How have you gone about making your new bass looked worn in and beat up with out damaging it? I'd like to make my Jazz Bass look a lil more "road worn".
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Making a new bass look vintage?
- Thread starter DirtbagDan
- Start date
"Beat it up without damaging it..."
Okay, I've done my job of pointing out the oxymoron. Now, to the subject...
Do a forum search on "reliciing". This is a *very* controversial topic here, but if you are determined to bang up your axe, there are folks who have written some suggestions/guidelines as to how to do it best.
However... I suggest you not do it. Reselling an instrument that is beat up is never as easy as one one that is in good shape, and you *will* sell it. Trust me - we all do.
Okay, I've done my job of pointing out the oxymoron. Now, to the subject...
Do a forum search on "reliciing". This is a *very* controversial topic here, but if you are determined to bang up your axe, there are folks who have written some suggestions/guidelines as to how to do it best.
However... I suggest you not do it. Reselling an instrument that is beat up is never as easy as one one that is in good shape, and you *will* sell it. Trust me - we all do.
john turner
You don't want to do that. Trust me.
since i'm catching this thread early, let me remind folks that any insulting comments toward the OP or toward relicing in general will incur harsh penalties. this is just a finish option, like red paint or clear coat.
if you cannot accept that, do not post here.
if you cannot accept that, do not post here.
Is your bass painted with nitro, or poly?
Nitro = old school, worn bass look
Poly = crackled finish, indestructible (compared to nitro).
Nitro = old school, worn bass look
Poly = crackled finish, indestructible (compared to nitro).
1. Take off neck and hardwear.
2. Drag body around back yard
3. ???
4. Profit!
Realistically that would probably give you the most authentic road worn look.
You can grind and sand back the finish in places where wear and tear would natrually occur, but to me this generally appears un-natrual.
Its also possible to get professional relicing jobs done.. but why pay someone to smash your bass around when you can have the fun yourself!
ive been looking at relicing one of my cheap old basses that i dont play much anymore, i think i might go with the 'drag around on the pavement' approach.
2. Drag body around back yard
3. ???
4. Profit!
Realistically that would probably give you the most authentic road worn look.
You can grind and sand back the finish in places where wear and tear would natrually occur, but to me this generally appears un-natrual.
Its also possible to get professional relicing jobs done.. but why pay someone to smash your bass around when you can have the fun yourself!
ive been looking at relicing one of my cheap old basses that i dont play much anymore, i think i might go with the 'drag around on the pavement' approach.
A good start would be to google "relic jazz bass" or "worn fender bass" or "old basses" or something relative and see if you can get an idea of how and where you want it reliced...the idea is to make it look realistic - not like you dragged it behind your car or burned it with a flamethrower (yeah, i've seen that too)
See how and where they're worn - some very little, all the way to extreme where the finish is missing in most parts of the bass
Also, yes, your bass's finish should be nitro if you want things to go smoothly - if it's poly it's going to be a tougher, not as natural looking process, and you'll probably actually want to strip the poly and refinish in nitro or have it done professionally.
Chances are, your bass is finished in poly, so you want to start with deciding the best way to take that off. I've heard a heat-gun works well, there's even some youtube videos of people doing this process.
See how and where they're worn - some very little, all the way to extreme where the finish is missing in most parts of the bass
Also, yes, your bass's finish should be nitro if you want things to go smoothly - if it's poly it's going to be a tougher, not as natural looking process, and you'll probably actually want to strip the poly and refinish in nitro or have it done professionally.
Chances are, your bass is finished in poly, so you want to start with deciding the best way to take that off. I've heard a heat-gun works well, there's even some youtube videos of people doing this process.
Relicing, IMHO is only successful when it's been done the "natural" way...playing the crap out of it for 30 years. However, I will say the Fender Road worn series does feel like it's the real deal. I would agree with everyone says about Nitro finishes. After having worn through a poly finish on a Squier Strat, Nitro seems like an easier way to go. All you have to do is use some laquer thinner...as opposed to sand paper...and a huge mess. Also, put the machine parts in a tumbler(like one of those rock ones) to give them that worn look. And age the plastic...somehow.
