Sunburst Relic Fender

[MMFender]

i got 2 bass guitars.
One is Marcus Miller signature Fender 4 string
The other is 5 string CORT GB75 (with one humbucker and one j pickup)
both natural (swamp ash) finish and fender look.
I am happy with those basses but
i desperately want a sunburst relic looking fender jazz bass.
its just my obsession with its look actually.
i cant find it where i live. (Turkey)
So 1- is it better to change the finish of my japanese marcus miller signature fender bass to a relic sunburst finish ?
(would it damage the bass ? i am afraid if it is not painted well)
2- or is it better to buy an SX (brand) vintage modeled bass for 230 USD around here ?
i can not change the Cort's finish because it looks more like a Musicman than a Fender Jazz.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

Play the snot out of the Marcus for a few decades, and she'll relic. It won't wear exactly like an old Fender because the finish is polyester, though.

 

[Pennydreadful]

Well, if you do refinish your Marcus, there's all kinds of tips and tutorials on the net about how to do it right, and how to make it last. So, as long as you read up and are really careful, you should be okay. You could probably find somebody to do a professional refinish, too.

It'd be cheaper than buying an SX (especially considering you'll probably want to upgrade the pups at some point)...but then, who can resist the urge to get a whole new bass?

Of course, it's up to you, but, personally, I think I'd actually go with the SX. I like the natural finish on the MM anyway, plus you'd get a new bass. Win-win!

 

[MMFender]

could you inform me on how a bass relics ?
Marcus Miller is too shiny.that drives me crazy.
but on the pics of Marcus he has a more old looking kind of fender not a polyster finish.am i w rong ?
i mean what finish it should have ?

Adam Clayton of U2 has a relic looking P-bass.
(kind of natural relic)
should i take the polyster off ?
and for the tuning part also i want it to look very relic.
(oranged like colour)
it is possible to take off the polyster and put something else ?

 

[thisSNsucks]

Well the old fender were finished in laquer. This finish was a whole lot less durable than the polyester finishes they use today (whats on your marcus) Thats why those old fenders look "reliced". Newer models will also relic but not as quickly. I've heard somewhere that the fender custom shop uses a belt buckle to beat their basses to get them all dinged up. I wouldnt risk doing it to your marcus miller jazz, but getting a cheap SX bass and experimenting with it to get the finish to relic would be a cool idea. I always thought that you could buy a car buffer to burn through the paint on the arm contour would be a good idea rather than sanding away and making the wear rough looking, but thats just me.