SHOW YOUR DISTRESSED FINISHES!

[GBassNorth]

from a thread by REMBO - a more distressed bass would be hard to find.

Wow. I guess there's a fine line between distressed and disastrous. I've seen old vintage car "barn finds" that looked like that. I assume its going to need some serious work to make it playable. The question is, how much restoration do you do on a bass like this yet still keep a proper amount of that cool worn vintage look.

 

[Hues]

Distressed is one thing...Left for years in a leaky shed or old barn,corner of a damp basement(out of a case),etc. is another.

 

[Shedua511]

I agree: that bass is not worn, it's damaged.
This, on the other hand, is worn: my '78 Stingray (sorry for the iPad photos!).

 

[bluesdogblues]

from a thread by REMBO - a more distressed bass would be hard to find.

more?..

Seriously..

is Rembo the auction winner of that 55?

 

[JIO]

Well, my thread is titled "SHOW YOUR DISTRESSED FINISHES" and that '55 is what I would consider distressed -> misfortune - in need of immediate assistance
Those are dictionary qualifiers - there are others but they are based on human distress so don't apply. Even these are stretching the use of the word in this context.

I think the common use of the word for objects was originally related to furniture; a distressed look on a chair or cabinet which gives it a worn, used feel. If you saw a used car in a lot for sale, you wouldn't say "I'll offer you less than you're asking for that distressed automobile". It's become a term to describe an aesthetic consideration, not a objective assessment. So in this context, it's somewhat a playful use of the word to say the '55 P is distressed. If it were a misfortunate human, that person would be in great distress and in need of immediate assistance. So to anthropomorphize that bass (as many of us do) - there is no question that it is distressed.

To further extrapolate, many players of worn instruments like them that way for 2 reasons. First because it gives it a "broken in, familiar" feel. Second, they may like the way a less than perfect finish looks and can aesthetically appreciate the way it looks because it looks that way. This thread is about celebrating the way a used or abused instrument looks - period. No player value judgement, no debate on why anyone would want one or play one or think one was worth looking at. This thread (and it's been pretty good staying on topic) is about sharing pictures of distressed instruments and their stories if one so chooses. It's become a great visual resource for a specific genre of the way a guitar/bass looks and I thank everyone for participating and hope to keep the ball rolling.

 

[bluesdogblues]

I remember in one interview, Danny Quattrochi, Sting's bass tech' told that 'Sting's distressed '57 P-bass' was bought under Sting's order to him to "Find the most distressed bass you can find", and Danny & his team found & bought then brought the bass to Sting, which Danny said about the bass, was 'unplayable' at that time LOL.. they brought it later to Fender Custom Shop Luthier (I forgot the name), to be repaired, change the Pu etc...and made the clone of it.....
That story happened while he was making promo video clip of this...



Now

We all know that that Sting's bass has a new and much better life now.. many hits records, world touring, media spotlight and all.

So, probably Link Removed could have 'new good life' too in the future.

I love this thread.

 

[Bigmuffdiver]

goddarn, those are somebeat-up machines in here! which is a good thing!

 

[Hues]

I'm confident in saying there is no one in the entire universe who loves used,distressed guitars more than myself....There are others who appreciate them just as much.But not more.

But that '55 is not distressed...It has been ravaged by the elements.

 

[JIO]

I'm confident in saying there is no one in the entire universe who loves used,distressed guitars more than myself....There are others who appreciate them just as much.But not more.

But that '55 is not distressed...It has been ravaged by the elements.

It's one way to see it. I can't recall if the auction included any other information other than it being "stored away". Having grown up in the midwest, a hot summer attic is not the place to live. Or maybe it lived in Arizona or New Mexico where the high heat would dry it to the extent of curling the skunk-stripe right out of the neck as it did. I can imagine that bass first being very used in it's early life judging on the fb wear, and then it's active life stopped - possibly in the case for many, many hot summers in a storage shed, attic or a closet. Conditions that include high heat & humidity followed by freezing damp cold winters and this is what results. Not a stretch really.

What would be really interesting is the story of its early life in the late 50's. That fb wear looks like Country Western, Rockabilly or early R&R for sure (no jazz!) And did it's owner pass away in an untimely way? Did he marry and "become an adult" never playing again? Did he forget where he left it? We'll never know.

