• 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.

Roadworn Basses Opinions

#261
interp said:
I know a number of people who have purchased Roadworn basses, and not one of them has ever showed any particular interest in the "image." Very few, if any, Roadworn owners on this forum have indicated that the image is more important to them than the sonic qualities of the instrument. On the other hand, virtually every one who has shown disdain of Roadworn owners for supposedly being overly "image conscious" or trying to "purchase authenticity" have themselves indicated their preference for a new-looking instrument. If that's not pretentious I don't know what is.
Click to expand...

It seems kind of dishonest to say that image is not important, when purchasing and advocating for a good that has most notably aesthetic features. There is nothing wrong with having aesthetic preferences! There are dozens of threads on this forum about how nice some things look, how hideous some things look, and disagreement and discussion about both.

I argue that where things become dissonant is when people become unable to acknowledge that they may have a certain motivation or perspective. I am not criticizing anyone's choice of instrument; I just find it suspect when, for example, someone can drop four digits on a replica of Jaco's bass -paying extra for weathering- and then say that how it looks aren't important to them. It's okay to want something that looks a certain way! Let's not pretend that this great bass just happened to arrive looking used and weathered.

Additionally, people are notoriously bad self-reporters when discussing motivation and decision making - post-hoc rationalization is a well-documented phenomena.

There's an interesting recent documentary, Invalid Link Removed, that explores how today's youth process ideas about authenticity and marketing. It's interesting because they are both very savvy at using branding and signaling to communicate about themselves, while simultaneously being unaware of how this branding and signaling is also defining what that self is.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SanDiegoHarry
#262
Pajama_Bottoms said:
There is nothing wrong with having aesthetic preferences! There are dozens of threads on this forum about how nice some things look, how hideous some things look, and disagreement and discussion about both.
Click to expand...

This is the bottom line. It's childish (to be overly polite) to criticize someone for having a different preference in any category, aesthetic or otherwise. Preferring roadworn is no more pretentious/silly than preferring a minty new bass, a fancy figured wood bass, or whatever. One guy likes Fodera, another guy likes Fender. Who's right? Both.


Pajama_Bottoms said:
I argue that where things become dissonant is when people become unable to acknowledge that they may have a certain motivation or perspective. I am not criticizing anyone's choice of instrument; I just find it suspect when, for example, someone can drop four digits on a replica of Jaco's bass -paying extra for weathering- and then say that how it looks aren't important to them. It's okay to want something that looks a certain way! Let's not pretend that this great bass just happened to arrive looking used and weathered.
Click to expand...

I plan to add a relic/roadworn bass to my collection. Yes, in my case it's mostly about appearance... but not completely. For me, the very best feeling necks have nitro finishes that have worn away from frequent use... in fact nothing else comes close. Another big advantage to roadworn is that my anally-retentive side no longer has to obsess over the inevitable dings that come from frequent gigging. (Of course I try to be careful, but stuff happens).

Point is, I'm not going to speak for anyone else. It's perfectly plausible to me that someone will buy a roadworn primarily for reasons other than appearance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fuzzychaos
#263
After 45 years of playing mostly sunbursts, lately I am into solid color basses. The last three that I have purchased have been this way - Shoreline Gold, Ice Blue Metallic, and my Fiesta Red RW bass. So there is a piece of this that is about appearance - it is just not the relic'd finish. And mine has been modified quite a bit (new bridge, pickups, control plate and knobs) so I doubt if it would fool anybody. So yeah, the color mattered, as well as the neck.
For me, if I don't like the neck on a bass it doesn't stay around very long. And I am pretty picky about what I like. And it isn't old vs. new. I have two 60's vintage necks that are killer, and I also have pretty new Sadowsky, Lakland, and Nordy basses with great necks. Part of it is the profile, and part of it is fretboard and fret dressing. IMO it is the fretwork and neck profile that is so good. To me, the junction of fretboard wood, frets and neck wood are a critical point of neck feel. When all three are done right the neck feels good and comfortable) and in my opinion this is a high mark for the RW Jazz neck.
 
