• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Relicing a bass guitar, any top tips!?

Morson93

Morson93

Jan 27, 2009
167
7
#1
Okay, recently i've got abit of a feel for the relic'd look on old fenders.

I bought a PBass for £40 for my brother to learn on, so i thought i might make abit of a project out of it.

It's a gloss sunburst finish, and i want to relic it, but i want a realistic looking relic



that video shows a relic'd stratocaster, and i personally think it looks beautiful!

Can anyone give me any methods, tutorials, top tips, videos, anything that can help me to achieve this look?
 
#2
Play it 8 hours a day, everyday for the next 35 years.
There's your do-it-yourself (and authentic) relic job.
Seriously, there are many ways to get that relic'd look. I have never done one myself. I seem to recall reading a few threads here. Try the search function
 
#3
tangentmusic said:
Play it 8 hours a day, everyday for the next 35 years.
There's your do-it-yourself (and authentic) relic job.
Seriously, there are many ways to get that relic'd look. I have never done one myself. I seem to recall reading a few threads here. Try the search function
Click to expand...

:rolleyes:

only if you have a nitro finish

to the OP, less is more. don't over do it, a subtle relicing will look much better than trying to heavy relic a bass with a poly finish. dull the finish with some 0000 steek wool, do a few nicks around the bottom of the bass, and around the strap lock on the bottom, and add a few scratches, and I'd call it a day. You start busting out the sander and that's exactly what it's going to look like...you took a sander to the body.
 
#4
Haha, to be honest i don't think i'll have this bass in 35 years!

I really want a good look, not over the top, not a shabby look either.

The neck already looks like a vintage maple neck, looks nice, but the body is standard.
 
#5
5string5fingers said:
:rolleyes:

only if you have a nitro finish

to the OP, less is more. don't over do it, a subtle relicing will look much better than trying to heavy relic a bass with a poly finish. dull the finish with some 0000 steek wool, do a few nicks around the bottom of the bass, and around the strap lock on the bottom, and add a few scratches, and I'd call it a day. You start busting out the sander and that's exactly what it's going to look like...you took a sander to the body.
Click to expand...

Yeah, i like the dull gloss look, not quite satin, but not quite gloss, would the steel wool do the trick for this? and i was thinking of doing a little bit off sanding to show abit of wood, but i did think it would look sloppy.
 
#8
people saying to play it for x amount of years is like telling all these great people on here who spend hundreds of dollars and x amount of hours into a squier bass and people telling them they should just save up for years and buy a sadowsky instead.

As for sanding..I really wouldn't advise it,but its your bass
 
#10
Yeah, I will probably give the elbow cut abit of wear, and in the picking region where i sometimes catch the paintwork.

Is there anyway i can get it so it doesn't just look like a spot has been sanded, so it actually looks like paint has generally worn
 
#11
I just don't see how you can simulate that naturally worn off finish with poly. Like 5string5fingers said, it will look like you just sanded the finish off.

It would take forever and 3 days to do it but maybe if you used mild abrasive like pumice or rottenstone it would look more natural. But it would be a ton of work and would take a long time.
 
#15
What do you mean by feather edging?

There is a car parts shop liturally a 2 minute walk from my house that sells sandpaper from 80 grit all the way to 1500 grit, so i should be cool on that basis.

I have a white scratchplate on it which I will either change to a tort, or relic to fit with the look, how could I relic the scratchplate? when i say relic, i don't mean make it look yellow
 
#16
Morson93 said:
What do you mean by feather edging?

There is a car parts shop liturally a 2 minute walk from my house that sells sandpaper from 80 grit all the way to 1500 grit, so i should be cool on that basis.

I have a white scratchplate on it which I will either change to a tort, or relic to fit with the look, how could I relic the scratchplate? when i say relic, i don't mean make it look yellow
Click to expand...

The pick guard? Turing yellow is usually what happens to them as they age other than a few scratches. You could set the pick guard screws outside for a while and let them rust a bit.

Feather edging is where you would sand it down to wood and gradually blend into the finish without a hard line.
 
#18
you want to get the majority of the paint off with a coarse grit paper, then go back with real fine and in quick motions moving from the center of the areas out past the end and then back in a circular motion, this will remove the hard line and make a smooth tranisiton.

As for the pick guard, someone on here did an amazing job at yellowing the one on his Highway one. I'll find the thread and maybe you can PM them about the process.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back