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SHOW YOUR DISTRESSED FINISHES!

#3,061
micguy said:
When I see that, I think...tetanus shot.
Click to expand...

Frankly I don't, and didn't when I bought my '66 P. I did clean it with isopropyl alcohol, especially the neck but I would have done that for any new/used bass that comes into my possession.

D5861F3A-2CF6-47B7-A997-4037DD515633_1_201_a.jpeg
 
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#3,062
bassdude51 said:
I wish I could say I did all of this distress but I bought this March 1953 P Bass in this condition about 3 years ago.

A 1966 P with more distress than this photo shows. (I should have shown the back side with missing finish.)

View attachment 3747000 View attachment 3747001 View attachment 3747002 View attachment 3747003 View attachment 3747006
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I recall that '53 (birth year for me :)) - thanks for the re-post, and owning a '66 (above) I'll wager your CAD P is a sweet player! :bassist: On the '53, the fb wear on E# (and below the last fret) is interesting. That note must have been used a lot! (I'll assume a slide to it a few times a night for years!)
 
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#3,063
JIO said:
I recall that '53 (birth year for me :)) - thanks for the re-post, and owning a '66 (above) I'll wager your CAD P is a sweet player! :bassist:
Click to expand...
Thank-you, JIO! And look at your 1966 P! Luscious! Thanks for sharing your photo.

I wish I had the time and energy to share the story and buying experience for the CAR '66 P. That is actually the best part of owning it.

(My sister was born in '53.) (I was born in '51 and wish I had one!)
 
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#3,064
bassdude51 said:
Thank-you, JIO! And look at your 1966 P! Luscious! Thanks for sharing your photo.

I wish I had the time and energy to share the story and buying experience for the CAR '66 P. That is actually the best part of owning it.

(My sister was born in '53.) (I was born in '51 and wish I had one!)
Click to expand...

Post pics of the back when you get a chance :thumbsup: That's part of the deal with these war-horses... it's the stories they would tell if they could talk! :bassist:
 
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#3,068
Thanks for the fine pics bd51! Not only is this thread for looking, I also wanted it to be for serious study when attempting a relic finish. Like a relic/distressed finish library. I've used my thread for doing my own relic finishes. So nice, big, high-def pics like yours are very welcome. Others can chime-in with more details, but what I know is that CAR finishes had gold and silver base-coats at one time to enhance the metallic aspect of the translucent red top-coat. Yours appears to have a white base-coat. (unless translation makes silver look white) White is a good base-coat for most translucent finishes helping to make them more vibrant.

I've seen this on other Fenders from that period - it's the side dots. They look different than any others I have ever seen - this close-up shows what I'm talking about. It's like each dot is beveled with a flat center. I conjecture that it's from wear - the wood around each dot subtly wears down from being played exposing the edges of the harder material, which then wears down. What is cool is that it does so so perfectly - a circular beveled edge.

83985F3E-8683-4EAD-B422-5FBD9E3E87EB_1_201_a.jpeg
 
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#3,069
JIO said:
Thanks for the fine pics bd51! Not only is this thread for looking, I also wanted it to be for serious study when attempting a relic finish. Like a relic/distressed finish library. I've used my thread for doing my own relic finishes. So nice, big, high-def pics like yours are very welcome. Others can chime-in with more details, but what I know is that CAR finishes had gold and silver base-coats at one time to enhance the metallic aspect of the translucent red top-coat. Yours appears to have a white base-coat. (unless translation makes silver look white) White is a good base-coat for most translucent finishes helping to make them more vibrant.

I've seen this on other Fenders from that period - it's the side dots. They look different than any others I have ever seen - this close-up shows what I'm talking about. It's like each dot is beveled with a flat center. I conjecture that it's from wear - the wood around each dot subtly wears down from being played exposing the edges of the harder material, which then wears down. What is cool is that it does so so perfectly - a circular beveled edge.

View attachment 3747165
Click to expand...

You have an "excellent eye" JIO! Yes, my CAR has white underneath. I'll send to you via message, perhaps tomorrow a close-up of the side dots. Thank-you for sharing your knowledge about these old Fender Basses! Fantastic using these photos for your relic jobs! Thumbs up!
 
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#3,070
Here’s a thought on these REALLY used old basses. You will be able to tell what kind of music the bass was used on from the fret wear. For example, since I play with a lot of horn players (horn bands) all my frets on my old Precision are worn from flat keys. F, Bb, Eb, Ab etc. The sharp key frets are kinda fresh looking.

Horn (jazz) and R&B bands the bass fret wear is flat keys, Rock players fret wear is from sharp keys.

JIO mentioned E#, that would be F to a horn band leader. Actually they will refer to that as ‘play in one flat’ or even just wave one finger down at you and count it off. G would be called ‘one sharp’, and they wave one finger up. D two sharps two fingers up etc.