#264
interp said:
I know a number of people who have purchased Roadworn basses, and not one of them has ever showed any particular interest in the "image." Very few, if any, Roadworn owners on this forum have indicated that the image is more important to them than the sonic qualities of the instrument. On the other hand, virtually every one who has shown disdain of Roadworn owners for supposedly being overly "image conscious" or trying to "purchase authenticity" have themselves indicated their preference for a new-looking instrument. If that's not pretentious I don't know what is.
Click to expand...

Well said!
 
#268
Mike Sorr said:
I think the best way to get a road worn instrument is the play the hell out of a new one. Fake wear is just cheesy to me. It's like buying a pre-distressed motorcycle jacket. It may have the appearance of being worn in, but it isn't. You may own it, but it isn't yours and won't be until it has been part of you for years. I'm not a big fan of fake.
Click to expand...

So apparently you're against buying used or vintage instruments as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fuzzbass and Jazzbassguy
#269
I was always dreaming about real vintage Fender, but as many, I just can't afford that. Also, I like used bass. As well as new ones :) And I don't like stuff in between, haha. Well, I found my Road Worn Precision on Craigslist and got a very good deal on it. You could check my last thread with photos where I go through wear and tear my bass has. None of that looks fake. I've seen couple examples that have wear that look exactly the same, but mine has a mojo of a true vintage bass - rusted bridge and saddles, real buckle rush, oxygenated frets which add greenish tint to the back of the neck, weather cracked nitro lacquer, and even grease leftovers from bridge cover! Someone spent a LOT of time making it look vintage. I tried Nash P in local store the other day and the wear it head was totally fake! It felt like a brand new bass with additional cosmetic upgrades, while my RW P feels and even smells like and old vintage bass! And it sounds phenomenal! It feels very close to Fender Custom Shop Relic I tried last week.Can't wait to bring it to a gig Thursday night!
 

Attachments

  • 1400044645447.jpg
    1400044645447.jpg
    88 KB · Views: 71
#270
thebrian said:
I'm sure they do sound great, but just an FYI.. vintage 1970s Fenders aren't $15K, actually most aren't even anywhere near $3500. That would buy you a real nice all original custom color '70s Jazz or maybe even 2 nice sunburst '70s P basses for $3500. If you want the authentic '70s sound, you can get it for much less than a $3500 Sandberg (not that they aren't nice and worth the price). The Roadworns focus on the '50s and '60s Fender sound though.
Click to expand...

There are big quality differences between Fender road worn and Sandberg masterpiece basses. Some of the differences is that the Fenders look like a machine cranked them out because the little bits of wear and tear look the same on every bass. Sandberg does it by hand after deep analysis of how basses get worn by various players. All Sandberg basses are handmade and can take up to a year to make. Sandbergs hardware is aged too. Everywhere from rusty pickup poles to aging knob plates. Everything is aged. Fenders look new with just abrasion on the paint. But the coolest thing about the Sandbergs is that they get put through an extensive vibration process to simulate 30 years of heavy playing. This adds a difference in the sound a lot more than you'd think. It really adds that warmth you get with an old, used bass that you don't get with basses like reissues. Also, even though some Sandbergs are Fender clones (body shape, etc), they definitely don't set out to sound like a Fender. Sandberg goes after their own specific sound, and it's quite good. To my ear, the Cali TT is leaps and bounds better than most Fender Jazz basses I've owned and heard. They just sound (and play) like a higher quality instrument.
 
  • Like
Reactions: fuzzychaos
#273
Pajama_Bottoms said:
It seems kind of dishonest to say that image is not important, when purchasing and advocating for a good that has most notably aesthetic features. There is nothing wrong with having aesthetic preferences! There are dozens of threads on this forum about how nice some things look, how hideous some things look, and disagreement and discussion about both.

