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Ritter with buckle rash

#62
May I ask a question?

Why do you wear the buckles if your bass will be blocking them in the first place? I mean, I've only got one, and the one time I did that, it wasn't noticeable. Not from the front at least, and I only switched basses twice during the show... Do you have to wear a buckle?

Please don't respond to this, it'll only get nasty. I know you were all thinking it anyway. :smug:
 
#67
Gotta say, I could care less if anyone elses basses have buckle rash or not. I'm not buying them, so I just don't care.

My basses have buckle rash, and I play with my shirt untucked. My belt doesn't have a big fancy buckle, just your standard every day type belt, and my basses STILL get dinged and scratched.

For those who consider that "abusive" to a bass, I'd disagree. It's just part of life. Hell, I have scars on all over me from living life... My basses have a few scars too. So what? They get gigged, enjoyed, recorded, etc. etc. A few scratches in the finish doesn't come through in the mix last I checked.
 
#68
Cyber Soda said:
May I ask a question?

Why do you wear the buckles if your bass will be blocking them in the first place? I mean, I've only got one, and the one time I did that, it wasn't noticeable. Not from the front at least, and I only switched basses twice during the show... Do you have to wear a buckle?

Please don't respond to this, it'll only get nasty. I know you were all thinking it anyway. :smug:
Click to expand...

How does the belt function if theres no buckle? Velcro or something?

I find the risk of buckle rash preferable to having to continuously pull up my pants while playing.

MEKer said:
Obviously, crazy "afraid to let the sun see it" attitudes are wacko.

For those who take no care or regard about their instruments---go for it. And so, I am sure that we all would rather buy a well-damaged bass that one in good shape--in fact the more expensive a bass is--well, the more damage there should be I guess, to prove it has been played and has a really heroic history. That means it is cool, huh!

I might add tho, that taking a bass out gigging does not equate to inevitable damage or a disregard of it, like some seem to say it does.

A little common sense goes a long way is all I am saying.
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I don't consider playing my bass outside of a plastic bubble to be "taking no care or regard" for my instrument. Doing things that compromise playbility and tone I would consider careless or disrespectful to my instrument, but not a ding or a scratch.

Don't know what kind of gigs you play, but stuff happens on the kind of gigs I play, and if I were you, I wouldn't be losing any sleep over the condition of my working basses, or anyone elses for that matter. ;)
 
#71
savit260 said:
How does the belt function if theres no buckle? Velcro or something?

I find the risk of buckle rash preferable to having to continuously pull up my pants while playing.
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Well first off, well fitting pants will do the trick. A smaller, simpler belt buckle that needn't shown off wouldn't damage the bass if behind a shirt. If not, fine. Suspenders.
 
#72
GRISSLEHEAD said:
How about 38yrs.of Buckle Rash..........Hey if it gets used , it gets abused, of coarse not intentionally, it only hurts after the first nick or scratch anyway, and going from a hot club to 0 degrees outside does wonders to the checkering of the finish......but the stories it could tell !
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That's just like my Fenders. Aren't roadworn Ritters worth a lot more?? Just play the F%&$*n thing, and stop being precious. Beer and sweat in the pups, gives great tone.
:hiding:
 
#74
Cyber Soda said:
Well first off, well fitting pants will do the trick. A smaller, simpler belt buckle that needn't shown off wouldn't damage the bass if behind a shirt. If not, fine. Suspenders.
Click to expand...

Well let's see.
I'm 5'10" and 170ish pounds, wearing 33"/34" waist pants that fit just fine. I normaly wear a 1 1/2" wide plain black belt , just like you could buy at any Wal-Mart. No fancy, big buckle... just what a normal belt comes with, and an untucked cotton T-Shirt. Sometimes a dress shirt unbuttoned as well... and yup, the metal buttons sometimes whack the paint too. So what? Doesn't bother me.

The back of the bass still gets dinged up... and I couldn't care less. I suppose I could stand like a statue on stage, and sweat bullets if my plain vanilla, basic, belt fastening device scuffs the back of my bass, but I guess that wouldn't make for a great show now would it? ;)

I'd imagine the metal clasps that hold on suspenders would REALLY do a number on the back of the bass... again... not that I'd care... It's on the back any way. No idea why you'd care what the back of my bass looks like. :)
 
#75
That's not buckle rash... it's a bass hickey!!!:D

These things are meant to be played and that means some wear is going to show up eventually. I haven't read through the entire thread and I don't know what kind of finish is on these basses but he may be able to carefully buff it out with scotch brite pads or something then apply a little sealer coat over it but I'm not sure. Guess it depends on how "bad" it is. As for his belt buckle rubbing on the bass, he could go sans belt, move his buckle to the side or cover it with something. A little while ago I was in a sporting goods store and saw some neoprene wrist braces that had velcro closers. Maybe he could pick one up (I think they were about $10.00) and cut it so it's a strip as wide as his buckle and long enough that he could wrap it around and close it. This would provide plenty of padding to keep the buckle from rubbing on the bass.
 
#78
#79
MEKer said:
wow-----pretty cavalier attitude towards taking care of equipment regarding damage that is so easy to avoid. I was shocked someone could be so slovenly about the care of their bass---any bass, cheap or expensive. But to each their own.
I have played the h out of an instrument and kept it sharp---but that's just me. Hey, I guess if it ain't mine its none o' my beeswax, but I still cringe.
Click to expand...

I agree. Instruments are made to be played, but since when has playing been synonymous with destruction? I play every day, I've gig'd some my basses hard for decades without "babying" them, but aside from some minimal fret or fingerboard wear, I'm proud to say that they all look more or less as good as new.

I think it's juvenile, sloppy and disrespectful to chew up a fine instrument when it's so easy to avoid with a minimal amount of basic care and awareness. Wearing a belt? Take ten seconds to move the buckle to the side. Headstock in danger from a ride cymbal? Move over a couple of inches. How hard is that?
 
#80
MEKer said:
What would you say if you knew a TB'er who had a Ritter with buckle rash? Not me but my lips are sealed....:rollno:
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I say that we:

1. Find out who he/she is and publicly shun him/her. You can come clean now or be held as an accessory after the fact.

2. Start a new thread with pics of the offending party and sticky it. Just the offending party, no part in torturing anyone with pics of the actual sacrilege. Shame him/her in perpetuity.

3. Take the bass away from the abuser. If force is necessary, so be it.

4. Kill his/her dog. Man/woman's gotta learn.

5. Do not allow them to spend their money on anything else in the future we deem they don't deserve. Not even Charmin. Let 'em use the store brand.

I think that's enough for now. If he/she still doesn't learn his/her lesson we can proceed to the Sans-a-belt website for reprogramming. It only hurts for a little while or so I've heard.

And yes, I'm serious. Putting wear on an instrument is just the sort of reprehensible thing a musician might do.
:eyebrow:
 

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