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Thoughts on Roadworn Fenders

#501
AMJBASS said:
Indeed. Honestly, from the audience I doubt you could tell the bass is worn at all(unless you're a hawk eyed bass player like one of us). I still find these threads amusing... I recently picked up a Mendel signiture which is basically a Road Worn with a bit more of a Closet Classic wear(no fore arm wear). Killer bass with a killer neck. I did put a gold anodized guard on it. The bass is just outstanding for the money.
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I like it so much better with the gold. Very cool!
 
#502
Bassmunnky said:
How is the neck on that monster?
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Very thin, between a modern P and J neck, but with less radius.

The Nate Mendel is nothing like a Road Worn! It has a different body, different neck, different fingerboard, different finish, different tuners, different bridge, different pickups, and a different feel. Oh, it can have the same strings, though, so I guess it's just like a Road Worn, after all...
 
#503
Prompted by something I saw in a previous post, and in fact quite often in the various Roadworn threads...

I keep hearing this romantic notion that dings and scratches "mean more" if you put them there yourself; that these are somehow "wonderful reminders" of good times, great gigs, etc. So I actually gave this some serious thought. Not for me. I've got instruments I've owned as long as forty years, with plenty of dings and scratches. Never once did I *ever* get a fond memory from any of their road scars. If anything, I might wince at a painful reminder of doing something stupid.

/rick
 
#504
Whoa, this pretty much sums it all up!



RickC said:
Prompted by something I saw in a previous post, and in fact quite often in the various Roadworn threads...

I keep hearing this romantic notion that dings and scratches "mean more" if you put them there yourself; that these are somehow "wonderful reminders" of good times, great gigs, etc. So I actually gave this some serious thought. Not for me. I've got instruments I've owned as long as forty years, with plenty of dings and scratches. Never once did I *ever* get a fond memory from any of their road scars. If anything, I might wince at a painful reminder of doing something stupid.

/rick
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#506
RickC said:
Prompted by something I saw in a previous post, and in fact quite often in the various Roadworn threads...

I keep hearing this romantic notion that dings and scratches "mean more" if you put them there yourself; that these are somehow "wonderful reminders" of good times, great gigs, etc.

Not for me.


/rick
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Me neither. It's no different than a real vintage instrument with wear and dings that is recently purchased; either way the current owner had nothing to do with the "mojo."

I love the Roadworns, btw.
 
#507
The Roadworn basses feel great and look cool, but the best thing about them is the indignant outrage from people who feel that you have somehow cheated and by god it's their duty to make sure you are made aware of just how they feel. I like to lump those folks in with the people who hate pick players and basses with more than 4 strings. Derp!
 
#509
Webtroll said:
The Roadworn basses feel great and look cool, but the best thing about them is the indignant outrage from people who feel that you have somehow cheated and by god it's their duty to make sure you are made aware of just how they feel. I like to lump those folks in with the people who hate pick players and basses with more than 4 strings. Derp!
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I never got this either. The venom and hatred they emit when the subject of relic'd instruments makes me wonder if they were hugged as kids.

Honestly, I could do with out the relicing, but it's another choice the Fender buyer has.

I used a RW Jazz neck for my Jaco build. I was very happy with it. Has a nice silky, broken in feel.

I see a RW P in my future.

My only gripe is that I'd wish they'd offer more colors.
 
#512
RickC said:
I keep hearing this romantic notion that dings and scratches "mean more" if you put them there yourself; that these are somehow "wonderful reminders" of good times, great gigs, etc. So I actually gave this some serious thought. Not for me. I've got instruments I've owned as long as forty years, with plenty of dings and scratches. Never once did I *ever* get a fond memory from any of their road scars. If anything, I might wince at a painful reminder of doing something stupid.
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It's been a mix of good and bad for me. Just one example: a cymbal gash happened when I joined some musician friends for a long weekend of partying and jamming at a friend's family cabin in rural Pennsylvania. With no neighbors we got to crank it up, we met some girls, and it turned out to be a truly awesome weekend. I thought of it every time I saw the gash (I no longer own that bass).

OTOH, most of the dings I've acquired came from garden-variety stupidity. On top of that, the memorable cymbal gash was rather ugly, which reinforces the point that artificial wear can be more attractive than "natural" wear.

So overall, I agree that there's nothing magical/mystical about a "natural relic". Sometimes relicing looks good, sometimes it looks like damage -- and that can be true whether it's "natural" or "artificial".
 
#518
Fuzzbass said:
The level of outright hatred for anything relic-related astonishes me. The haters think they have the right to violate TB rules: not only by dissing the finish, but also insulting those who play them. I pity the TB moderators -- the relic haters are more pervasive than stink bugs, and serve less of a purpose: at least stink bugs are part of the food chain.
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Are you honestly astonished? I have nothing against roadworns, I think they're kinda cool. However, it's completely clear to me why someone would not want to spend $1000+ for a new guitar with rust and dings all over it.
 
#519
I personally like relicing if it's done right. I don't own one but think it's cool. I've never seen people get so worked up over a finish. That's all it is, a finish. I personally don't like black basses (think they are boring) but I don't care if others do. It's just a finish, relax.
 

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