I argue that where things become dissonant is when people become unable to acknowledge that they may have a certain motivation or perspective. I am not criticizing anyone's choice of instrument; I just find it suspect when, for example, someone can drop four digits on a replica of Jaco's bass -paying extra for weathering- and then say that how it looks aren't important to them. It's okay to want something that looks a certain way! Let's not pretend that this great bass just happened to arrive looking used and weathered.

Additionally, people are notoriously bad self-reporters when discussing motivation and decision making - post-hoc rationalization is a well-documented phenomena.

There's an interesting recent documentary, Invalid Link Removed, that explores how today's youth process ideas about authenticity and marketing. It's interesting because they are both very savvy at using branding and signaling to communicate about themselves, while simultaneously being unaware of how this branding and signaling is also defining what that self is.
Click to expand...


I agree that it seems dishonest to say that image is not important. That's why I did NOT say that. I also did NOT say there is anything wrong with having aesthetic preferences. You might want to read the comment again.

You complain about people's inability to admit a certain motivation or perspective that you believe they must surely have. That's your opinion and it is completely irrelevant to the reality of the matter. The fact that you find it suspect when someone pays extra for an instrument that happens to be artificially weathered and then says that looks aren't important to them is equally irrelevant.

So you're dubious. I have a news flash for you: nobody cares.
 
#275
interp said:
I agree that it seems dishonest to say that image is not important. That's why I did NOT say that. I also did NOT say there is anything wrong with having aesthetic preferences. You might want to read the comment again.

You complain about people's inability to admit a certain motivation or perspective that you believe they must surely have. That's your opinion and it is completely irrelevant to the reality of the matter. The fact that you find it suspect when someone pays extra for an instrument that happens to be artificially weathered and then says that looks aren't important to them is equally irrelevant.

So you're dubious. I have a news flash for you: nobody cares.
Click to expand...

In the modern world, everything is communication, even choosing not to communicate something. Having no aesthetic preference is in itself an aesthetic preference. The cultural circumstances that led to this phenomena are the same that led to Roadworn instruments, weathered jeans, antiqued furniture, etc.
 
#276
YIKES!
All this hub-bub about basses that go through a process to make them look aged & worn.

Some players (me for instance) think that that is a kewl concept.

Others (me for instance) like their instruments to be pristine, without even fingerprints or sweat to mar the beautiful woods and finishes.

That's why I have, like, & play both!
 
  • Like
Reactions: fuzzychaos and Hues
#277
Despite never bonding with a P Bass before I recently stumbled on a good deal on RW Precision and ordered it on a whim. Honestly I thought it would get returned within a few days but after setting it up the darn thing just sounded and played great. At that point I thought I'd take it on a gig, realize it wasn't for me then send it back..... big mistake. It sounded fantastic, the band loved it and now I can't put it down. It sounded great with DR nickel Lo-Riders but I've had a set of Thomastik flats sitting around here years waiting for the right bass and they sound great on it as well. I'm having too much fun!

This one is a 2012 and less relicing on the back of the neck than I recall the original RW's having. I assumed the wiring/pots would be bad but so opened it up to put some Bourns pots in it but the wiring was actually decent so I just changed the .1 cap to a .047. The tuners are heavy, even when compared to some Hipshot HB-2's I have on my workbench, and the bass is a bit heavier than I hope so I may put some HB-3's (direct replacement) on it to save a little weight. The body is a single piece of Alder which was surprising.

I had the opportunity to buy a new American Standard for almost the same price but after playing both I much prefered the R/W's neck and overall feel of instrument. IMHO it really does remind me of some of the better vintage Precisions I've played.

Keep in mind I am a dyed in the wool Jazz Bass/round wounds player not to mention I swore I would never buy a bass with a 7.25" radius fretboard again so this is kind of a big deal for me. :wideyed: :laugh:

Oh yeah, no pic, no bass....
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0182.jpg
    IMG_0182.jpg
    83 KB · Views: 64

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back