So what actually happens is the band leader waves the hand gesture at everybody, not all of us see his hand (key), kicks off the tempo and you might not actually hear what the tune is supposed to be. If you do not know the tune, of course you play a bass solo in the thing. Happens often. Not kidding.

On a totally different and off topic subject: At my last jazz gig the sax player Jack Stafford, who I’ve known for decades, informed me that he toured long ago with the Supremes in Europe. The bass player? James Jamerson. Yep that James Jamerson. He said James sometimes would throw him and the keyboard player. Lol.

Jack has played with a lot of cool people. He played in Pacific Salt (backup band at the big Coliseum) the night Jaco was here with Joni Mitchell. He recalled that Jaco did a ‘Monkee’s walk’ with Joni on the way to the stage during the afternoon rehearsal. Here’s a thumbnail pic of Jack (on the right) from our gig the other night.

Random thoughts, thanks to the virus I guess I’m bored from no gigs or rehearsals these days!
 

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#3,071
JIO said:
I recall that '53 (birth year for me :)) - thanks for the re-post, and owning a '66 (above) I'll wager your CAD P is a sweet player! :bassist: On the '53, the fb wear on E# (and below the last fret) is interesting. That note must have been used a lot! (I'll assume a slide to it a few times a night for years!)
Click to expand...

I was late in seeing what you said here................as best as I can guess or use common sense, it seems these old bass players anchored their thumbs on the base of the neck and plucked over fret #19 and #20. Thus causing the discoloration in that spot. I am guessing and don't know for sure. Old school dudes played old school style. Fat, thick, mud and thud.

In the photos of the '66, the wear on the edge of the body at the fore arm/tummy contour is also showing the original owner's arm was extending so that his hand was thumping or plucking was at the end of the neck......fret #20.
 
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#3,075
CaseyVancouver said:
Here’s a thought on these REALLY used old basses. You will be able to tell what kind of music the bass was used on from the fret wear. For example, since I play with a lot of horn players (horn bands) all my frets on my old Precision are worn from flat keys. F, Bb, Eb, Ab etc. The sharp key frets are kinda fresh looking.

Horn (jazz) and R&B bands the bass fret wear is flat keys, Rock players fret wear is from sharp keys.

JIO mentioned E#, that would be F to a horn band leader. Actually they will refer to that as ‘play in one flat’ or even just wave one finger down at you and count it off. G would be called ‘one sharp’, and they wave one finger up. D two sharps two fingers up etc.

So what actually happens is the band leader waves the hand gesture at everybody, not all of us see his hand (key), kicks off the tempo and you might not actually hear what the tune is supposed to be. If you do not know the tune, of course you play a bass solo in the thing. Happens often. Not kidding.

On a totally different and off topic subject: At my last jazz gig the sax player Jack Stafford, who I’ve known for decades, informed me that he toured long ago with the Supremes in Europe. The bass player? James Jamerson. Yep that James Jamerson. He said James sometimes would throw him and the keyboard player. Lol.

Jack has played with a lot of cool people. He played in Pacific Salt (backup band at the big Coliseum) the night Jaco was here with Joni Mitchell. He recalled that Jaco did a ‘Monkee’s walk’ with Joni on the way to the stage during the afternoon rehearsal. Here’s a thumbnail pic of Jack (on the right) from our gig the other night.

Random thoughts, thanks to the virus I guess I’m bored from no gigs or rehearsals these days!
Click to expand...

my '66 P - B-flat (horn band) Thanks for sharing your stories Casey :thumbsup:
B4F406C4-89D1-4185-AEDD-F4893608DDE8_1_201_a.jpeg
 
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#3,076
bassdude51 said:
I was late in seeing what you said here................as best as I can guess or use common sense, it seems these old bass players anchored their thumbs on the base of the neck and plucked over fret #19 and #20. Thus causing the discoloration in that spot. I am guessing and don't know for sure. Old school dudes played old school style. Fat, thick, mud and thud.

In the photos of the '66, the wear on the edge of the body at the fore arm/tummy contour is also showing the original owner's arm was extending so that his hand was thumping or plucking was at the end of the neck......fret #20.
Click to expand...

You are correct there - hangin' at the fattest part of the strings (at the neck heal) - I am completely the opposite. I dwell at the bridge but do visit all points between to the heal depending on the song. :bassist:
 
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#3,077
God's Favorite Bass said:
Not affiliated, just stuff I found.View attachment 3747387 View attachment 3747389 View attachment 3747390 View attachment 3747391
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Great pics! The aged (brass?) metal pg on the Surf Green P is such an awesome look - I think works so well because when bronze gains a patina it's the same hue of blue-green. :thumbsup: And the pg on the P with the light-section created from wear is cool too. Also - the phenomenon I referred to with my '66 P side dots - it's happening on that P as well. See how there's a lighter 'ring' around the fb dots? Like a beveled watch face. Mine look like that also. There's a story behind that!

6F6633FD-CA82-4188-86B7-D46879293BEF_1_201_a.jpeg
 
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