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Rip Topaz

Rip Topaz

Aug 12, 2005
8,664
918
Willow Street, PA
#1
I know this has been beaten to death, but I did a search and didn't find what I was looking for. Also asked at TDPRI and got a "less than friendly" response.

I just picked up a 60th Anniversary P-bass from another TBer, and it has the Fender "thin skin" lacquer finish.

I don't want to relic it, just kinda nudge the nitro on its way as far as yellowing is concerned. No dings or dents, just age the nitro a hair. I don't figure on living another 30 years for it to happen naturally.

I've been leaving it near a window that gets some sun the last couple of days, but I'm expecting doing this won't have a very pronounced effect.

I've heard of putting the bass in a tanning bed, but aside from all the oils and crap that are probably in the local beds from people using them for their intended purpose, I'm honestly undoubted as to whether I'd be allowed to put a bass in there.

Anyone have any suggestions?
 
#2
UV will help, you can use blacklight to up the UV or Grow lights, but it's a long process no matter. I have heard some very weird ideas such as putting it in a light box with cigarettes smoldering, using smokers, tanning oil, etc...LOL People have tried so many different ideas, yet in all these years, nobody has found the grail to aging Nitro other than time.

Just an idea, build a few basses, sell them for $1500 each, take the money and buy a 70's Fender....voila...aging done....LOL yeah, yeah....bad quip but in reality, it's the best way to get an aged Fender;)
 
#3
Lol. That's how I ended up with this one!!

Smoke is out. I quit smoking in September of last year. I don't want my bass smelling like that. Gross.

So I guess my plan is to pick up a UV (or backlight) and keep it shining on the bass while I'm not playing it. And of course, I WILL be playing the crap out of it.
 
#4
My father uses a homemade UV (not blacklight) light box for eczema treatments on his hands (Phototherapy), you can only keep your skin in those lights for a very short period. he made the box out of cardboard, so I'd imagine that you could make a box the size of the body.
UVA and UVB radiation should help age it, although it may need to be immersed for a while.
 
#5
Thanks. I can't say for sure how much time it would get under the lights, though, because I can't stop playing it for very long!!

The finish on these basses is the same thin skin lacquer that Fender uses on the Highway Ones, but this is buffed out to a gloss finish instead of matte.

Maybe my best bet is to just continue what I've been doing, which is to leave it open in the case near a window while it's not being played.
 
#6
The laquer on the parts P that I have has yellowed pretty well in under a year. Sweat from gigs (and I suspect a certain club that uses too much fog machine), an outdoor gig or two, lots of intense practices (I sweat a lot) and sitting on a stand in my room that has sunlight in it pretty much all day and where incense are occasionally burnt have given the clear coats that aged yellow look.

But my P is a surf greenish color with acrylic lacquer, so it may be slightly different in your case.

I'll have to get a pic of the bass with the pickguard off sometime:P
 

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