There are some videos on youtube on relicing too. You have to kind of sort through them though because it seems like there are more "joke" videos than actual instructional videos. Some folks use an acid bath for the metal parts and either actually soak them in the acid or just expose them to the vapors in a closed container. Be careful with any of the processes you use. Check out the Reranch site too for tips. There's a huge section in their forum about relicing.
I hope being the first to say IBTL isn't necessary.
I hope being the first to say IBTL isn't necessary.
As for plastic, mint green replacement plastic is available or, you can put some really strong, old coffee in a shallow pan and bake it at a fairly low temp for a while to darken it.
Another, not so pleasant way to do it, is to put your guitar in the corner of the room at your friend's house where his new dog pisses on it and it soaks through the gig bag leaving an unpleasant clean-up job that still won't come out of the plastic and ruins your gig-bag and makes you have to get new plastic because you can't get the uneven stain out of it. Don't ask me how I know.../rant
Another, not so pleasant way to do it, is to put your guitar in the corner of the room at your friend's house where his new dog pisses on it and it soaks through the gig bag leaving an unpleasant clean-up job that still won't come out of the plastic and ruins your gig-bag and makes you have to get new plastic because you can't get the uneven stain out of it. Don't ask me how I know.../rant
PM me your email address and I'll send you ibanezcollector's 70 page relicing tutorial PDF file. (that goes for anyone else who wants it too)
Its more information than you'd ever want to know about how to relic a guitar/bass...
Its more information than you'd ever want to know about how to relic a guitar/bass...
Taylor Livingston
Commercial User
I'm not sure what all the relicing controversy is about - to me, delicing has always been the goal. I'm sick of all this itching! Am I missing something here? 
I remember hearing how one member hung the body up and took handfulls of nails or screws and threw them at it to get a nice reliced look to it.
The best way to relic a bass is during a show. Go punk on it and slam it around the stage a few times, or do like Jimi and set it on fire during a solo. 
Or, just do what I did to my old 84 Fender P: I accidentally dropped it down the stairs from my apartment coming home from a jam.
Disaster for most basses, but this is an old school Fender P we're talking about; it gained a few body dings and cracks in the clear coat, but it didn't even knock it out of tune... 
Or, just do what I did to my old 84 Fender P: I accidentally dropped it down the stairs from my apartment coming home from a jam.
Disaster for most basses, but this is an old school Fender P we're talking about; it gained a few body dings and cracks in the clear coat, but it didn't even knock it out of tune... 
Just play it a lot and drop it. Never put it in a stand, let it fall a few times. Bouce it up and down. I did this to a MIM Telecaster and it looks really natural. I'm not a fan of the belt sanded look as I find it always looks phony. I think chips and bumps look a lot more natural.
Actually, to realistically age an instrument is a surprisingly delicate and careful process. Knowing when to 'stop' is the biggest challenge, as well as doing research and paying close attention to examples of what wear really looks like and where wear actually happens on REAL instruments.
There's quite a bit of decent information about it out on the internet if you search for it.
Throwing rocks and dragging the instrument around is a process I would encourage.
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There's quite a bit of decent information about it out on the internet if you search for it.
Throwing rocks and dragging the instrument around is a process I would encourage.
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If you want to be more careful with relicing the finish there are probably some techniques such as using a heat gun, sand paper etc that would work well. I dont know how effective coffee staining is on basses but i've done this alot in the past for film props...
Actually if you google breakdown, aging and distressing for film props im sure theres some good tips to be found on the net.
Obviously you would want to find some reference to use as a guide. Very important!
Have fun!
Actually if you google breakdown, aging and distressing for film props im sure theres some good tips to be found on the net.
Obviously you would want to find some reference to use as a guide. Very important!
Have fun!
