I didn't know people intentionally bought Van Gogh prints that look old and beat up. ???
I think the better match for your analogy would be a reissue model, not a road worn model.
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Roadworn Basses Opinions
- Thread starter Bassist30
- Start date
I didn't know people intentionally bought Van Gogh prints that look old and beat up. ???
I think the better match for your analogy would be a reissue model, not a road worn model.
Actually, I've seen a ton of repro painting in aged and distressed frames, for the sole purpose of looking antique. In fact, frames and furniture is where I believe the whole distressed thing started. That's where I noticed it first. I see what you're saying, if a repro painting was in a new clean frame, then a reissue would be a more accurate analogy, but my point was.. replicas (distressed or not) are nothing new, and Road Worns are no different.
Yeah, the relic bashing is ridiculous...you don't like it? Don't buy it!
I'm happy to talk about how I modded mineI have a set of mods I've worked out over a long period of experimenting. I spent a lot of time and money trying out different components. I've played a bunch of real 60's vintage Jazz Basses and found the same qualities in the ones I liked: They were all very lightweight and had a resonant quality to the wood that makes notes jump off the fingerboard. It's definitely an acoustic thing that gives the tone a unique quality. The trouble is I could never afford one of these rare beasts AND they have two inherent problems I can't deal with - 1. They have single coil pickups. This is part of the deal with a Jazz of course, but I play mostly in clubs and the electricity is always dodgy, so the hum drives me nuts (I always favor one or other of the pickups so they don't cancel out). 2. Because these vintage basses are so light they usually have pretty bad neck dive due to the heavy tuners that were used. That's a total deal breaker for me, I want to concentrate on the music and not on holding up the neck and having it strangle me with my own shirt. So it makes no sense at all to drop major coin on a vintage Jazz and then swap out the pickups and hardware. That's why the Roadworns are the perfect platform for me.
I essentially buy them for the wood, which is REALLY similar to the vintage instruments. Then I put Dimarzio Model J or Area J pickups in them. The Area J sounds very close to single coil tone to me but is dead silent. The Model J is not really vintage sounding, but the adjustable pole pieces are brilliant at dealing with uneven tone from string to string, something that can happen with very light basses. Both my current RW Jazzes have these and and they sound incredible. Then I put Gotoh Res-o-Lite tuners on them, which are direct replacements for the stock tuners...no drilling or mods at all, and they totally fix the neck dive and make the bass balance perfectly. I do a few other mods before the bass is fully "Sparkified" but the tuners and pickups are the biggies and they make these basses fantastic working instruments.
So I get the vintage feel of the wood that I want in a bass I don't need a second mortgage to buy and don't worry about taking to a skanky bar for a blues gig. What's not to love about that? As far as how it LOOKS I happen to dig it, but that's way down the priority list for me, and I have yet to have a bandleader hire me (or not) based on what finish was on my bass. They seem to be a little more concerned with whether I have the chops and feel for the gig
Very cool. The wood is the reason I bought mine as well. I have an Antiquity 2 P pup and and an Ultra Jazz J in my RW Precisision. I love it.
I don't have time right now to read through this whole thread, but if problematic posts could just be reported (and not quoted) I'd appreciate it...cleaning up quoted posts adds to the work. thanks in advance.
Isn't it our first amendment right to say what we think or feel? Isn't Talkbass supposed to be a forum to exchange ideas? I don't agree with everything that people say, but I don't fault anyone for speaking their mind.
I agree about opinions, but the 1st Amendment refers to the government suppressing free speech, not a privately run website. You agree to their terms when you sign up. Disagreements are part of healthy debate and discussion, but name calling is childish and unnecessary.
EDIT: Full disclosure; I've owned a road worn Jazz bass and loved it (should have kept it) and I currently own a Nate Mendel sig P bass, which is also in their road worn line. I love that one, too, and that's a double whammy by being a sig model AND a road worn.
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It's perfectly fine for you to state your opinions. Saying you think Road Worns are lame is one thing.. calling people who play/own them "posers" or "suckers" is another. I don't mean you persoanlly, but that's just what was going on in this thread, and why a moderator stepped in and deleted some of the posts on here.
So no one's saying you can't state your opinion, but the TB rules do require that we treat other members with respect, and insulting people on the forums isn't acceptable.
I know of one bassist who is a good friend of mine but lives right now to far for me to try out the bass says he loves it. I know Danny Miranda also likes it. Not sure if he was using it on the Queen tour a few years back but I was told he was using a few with Meat Loaf. I live pretty close to a few good music stores but either they get sold fast or they don't carry that many. I like the price and what I heard from a few who have one were very happy. Shopping for a bass like this is hard also cause you really get to play some fine basses in the meantime.
I understand all the RW hate. When I was less experienced, I judged instruments with my eyes, too.
Now, I play a RW.
John
Now, I play a RW.
John
Personally, I like my new basses to actually look new, and despite everyone who's got a RW bass saying what terrific instruments they are over and above the faux relicing, It seems to me you can get basses and such that are just as well made without the fake wear, so that excuse just doesn't wash. Just say you like the look and leave it at that, no need to rationalize your preferences to others.
As you say, distressed frames are common, as is distressed furniture. So is distressed clothing: jeans, Chucks, leather wear, etc.
It would only be preposterous to those who don't like the roadworn look. For those who do like that look, then it's perfectly reasonable: the upcharge is because extra labor is required.
I prefer vanilla P-basses (P-only, not PJ). By your logic I could bloviate that it's preposterous for anyone to pay more for a Jazz bass or PJ bass when just one pickup will do. But then, I understand the simple concept that we all have different preferences. I only care about the basses I buy. I wouldn't be so childish as to insist that my preference is superior to anyone else's.
+1
amen
from left: Classic; RoadWorn
Sorry, only King. Just doin' my best to discriminate "fact" from "fiction"
Cheers,
Wallace
And yet not a word of this divisive bias when someone posts or mentions the distressed (in any manner) fender custom shop bass
Wow, it must be nice to know what is going on in my mind, more than I do.
I'm curious as to how you developed this awe inspiring ability. Maybe, if I decide to sell my RW bass and become a non RW person too, I could also develop this ability to read people's mind. That would be really cool! I could buy any bass that isn't RW and suddenly, be so much more respected because, hey, all the other basses are cooler by definition and everyone knows that people who buy RW do so because of the finish. And now, with my non RW bass, I could begin reading the minds of other people and informing them the real reasons why they bought their basses. I would therefore become really cool and, of course have great tone, since my bass isn't a RW. I would be loved and admired for my mind reading abilities and my non RW bass!
I never realized how much this RW thing is holding me down.
Wow.
John
Does anyone know if the 50's Roadworn Precision Bass Invalid Link Removed is fundamentally the same bass as the 50's Precision Bass classic series Invalid Link Removed
The only difference I can see aside from look is the body finish type (lacquer on the Roadworn).
The only difference I can see aside from look is the body finish type (lacquer on the Roadworn).
Keep in mind that one BIG reason people buy the Road Worn Fenders is because the feel of the neck...the worn in, light lacquer, "woody" feel.... you won't get that with the Classic 50's.
My opinion.
And when you are the one paying for it, it is. Since I will be using MY money to buy what I want, it's not preposterous at all. Everyone has things they like and things they don't, for example, I was playing with the FBass builder and the top woods are $2k+ (retail I'm sure)...to me that's preposterous for a fancy wood top, but maybe not to people that like them.
I say: Buy what you like, play what you like and stop worrying about what other people buy and play.
