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My belt killed my ric :( Help needed!

#62
It's just mojo. That comes from being gigged. It will always happen sooner or later no matter how hard you try to avoid it. Now it's starting to get broken in. Some people here pay big bucks for a relic job. You got it started for free.

Here's the back of my '81 Ric 4003 (for sale in the classifieds, BTW) to make you feel better:

IMG_0774.jpg


It takes a while to get that much mojo though. :p
 
#63
Hey everyone! wow im totally shocked on how many people replied to my post! yeah im just gonna get some scratch x and do my best and just leave it be. that seems the best thing to do at this point. as for the scratches the worst ones are as close as you can to not being through the laquer. After all my bass wasnt necessarily perfect. almost all of my frets are cracking the binding :( i was set on repairing it this summer but work got in the way. but thanks to everyone who replied i read every page!
 
#64
boombap said:
Are you a player, collector, or both.

As a player, who cares about buckle rash on the back of your bass? That happens when you play it.

As a collector, you should have left it to rot on the wall and look pretty.

Other people neglecting my instruments is a different story. If I mark it up, oh well.

Yeah, relic your bass and then you can act like you play it a lot or at least disrespect and abuse it.
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RobertPaulson said:
Don't worry about it, basses are meant to be played. I'm always relieved after the first incident with a new bass, then I can stop worrying about it :D
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badstonebass said:
1. If you are worried about a few scratches you should have never played that bass.

2. If you are worried about an instrument you should never take it onstage.

3. Guitars are TOOLS to be USED and with that comes wear and tear.

4. If you guitars AREN'T getting banged up onstage you have no business being onstage

5. Buckle rash is a BADGE of HONOR

A guitar is like a new pickup. You worry about it until you scratch or dent the bed once. After that it's time to get a load of limestone. :D
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+1, get over it and play it, otherwise hang it on the wall and quit playing.
 
#65
Thrasher, are they just swirl marks? or are they deep scratches? depending on how bad the scratches are, you might be able to make them disappear yourself. I would buy a very nice carnuba wax. Apply the wax to the guitar continuously over a few months period of time. I would wax that back of the guitar every week. If the scratches aren't very bad, they should start to disappear over a short period of time. This method works particularly well on swirl marks.
 
#67
badstonebass said:
1. If you are worried about a few scratches you should have never played that bass.

2. If you are worried about an instrument you should never take it onstage.

3. Guitars are TOOLS to be USED and with that comes wear and tear.

4. If you guitars AREN'T getting banged up onstage you have no business being onstage

5. Buckle rash is a BADGE of HONOR

A guitar is like a new pickup. You worry about it until you scratch or dent the bed once. After that it's time to get a load of limestone. :D
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Sorry -- can't agree with #4 or #5. Banging up a guitar doesn't equate to musical talent or relevance. Having buckle rash means you're too lazy or too dumb to avoid it.
 
#70
bkk130 said:
Thrasher, are they just swirl marks? or are they deep scratches? depending on how bad the scratches are, you might be able to make them disappear yourself. I would buy a very nice carnuba wax. Apply the wax to the guitar continuously over a few months period of time. I would wax that back of the guitar every week. If the scratches aren't very bad, they should start to disappear over a short period of time. This method works particularly well on swirl marks.
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they are a bunch of mild almost elongated dents in the finish and a couple of deeper ones
 
#75
I've never understood the need for huge belt buckles...but maybe I'm just not "hip". I think by using the word "hip" just now, I proved that I am not. Why wouldn't you either take the belt off when you play (backstage) and put it in your case, or just not wear a belt all together. I don't wear a belt when I play because I want to avoid careless wear and tear on my instruments. I don't baby them, but I also don't do careless things to cause un-needed wear. If I can keep my basses (especially my Fireglo Ric) looking new with minimal precautions, why wouldn't I?

OP, if you check out the Ricresource website forum, John Hall (the owner of Ric) posted at once time what they use to finish the Rics, and what would be best for owners to use as well. Just do a search on their site and you should be able to find it. I will warn you about that site, way too many people drank the kool-aid a long time ago. One bad word about Ric's and it's "bye bye Ricresource account, you've been banned"! Ok, it's not quite that bad...but they are a different breed over there.
 
#76
stflbn said:
However, overall 'evidence of use' happens to gear with age and use. How much depends on your gig environments, amount of hauling, and most importantly how you handle your gear off and on stage.
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I've been playing 45 years and played for 20 years, six nights a week, many of them one-nighters hauling equipment in a van or car trunks. I've never had a bass with buckle rash. Never had a bass with any kind of damage for that matter because I take care of my basses. And I never wear a belt when I play, or any kind of clothing that has metal buttons or anything else that might damage the finish. As you say, it's a matter of how you treat the instrument.
 
#79
Some guys call it mojo. Some guys call it scars, scratches.

I agree with Mccartneyman. You can have an old , very used instrument without belt buckle rash. It could be worn, some places even without paint (really really well worn) .

IMHO, belt buckle rash sucks. I saw fantastic basses on ebay and then in a photo it´s there : A fantastic belt buckle rash. I quit that ad instantaneously.
 

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