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Thoughts on Roadworn Fenders

#144
ShoeManiac said:
Jaco played a bass with a nitro finish. Modern, poly finishes are very different from the vintage nitro finishes. They age very differently.
Click to expand...

Yes and he owner very few bass guitars so the wear came from constant playing with few instruments.

Yes, nitro aging, wear and tear due to the thin layer so the wood shows. Poly, mostly cracks and holes. If someone has a roadworn poly that shows large parts of wood, that would be a strange road-worn bass.
 
#146
Lowbrow said:
My SB RW Precision weighs 7 lbs. 9 oz.
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RIG.jpg

7-9: Now that's what I'm talking about!
 
#148
A few weeks ago I walked into Atlanta Bass Gallery. It is music store that sells only high end basses and bass related equipment. We are very lucky in Atlanta to have a place like it. Point is I was there to demo Jazz basses. Of the many jazz basses there, I actually found the Road Worn to be one of the best. It was the best feeling and playing Jazz bass there. The neck was so smooth and fast. The tone was very respectable. To my ears it sounded just as nice as the American Standards they had in stock. I do agree though that the concept is a bit cheezy. They would make a killing on these if they just saved the effort and didn't wear them in. Just sell them in new condition with that nice nitro finish.
 
#149
newworldman86 said:
A few weeks ago I walked into Atlanta Bass Gallery. It is music store that sells only high end basses and bass related equipment. We are very lucky in Atlanta to have a place like it. Point is I was there to demo Jazz basses. Of the many jazz basses there, I actually found the Road Worn to be one of the best. It was the best feeling and playing Jazz bass there. The neck was so smooth and fast. The tone was very respectable. To my ears it sounded just as nice as the American Standards they had in stock. I do agree though that the concept is a bit cheezy. They would make a killing on these if they just saved the effort and didn't wear them in. Just sell them in new condition with that nice nitro finish.
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+1. They also did a good job ambering the neck.
 
#150
ksandvik said:
Yes and he owner very few bass guitars so the wear came from constant playing with few instruments.

Yes, nitro aging, wear and tear due to the thin layer so the wood shows. Poly, mostly cracks and holes. If someone has a roadworn poly that shows large parts of wood, that would be a strange road-worn bass.
Click to expand...

It's not just that. With a nitro finish the wood manages to age and dry. A poly finish in comparison won't allow that to happen. It's effectively like a moisture barrier, and the wood won't dry out like it will with a nitro finish.
 
#154
I did a verrrrry bad thing -

I had a friend that would bring his RW Jazz out when we played. Over about a year - I played it more than he did.

He called to say he was putting it on craigslist, but wanted to offer it to me first since I had bonded with it -

I really didn't have the cash - but had to ask him (I Know - the kiss of Death).....How much?

He told me $700 on CL, but he would go to $650
Then.....said - but for you $500

so......I LOVE my new used Roadworn *had it about 6 months now
RW.jpg


Not a great pic - but its mine -
 
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#155
Frankjohnson said:
I did a verrrrry bad thing -

I had a friend that would bring his RW Jazz out when we played. Over about a year - I played it more than he did.

He called to say he was putting it on craigslist, but wanted to offer it to me first since I had bonded with it -

I really didn't have the cash - but had to ask him (I Know - the kiss of Death).....How much?

He told me $700 on CL, but he would go to $650
Then.....said - but for you $500

so......I LOVE my new used Roadworn *had it about 6 months now
RW.jpg


Not a great pic - but its mine -
Click to expand...

I hate you and your sexy bass. ;)
 
#157
Frankjohnson said:
I did a verrrrry bad thing -

I had a friend that would bring his RW Jazz out when we played. Over about a year - I played it more than he did.

He called to say he was putting it on craigslist, but wanted to offer it to me first since I had bonded with it -

I really didn't have the cash - but had to ask him (I Know - the kiss of Death).....How much?

He told me $700 on CL, but he would go to $650
Then.....said - but for you $500

so......I LOVE my new used Roadworn *had it about 6 months now
RW.jpg


Not a great pic - but its mine -
Click to expand...

thats a great deal imho....I think those RW Js are darn impressive playing and sounding....I have tried a couple RW Ps that weren't transcendent....but I keep an eye out for them used as they are darn good, 'vintagey' basses

as for the look - similar reaction I had to a Bongo - darn the look sure grows on you when you hear/feel how it plays :bassist:


I though the tort guard on the RW 50s P would work against it (for some reason) but darn it looks killer! MOP too!
 
#159
Wow. Gorgeous bass. Love the cabs, too! Are they Mesa?

May I ask who built the tort pickguard for you?


Buzz Lightyear said:
I just love my RW P-Bass, with the Tort and the Ashtray (reliced by me)
It's just what I was looking for. And the sound is ... amazing ... wonderful ... phat ...

j5v2-3-eccb.jpg


j5v2-4-a87f.jpg
Click to expand...
 
#160
Per TB's UGLY BASS RULES - "You're welcome to give your own personal reasons why you don't like the look of worn instruments, however they ended up in that condition"

I don't like the RWs because of the seemingly identical forearm wear from one instrument to the other. If I ended up with one, I would feel obligated to make it look less factory-fresh "RW". My God, I would be fake relicing a fake relic to make it look less fake?

Screw that. I'm sticking to my shiny AMSTD.
 

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