got a Road Worn Jazz of my own.
If you're not into a relic finish? Then don't buy one. You have a choice in the matter. But focusing on the relic aesthetic and not the playability and tone is frankly short-sighted.
Try one. Feel that neck in your hand. And listen to the sound of the instrument. Don't listen with your eyes.
I was very skeptical about the whole Road Worn thing. That is, until I attended a Fender in-store event. I got to hear someone else demo a Road Worn Jazz bass, and also had a good chat with one of the Fender rep's in attendance.
As it's been stated elsewhere in the thread, Nitrocellulose lacquer finished instruments are somewhat expensive. Prior to the release of the Road Worn series, your only hope for a nitro finished Fender was to own a vintage instrument, or a reissue. The previous range of American Vintage Reissues would sell for a minimum of $1200 new. And the new series of Fender vintage reissues are significantly more expensive than that. When the Fender Road Worn instruments came to market, they sold for well under $1000.
Nitro wears far more differently than a Poly finish. And since it isn't quite sealed, as a poly finish is, the wood can breathe more and over time it will dry out more. This is one of the key features of a vintage instrument. Many people marvel over just how light a vintage bass feels, and that's largely because the nitro finish doesn't serve as a moisture barrier and the instrument dries out even more than when the wood was initially milled.
The Fender reps also let on that the wood used in these Road Worn instruments is different from standard Fender Mexican made instruments. It's reportedly a higher grade of wood. And there has been widespread speculation that Fender is kiln drying the wood to a degree that is comparable to an instrument that has been naturally aging for some 40+ years. Further speculation is that a dryer piece of wood is more resonant than a less seasoned piece of lumber.
As for the performance of the instruments? Many people who have tried Fender Road Worns have regarded them as the best instruments to come out of the Mexican production facility. That may be due to the fact that a good deal of the production team that works on the Road Worn series was trained personally by staff from the Fender Custom Shop.
When I first played a Road Worn bass, I was shocked. I was apprehensive about the concept. But the neck felt so natural in my left hand that it was remarkable. And the tone was fantastic. I was convinced, and eventually I got a Road Worn Jazz of my own.
If you're not into a relic finish? Then don't buy one. You have a choice in the matter. But focusing on the relic aesthetic and not the playability and tone is frankly short-sighted.
Try one. Feel that neck in your hand. And listen to the sound of the instrument. Don't listen with your eyes.
So - for those of you that don't like Road Worn basses - What do you propose?
Maybe you should try to make them illegal. Seriously - if you feel that strongly about it.
I mean - come on now - it is at least as serious as impersonating a police officer - maybe worse!
Or - maybe you could keep your biased opinion to yourself and leave those of us who enjoy aged and reliced instruments alone.
Maybe you should try to make them illegal. Seriously - if you feel that strongly about it.
I mean - come on now - it is at least as serious as impersonating a police officer - maybe worse!
Or - maybe you could keep your biased opinion to yourself and leave those of us who enjoy aged and reliced instruments alone.
Christ! I just asked a question. Forgive me for not reading every thread since the inception of this board.
I didn't knock anyone, I asked a question.
I didn't knock anyone, I asked a question.
I guess it depends on how she sounds and feels in my hands!
I have a roadworn Jazz, bought it cuz I like how it sounds and how it plays. The wear wasn't really a plus or minus for me.
lol - we covered that one too. Basically if they are "clean" and have all of their teeth - Road Worn women are fantastic!
Here is a piece that we just added to our dining room - it is brand new. We like to pose with it!
I tried to ignore this post, but somehow couldn't skirt the issue you bring up here....
