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"Mojo" vs "Scratched up-abused"

#21
I'd like to see the mojo jive carried over into the used car industry.

Look at this classic! A '73 Monte Carlo. Dented hood, rusted quarter panels, missing side view mirror, ripped up seats, prisma covered instrument panel, transmission in the trunk...if this car could only talk, the stories it could tell. $8,000
 
#23
GlennW said:
I'd like to see the mojo jive carried over into the used car industry.

Look at this classic! A '73 Monte Carlo. Dented hood, rusted quarter panels, missing side view mirror, ripped up seats, prisma covered instrument panel, transmission in the trunk...if this car could only talk, the stories it could tell. $8,000
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It has to an extent. Rat Rods. Just not the hand built ones, the ones that still run and people drive all rusty and worn out(complete with torn up interiors). If we start applying this to all used/old cars then my BMW has TONS of mojo :hiding:


AaronVonRock said:
Ha! Good one.

So does "road worn" mean "fashionably scratched up/abused at the factory"? Kind of like pre-ripped jeans?
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Ya, pretty much.
 
#25
IMO, “mojo” is wear from normal use.

The damage caused by other incidences may be mojo for the person who encountered those instances, because they’re part of his history, but not mojo to me because I they don’t represent any story or history of mine.

Personally, I don’t want anybody else’s mojo of any kind, but as clean an instrument as possible.
 
#27
There is a guy on Ebay who sells what appear to be quality vintage style bodies that he has given the relic treatment to. I think he does very good work. They are truly beautiful bass bodies and seem to sell well. I think it is an attractive look and may work well for someone who is trying to project a vintage image, maybe someone who plays Americana.

I like the way they look, and I would buy them. (no affiliation)
 
#29
I am not a fan of intentional relicing of a bass at all. There is no mojo in that.

Mojo to me is more of how the bass inspires you and how you as a musician make it speak. I find my playing style changes a little depending on which bass I play. Also mojo has a lot to do with the memories associated with an instrument.

My main bass has a lot of road wear and tear. I look at it and think of the gigs and places where it all happened. Every scratch has a story behind it, and most of the time the damage to my instrument is only a small part of a much better memory.

My daughter recently knocked over one of my basses from it's stand and it's tuning peg nicked the finish on a new bass I had hanging on the wall behind it. She thought I was going to be really mad at her, but I wasn't, because now that bass has a story too.
 
#33
Halvorsen said:
I am not a fan of intentional relicing of a bass at all. There is no mojo in that.

Mojo to me is more of how the bass inspires you and how you as a musician make it speak. I find my playing style changes a little depending on which bass I play. Also mojo has a lot to do with the memories associated with an instrument.

My main bass has a lot of road wear and tear. I look at it and think of the gigs and places where it all happened. Every scratch has a story behind it, and most of the time the damage to my instrument is only a small part of a much better memory.

My daughter recently knocked over one of my basses from it's stand and it's tuning peg nicked the finish on a new bass I had hanging on the wall behind it. She thought I was going to be really mad at her, but I wasn't, because now that bass has a story too.
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I agree with this perspective, but I have to admit, that some of the intentionally reliced basses out there look really good. Relicing is an art for some.

But a long relationship with an instrument is a satisfying thing.
 
#34
Marko5657 said:
IMO, “mojo” is wear from normal use.

The damage caused by other incidences may be mojo for the person who encountered those instances, because they’re part of his history, but not mojo to me because I they don’t represent any story or history of mine.

Personally, I don’t want anybody else’s mojo of any kind, but as clean an instrument as possible.
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Well, yes, I can dig that, but I'd also take Willie Nelson's guitar with the hole worn through it from playing for my museum as the ultimate expression of mojo. So yeah, the person behind the mojo is important. If it's me, that's cool because I know the "story" behind every scratch and ding. But on the other hand mojo on a celebrity instrument also has interest to me because I'm interested in their story and as you already noted it's history. Now a worn instrument from Joe schmo down the street may have "history" for him, but it's of no interest to me.
 
#35
spade2you said:
Explain to me how belt buckle rash enhances anything?
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On the one hand, buckle rash hurts resale value. And some don't like the look.

OTOH, for those who don't care about resale value there is no harm, and a very nice benefit is not having to stress about and/or take measures to prevent wear in a location that nobody else will see (usually). And for those who like the broken-in look, buckle rash becomes an enhancement.
 
#36
Isotonic said:
I have to admit, that some of the intentionally reliced basses out there look really good. Relicing is an art for some.
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Some "natural" wear looks horrible. Some relic wear looks as good as the best natural wear.



Isotonic said:
But a long relationship with an instrument is a satisfying thing.
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Sure, a long relationship with an instrument is highly satisfying. I had some beloved basses with war wounds that (in some cases) told interesting stories. However in Y2K I switched from four string to five, and sold my fours because I don't keep gear for sentimental reasons alone. My #1 fiver is somewhat broken in, but very high on my GAS list is a well-reliced fiver.

I hate those first dings, inevitable as they may be. I just got a nice boutique bass and hate worrying about taking it to bar gigs, I just wanna play the damn thing. To me, a huge advantage to worn instruments (natural or otherwise) is being free of stressing over light wear that can happen for many different reasons.
 
#37
most of you are DEAD WRONG!!!:rollno:

mojo is NOT a look,... it's a vibe, an attraction to an instrument. like when a girl is irresistible,.. she can be said to have "put a mojo on you"! a couple of you got it right, though. it's a word that came from Voodoo culture,.. MOJO= SPELL

this is the problem with the internet,.. some dude coins a phrase out of context,.. it goes viral,... now half of the world is confused... :bawl:

if you think Mojo means wear you have to associate that wear to an event. you then associate that event to the reason that bass exsists in your world,... it's because you are draw to that instrument more so than another, thus it is prone to more wear BECAUSE IT HAS,.... (say it with me, class,..... MUTHA F-N MOJO!!!!!:ninja:
 
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#38
I'm not in to beat up basses unless they play and sound exceptionally good. I would rather have a vintage bass that was well cared for but still shows its age by the inevitable bangs, dings and wear that come with using an instrument.
I really think that more finish damage on my 69 jazz occurred in the case than outside it - those old cases really didn't offer all that much protection! It has lots of wear marks too, especially the neck, but still looks very good. To me, this bass has mojo.
 
#39
I don't have much opinion about "mojo" and I think deliberate relicing is a little silly. But, ex-wife ax gashes on a bass body are just flat cool. There's no way I would fix anything like that. The bass should wear it like a badge of honor.
 

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