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Relicing Basses
- Thread starter sobie18
- Start date
I recall reading one of my dad's True magazines (early 60's). An article about certain motorcycle gangs. They would not wear new jeans. No. Before they would wear them they put oil on them, would do burn outs on them, drag them through the dirt, etc. until they could stand on their own in the corner.
Last weekend I saw a neo-biker wearing jeans like that. Interesting. Probably got them at Walmart.
Why sand down a bass then? To give the impression that you're a rock star and you've been playing forever? Or it was handed down to you from Jaco's secret closet stash of basses?
Maybe I'm missing the point.
Maybe I'm missing the point.
Meh, why are kids taking fashion cues from 1985's High School yearbook? Why does today's music sound like early 80's New Wave?
What is old is new again? *shrug*
and PS, my 'relic' gets plenty of real life abuse. Come see me play, I'll show ya.
What is old is new again? *shrug*
and PS, my 'relic' gets plenty of real life abuse. Come see me play, I'll show ya.
I think it's all about the badass rocker type persona.
Think about it like this. Let's pretend Slash (from Gn'R) pulled up with some old metal
shirt, trashed leather pants, aviators on and gets out of an old muscle car that reeks of
booze and mayhem. Then think of a wall street stock junky pulling up in his new
Mercedes Benz looking like he just bought a new island and smelling like he could buy
another.
Who would you want to hang out with?
Personally, I'm jumping in the car with Slash.
Now does this mean that I'm going to go buy a relic? No, but I do like the look of a
bass that has been worn. It makes it look like it's been played and gives the player
more authenticity or integrity. I would just rather have the wear come from me and not
some belt sander in the Fender shop.
I am planning on buying a new Sadowsky soon and I will be getting a vintage tint to it
but that's all. No relicing. I like the look of that old dark maple and ash. I guess I just
don't feel like waiting 10 or 20 years for it to age. Does this make me a poser? I don't
think so.
I also like to compare basses to cars in a way. I think of Fenders, EBMMs,
Rickenbackers, and gibson as the muscle cars. I think of the Foderas, Elricks, Fbass,
and Ken Smiths as the high end luxury cars. A muscle car still looks cool if it's got some
wear from jumping rivers, running from cops, and what not. A luxury car wouldn't look
so nice with the same kind of wear. They are made to look good, feel good, and perform.
Muscle cars are made to go fast, be loud, and look badass.
Think about it like this. Let's pretend Slash (from Gn'R) pulled up with some old metal
shirt, trashed leather pants, aviators on and gets out of an old muscle car that reeks of
booze and mayhem. Then think of a wall street stock junky pulling up in his new
Mercedes Benz looking like he just bought a new island and smelling like he could buy
another.
Who would you want to hang out with?
Personally, I'm jumping in the car with Slash.
Now does this mean that I'm going to go buy a relic? No, but I do like the look of a
bass that has been worn. It makes it look like it's been played and gives the player
more authenticity or integrity. I would just rather have the wear come from me and not
some belt sander in the Fender shop.
I am planning on buying a new Sadowsky soon and I will be getting a vintage tint to it
but that's all. No relicing. I like the look of that old dark maple and ash. I guess I just
don't feel like waiting 10 or 20 years for it to age. Does this make me a poser? I don't
think so.
I also like to compare basses to cars in a way. I think of Fenders, EBMMs,
Rickenbackers, and gibson as the muscle cars. I think of the Foderas, Elricks, Fbass,
and Ken Smiths as the high end luxury cars. A muscle car still looks cool if it's got some
wear from jumping rivers, running from cops, and what not. A luxury car wouldn't look
so nice with the same kind of wear. They are made to look good, feel good, and perform.
Muscle cars are made to go fast, be loud, and look badass.
Best explanation so far.
Some things look good worn. Some things don't. That's simply it, all about looking good, and that's all that matters in the end, doesn't it? To each his own.
i think people dont relic fodera, ken smith, etc basses because they want to preserve their resale values.
I happened into a music store this week and played a relic'd MIM Jazz. then I picked up a Highway #1 and enjoyed playing that bass much better. It sounded and played a lot nicer and was $200-cheaper.
Relicing is for noobs. :scowl:
+1 - LOL
.................................... LMAO!!! ! ! !
I was thinking of taking a belt sander and dremel to my Fodera this weekend to "Wootenize" it. Shouldn't be too hard.
Certainly in the motorcycle world, people go for that vibe building "rat bikes". My brother was just beating the crap out of some perfectly fine H-D parts the other day to make them appear to have had a rough life.
Looks like we'll be taking off the neck finish from my Modulus Q6 on Monday. The it looks good, I'll post some pix.
