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The first ding....

#81
I feel your pain. I remember my Lado was sitting in the truck all day one winter and the guys were a little ansy tonget practice started. I opened the case and was instantly covered in condensation. I wanted to close the case, but i slung it over my shoulder instead. The second it made good contact with my warm belly the finish cracked all over! Was a terrible feeling! About two weeks after that my drummer, while assembling his kit, dropped a cowbell on it and gave it a pretty good knick. Was pissed. It's full of wear now, and it's just character. My acoustic bass is beat to heck, as is my acoustic guitar but at least my starcaster, airline mapbass and gretsch are still prestine. Until they're perfect no longer.
 
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#85
guess it depends on the bass...my franken-p is so pretty that I don't want anything to happen to it. For some reason my Ibanez basses almost seem like they need scratches on them. My punk rock P-bass also needs scratches, it's too pristine now, so I had to sticker it up to add some mojo...
 
#89
Wolfenstein666 said:
I was sitting in my chair late last night, nursing a beer, watching That 70's show and quietly laughing to myself. The room was dimly lit creating a certain ambiance. I glanced over at my four babies (as I often do) and the light was just right, reflecting off the upper horn of my Rickenbacker 4003...and that's when I saw it. Just a little tiny ding, right by the binding. It almost looks like someone shot it with a BB gun, its about a centimeter in diameter, perfectly indented but not cracking or breaking the clear coat. Just a little indent.

And I have NO idea how it got there. I grabbed an American Standard P bass earlier in the week so I haven't been playing the Ricky much, I don't remember the ding being there and I certainly don't remember hitting the horn on anything.

Sad day. Just gotta live with it now!
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I bought a brand spanking new Ibanez and while setting up at the VERY first gig, managed to slam the front of the bass into the mic stand. Four nice, happy dings before a single note was played in anger. I remember thinking, "Whew, thank God that's done!"
 
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#90
Coolhandjjl said:
Ric does use a polyester based UV cured clear coat, has been since 2010. Previously, it was polyurethane based. Based on some of the posts here with Ric finish issues by the bridge, perhaps they are not spraying it on as thick as other manufacturers. Marty Bell is in CA, as is Ric, Ernie Ball, and others. California clean air regs regarding VOCs impacted everyone in the biz, causing those companies to reformulate their finishes. Mary Bell would be no exception.
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Dang - I'm sure Wilkins too then. Bell & Wilkins finishes seem to be more durable, as do EB/MM. I'm no expert, but I know that RIC finishes have always been not so durable IMO. There are some really durable water based clear coats out there - I've used them on stained speaker cabs. I'd actually prefer a durable water based satin clear on my 4003S but I won't go there unless it gets really dinged up - and I'm pretty careful with my stuff.
 
#92
I had an early 80's Hamer Cruisebass that was damaged by a club manager in Cincinnati in 1989. I sent it to Hamer to be repaired, while it was gone a friend lent me a Jetglo 4001 to use on the road. A few months later Hamer sent my bass back to me but had transferred all the hardware and electronics to a brand new Arctic White body since the old one couldn't be repaired. It was beautiful. I was at rehearsal when it arrived so I unpacked it, took the 4001 off the stand and leaned it against the wall next to the stand and placed my brand spanking new bass in the stand. As I admired it with my band mates oohing and ahhhing the 4001 slid sideways on the wall and fell on the top horn of the Hamer putting a big dent in it. My fault completely. Bothered me for a couple of days then pretty much forgot about it. That Cruisebass was a great bass that I took all over the world.
 
#93
There might be a ding on my jazz ...

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#96
I got my dream bass a couple months ago. Waited since 1978. She is beautifully flawless. Playing Sunday morning and my music fell off the stand. I reached down to grab it quickly and heard it.... That "thunk" sound against a steel music stand. At first I couldn't look.... Finally got beyond the initial sick feeling. Full inspection. No ding. Must have hit a strap lock..... But I do feel your pain. Especially with all you went thru to get your Ric right.
 
#98
I noticed the other day that my new to me Affinity P bass, which I put back into it's gigbag with the plastic surelock strap still attached, the plastic adjustment buckle had broken a decent piece of the poly finish off the belly cut.

Not that worried, since I bought it used and it already has a small piece of wood off the end of the headstock (looks like it was banged against something and bigger than a sliver, smaller than a chunk or a splinter). Planned to get some light maple wood putty and do a quick fill, wouldn't notice it unless you were examining it. But this gouging the poly off, from a piece of plastic irks me pretty good.

I realize it's an Affinity, and low end, but I'd expect the poly to be stronger than that. Maybe that was it, too thick and brittle and the buckle edge rubbed it just right to fracture it off.

From now on no more straps on that bass in the bag, until I get the suede one I've ordered. And then I'll install it semi-permanently (take the strap buttons off and screw them through the slits in the strap, rather than slip them through stretching the slit open, maybe even a small washer between the button and the strap).
 
#99
Some basses need dings for mojo, others look better clean. My Thunderbird is starting to look a bit beaten up, and I think it looks cooler for it. Modern styled basses like Warwicks, Ibanez etc. seem to prefer being clean to my eyes. My Gretsch is a classy bird that looks fancy clean, but I don't know what that'll be like after a few decades. Probably mojo-central. I always have a soft spot for beat up, modded, personalised instruments, they take on so much character and tell you about the owner. My brother has a matte black ESP Eclipse, and the finish has worn where he plays, uses the knobs etc. and you can see what kind of guitarist he is from looking at it. It's why relicing bothers me a bit, although I can't say I care enough to get too worked up.
 
#100
instruments are made to be played. I'd love it if they all looked showroom fresh forever, but if they are it means that they weren't played. all of my instruments have nicks & dings in them, except my 2 month old AAAAA Pedulla Pentabuzz. but if I actually take it out and gig with it, as I am starting to do, that too will have some nicks. it goes with the territory...
 

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