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Tired of Buckle Rash??

#25
georgestrings said:
I turn my buckle sideways and drape my shirt over - and that works... I disagree with the thought of letting my basses get buckle rash, though - a $300 refin??? - not likely for many basses... For example - what about an older bass, say a 35-50 year old Fender??? - some of us gig them, you know... How about a $2k+ nitro finished bass, or a Gibson or Ric??? How about my 2010 BFR SR5 HH - right now, it doesn't have a mark on it - I can still gig it, and as long as it stays that way, it'll still hold it's value for the most part - buckle rashed up??? - I'd probably take a several hundred $$$ hit if I decided to flip it...

Like everything, it depends on the situation...


- georgestrings
Click to expand...

I have a brand new 2011 ric 4003 with not a scratch on it , i gig it and i wear a buckle. I simply have my shirt over it , no biggie and its going to stay in good shape.

If i just HAD to wear a huge buckle then i obviously wouldnt care much about my basses thus buckle rash.

Many people do refins on fenders for 300$ , send in the body and get it resprayed.
 
#28
What's funny about the Body-Guard is that at the same time, Fender offered the "Go Around Waist Belt," which one kid in our high school had. You drilled holes in the back of the bass and screwed in eyes, then clipped the ends of this short, padded leather belt to the eyes and the bass hung from your waist.

There's a kind of rider who lives to install every chrome part Harley sells. I can just see that kind of person trying to figure out how to install both the Body-Guard and the Go Around Waist Belt.

Besides moving the buckle off to the side as someone mentioned, some of us wore those western belts that have leather-covered buckles, the kind with the decorative cross stitching.
 
#29
I wear holster suspenders also known as trucker’s suspenders they clip to the side. The only buckle rash I have is inherited. You can see the suspenders in my Avatar although at this time I’m wearing a belt to hold all the tools needed for work.
 
#32
A-Step-Towards said:
I have a brand new 2011 ric 4003 with not a scratch on it , i gig it and i wear a buckle. I simply have my shirt over it , no biggie and its going to stay in good shape.

If i just HAD to wear a huge buckle then i obviously wouldnt care much about my basses thus buckle rash.

Many people do refins on fenders for 300$ , send in the body and get it resprayed.
Click to expand...


I can tell you that although not huge, the belt buckle I typically wear would still mark up that pretty new Ric fairly well, in short order - if I left my buckle where it normally is, even with an untucked shirt over it... I would think that someone who's flipped as many basses as you have would understand why some people don't want to mar the back of their basses...

You kinda ducked the refin issue - again, a $300 refin is not an option for a vintage instrument, nor a nitro'd neck thru like a Gibson or Ric - let alone a $2k and above bass...

To each their own, I guess - but in the past 2 years, I've flipped a few basses and turned a nice profit on them - which then allowed me to score some even nicer ones... I wouldn't have been able to do that, if I buckle rashed up the basses I was going to flip...


- georgestrings
 
#33
JimmyM said:
Buckle rash is cool. Just means you've been playing it, which is what you're supposed to do ;)
Click to expand...

I'd say it depends on how expensive your instruments are, and what your plans are for them - if none of your basses are worth more than a grand, and you're planning on keeping them anyways, by all means - buckle rash away... but, if you own some nice instruments that you think you may sell in the future, I'd say there are ways to enjoy playing them without devaluing them all that much...

Again, to each their own...


- georgestrings
 
#36
Aw, I don't have to worry anymore. First of all, my belly has changed shape enough so that my bass never touches my buckle, lol. Secondly, my shirt tail is usually out. Thirdly, I'll never sell them anyway.

I used to turn my buckle sideways to the left.

Something on the other side of the coin: my bass has worn the fabric off the button on my tux jacket.
 
#39
When I played-out regularly, initially, I either moved my buckle to the side or folded a handkerchief over my buckle, to avoid buckle rash. Later, I had a leather belt buckle made; looked like a small leather medalion , which worked great.

Now I wear pull over shirts; worn to be un-tucked, which do nicely as well.

Although by nature I am not OCD; I try to be more careful with my instruments. I even avoid wearing shirts with buttons or snaps; again pull over shirts/ sweaters do nicely to avoid "button rash".

I haven't had to wear a jacket for weddings or society gigs in years, but button rash from a jacket would be a concern as well.
 
#40
I have no intention of ever parting with my main Fender, so every scratch is a rite of passage for that bass.
That said, I rarely wear a belt, so buckle rash isn something I worry too much about.

My main bass, my MIA Fender P, was bought in flawless condition. Every dent and ding was inflicted by me, and each one tells a story. Knowing that I'll never part with it, it has become a "journal" of my playing.
 

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