 

[bluesdogblues]

Found in the net after googling for Sting's bass...I think I may put them here, JIO?

from FatSting photobucket

 

[Hues]

It's one way to see it. I can't recall if the auction included any other information other than it being "stored away". Having grown up in the midwest, a hot summer attic is not the place to live. Or maybe it lived in Arizona or New Mexico where the high heat would dry it to the extent of curling the skunk-stripe right out of the neck as it did. I can imagine that bass first being very used in it's early life judging on the fb wear, and then it's active life stopped - possibly in the case for many, many hot summers in a storage shed, attic or a closet. Conditions that include high heat & humidity followed by freezing damp cold winters and this is what results. Not a stretch really.

What would be really interesting is the story of its early life in the late 50's. That fb wear looks like Country Western, Rockabilly or early R&R for sure (no jazz!) And did it's owner pass away in an untimely way? Did he marry and "become an adult" never playing again? Did he forget where he left it? We'll never know.

Personally,...I wouldn't touch a moldy hair on it's beautiful head.

Hang it or build a display case for it.

 

[JIO]

Personally,...I wouldn't touch a moldy hair on it's beautiful head.

Hang it or build a display case for it.

I'm with you on this one - it is a fossil to be appreciated w/the eyes and inspiration for the imagination. It's said the difference between a good guitar and a great guitar is the story.

 

[Hues]

This, without the PG,is the stuff my dreams are made of.

[QUOTE="bluesdogblues, post: 15912228, member: 103228"

[/QUOTE]

 

[Arizona Jones]

Early '60s Precision ('63?) belonging to John Doe of X.

 

[bluesdogblues]

Early '60s Precision ('63?) belonging to John Doe of X.

View attachment 421730

Fantastic distressed bass,..more with that kind of case
Got anymore pics of it (the bass of course LOL) ?

 

[2saddleslab]

Early '60s Precision ('63?) belonging to John Doe of X.

View attachment 421730

The hell with the bass, I want those shoes!

 

[Dredmahawkus]

got this yesterday!

 

[bluesdogblues]

At last.. beautiful green bass, man

 

[BassHappy]

I remember in one interview, Danny Quattrochi, Sting's bass tech' told that 'Sting's distressed '57 P-bass' was bought under Sting's order to him to "Find the most distressed bass you can find", and Danny & his team found & bought then brought the bass to Sting, which Danny said about the bass, was 'unplayable' at that time LOL.. they brought it later to Fender Custom Shop Luthier (I forgot the name), to be repaired, change the Pu etc...and made the clone of it.....
That story happened while he was making promo video clip of this...



Now

We all know that that Sting's bass has a new and much better life now.. many hits records, world touring, media spotlight and all.

So, probably Link Removed could have 'new good life' too in the future.

I love this thread.

Sorry, I saw the video with Danny and everything but he is apparently sadly mistaken. From the FENDER website, documenting the reality of the PBass models is the info below. As many of you know, the 1957 PBass is the model pictured, meaning Sting's bass was more than likely manufactured somewhere between 1954-1956 Just saying:

The first of these revisions appeared with the 1954/1955 model year, in which the Precision borrowed body and forearm contours from the Stratocaster that made it much more comfortable to play. Also new were a smaller single-ply white pickguard, steel bridge saddles in place of pressed fiber saddles, serial numbers on the bridge instead of the neck plate, and a handsome two-color sunburst finish (like the Stratocaster).

The substantial design revisions of the 1957 Precision Bass are mirrored in this modern-era reissue model.
The second and most substantial revision was implemented in 1957 and resulted in the Precision Bass design that endures today basically unchanged. That year, the instrument was given its now-familiar split-coil pickup, headstock shape based on the Stratocaster® guitar, and one-piece pickguard assembly to which the electronics were fixed (the pickguard itself was gold anodized aluminum with a cutout for the new pickup). This revision also featured bridge-mounted rather than through-body strings, individual threaded bridge saddles for better intonation and height adjustment, a two-screw plastic thumb rest replacing the single-screw wooden one, knurled metal knobs with flat rather than rounded tops, and redesigned pickup and bridge covers

Does the above bass look like Sting's supposed 1957 as pictured in the previous posts? I think not, no offense to Sting fans (I am definitely one) and no offense to Danny, but I think he got this one wrong.

Best,

BassHappy
www.innertainment.net

 

[makaspar]

Sorry, but while the split coil p-bass was introduced in '57, there were still a few single coil p-basses produced that year. I don't know if Sting's is actually a '57, but it is most certainly possible.