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Rickenbacker relic advice

#41
AtomicPunk said:
Exactly. The Relic thing has gotten WAY out of hand. It's especially tacky if it is a 2 year old bass. Take the other people's advice, sell it if you can't handle that ding on the headstock and buy a new one sans headstock ding. Relicing the bass will not make the problem any better, it makes it worse.
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What I don't get is, if he gets bent out of shape over one ding, why does he want to put more in it and 'relic' it? :rollno:
 
#43
Some Fender players value old beat up "Reliced" basses. But I have NEVER seen a single Rickenbacker player/collector/owner who values a beat up Rickenbacker.

Rickenbacker owners are the opposite of those who value and collect old beat up Fender basses. Ric owners want a spotless perfect bass.

So relicing a Ric bass will only decrease its value and make it less desirable to other Ric owners.
 
#44
This is the only bass I have ever reliced ... I started with a $20 epiphone body that had some deep scratches in it.

sg5%20001.jpg
 
#45
I guess I would add a cautionary note here, as well. Rics have a pretty tough finish on them and don't nessessarily relic the way an old Fender might. I say play the hell out of it and let it relic over time. Those of us that have an appreciation for fine instruments will like it, no matter. What I've found is, each ding and dent and scratch have a tale to tell. I still remember the first chip I got in my '97 55-94. Drunken broad dances/stumbles into my mic stand and, like it was in slow motion, I watched the stand tip over and crash right into my brand new bass...BAM! A big ding right off the bat. Those are the stories worth telling. Best of luck.
 
#46
Relic instruments look cool because they tell a story of an old relic'd musician. Usually when I see a real relic instrument, I imagine it was owned by a Keith Richards kinda guy - old, wrinkly, beat up looking, with a cig hanging out of his mouth.

When I see manually relic'd instruments (and its pretty damn easy to tell) I just look down on them with shame. Usually being rocked by a 16-17 year old that did it with a head gun and a belt sander, or had their parents buy them a Fender "road worn".

Now, I have bought a few basses used that had their own mojo already... those are sweet, because they have a life of their own before they met me, and their own wear marks that I made myself. My Ibanez SR506 has a really weak finish that alot of people rag on, but I loved playing it in my metal band, because it naturally relic'd way fast... I can now never sell it, I bought it new and put my own wear and tear on it, and its now mine. Everyone asks how I scratched out a deep divot under the two highest strings, and they're always impressed when I say thats just from my fingernails doin the slap/pop thing.
 
#47
Toastfuzz said:
Relic instruments look cool because they tell a story of an old relic'd musician. Usually when I see a real relic instrument, I imagine it was owned by a Keith Richards kinda guy - old, wrinkly, beat up looking, with a cig hanging out of his mouth.

When I see manually relic'd instruments (and its pretty damn easy to tell) I just look down on them with shame. Usually being rocked by a 16-17 year old that did it with a head gun and a belt sander, or had their parents buy them a Fender "road worn".

Now, I have bought a few basses used that had their own mojo already... those are sweet, because they have a life of their own before they met me, and their own wear marks that I made myself. My Ibanez SR506 has a really weak finish that alot of people rag on, but I loved playing it in my metal band, because it naturally relic'd way fast... I can now never sell it, I bought it new and put my own wear and tear on it, and its now mine. Everyone asks how I scratched out a deep divot under the two highest strings, and they're always impressed when I say thats just from my fingernails doin the slap/pop thing.
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+1

I have a bass with a natural finish that has some thumb wear above the pickup from 5-6 years of playing, along with a few shiny spots of gentle wear, and I love it because that's real mojo.

I'm not morally opposed to relic-ing, but I'd be scared out of my mind to attempt a relic on a bass as expensive as a Ric. You've already got real relic-ing started with the headstock ding, just let it continue that way.
 
#49
I'd say chalk up the headstock ding to the first step in a long process of natural wear. One cannot fake mojo, I'm afraid.

I recently picked up an '81 4003, and here's what it came with:
100_1099.jpg

100_1098.jpg

100_1097.jpg

100_1096.jpg


Note that the clear coat and paint came off in the places shown above, but the exposed wood is completely smooth and unblemished.

My suggestion, FWIW: Wear a big trucker belt buckle to your next 100 practices/gigs, and call it a day.

P.S. To the guy who said that Ric owners like their basses spotless: Not all Ric owners! I love my bass just the way it is. As long as it sounds the way it does, it could look like an old fence post, and I'd be happy.:p
 
#50
Do whatever you like, but I would leave it alone.

That said - my headstock is quite dinged up, due to my own misadventures.....

It was many years ago, the result of too much alcohol, and several encounters with a crash cymbal one night when I thought the drummer needed some help. :rollno:

The bass was a bit beat when I got it, I think due to some weather exposure, lots of checking on the back and some on the front. It has since been dinged up here and there due to it being used a lot. But the headstock was all my doing that one night. You can see it a bit in this picture.....

Link Removed
 
#51
Awesome use of duct tape for the "satbilizing strap" on the Hi-hat!

To the OP, please don't fake the relic'ing. I love the look of worn basses, they have personalities. I strongly dislike the faked relic'ing. It's like trying to buy mojo.
 
#55
Ric5 said:
Some Fender players value old beat up "Reliced" basses. But I have NEVER seen a single Rickenbacker player/collector/owner who values a beat up Rickenbacker.

Rickenbacker owners are the opposite of those who value and collect old beat up Fender basses. Ric owners want a spotless perfect bass.

So relicing a Ric bass will only decrease its value and make it less desirable to other Ric owners.
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Exactly. People restore Rics, they don't relic them.
 
#57
Ric5 said:
And get the fretboard to pop off ...
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Ah yes - that was happening to my Ruby one in the pic above when I got it (1990). About a year later, when I was able to slip a pick between the neck and the fretboard, it was time to have it fixed.

Then in 98, when it was in a stand and got knocked over, the lower "wing" of the headstock broke off - held in place only by the tuning machines.....COOL!

Fixed that myself w/ Elmers wood glue and some clamps.

Man - that bass has been through hell......

:bassist:
 

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