Wear and tear, the double edge sword (axe?)

[AndyPanda]

I've got a couple of mint condition instruments and I hate to play them - haha . I leave them in the case so they won't get scratched and I love playing my beat up instruments because I don't have to pamper them at all. It's really silly - I mean I love "owning" the minty ones (which just seems wrong) but for playing/practicing give me a well worn and beat to sh*t instrument that's got a great setup.

 

[Madhouse27]

I had a family member that always had these stupid clear plastic covers on her couch and loveseat. I suppose they were nice pieces of furniture or something, but she was so worried about them that nobody ever really got to enjoy them. I always thought there was a lesson in there somewhere.

 

[SJan3]

Some people pay extra for dings and scratches they didn't even put on the bass. If they're honest dings, they're like scars, crooked road maps of your life.

Still beautiful.

 

[Old Blastard]

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Still beautiful.

Not trashing the made to look old thing. I get it, but I just figure the dents and digs on my basses are mine and that's cool. And the finish on my 86 jazz special has turned green over the years. I dig it.

And that J bass is sweet!

 

[I Can't Dance]

Pro tip: If you've got s neck pocket gap, try to get some Doritos crumbs in there. Adds extra funk to the tone.

Cheetos work best for me!

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

I don’t clean my basses because i like them to not look new. I want the newness gone

 

[Garret Graves]

Reminded me of a friend I haven’t thought about in a while. He was OCD, and (this was in the 1980’s) every night after practice, he took out lemon pledge (now this is a No No- it has silicone, but we didn’t know), a rag, popped off his strings from the tuners, sprayed straight onto the rosewood fingerboard, and wiped it down methodically. It had a permanent ‘wet look’ on the board, and was always shiney, LOL! He would always have a comment about the lemon smell! This is nothing like what the OP is saying he does, but it brought back the memories.

 

[two fingers]

I cringe a little at the first good ding. After that, it's gonna get moar anyway. Play it amd don't worry about it.

 

[el_Bajo_Verde]

And “deep cleaning”, really? It’s not a bathroom! Yes, let go brother. All will be ok.

There is no excuse for not keeping your bass clean. Dings and scratches are inevitable, but clean it once in a while.

Talkbass loves to sell their basses but they also praise "funk" and "mojo" aka dirt and grime. So how you gonna sell your disgusting bass?

 

[ac100X]

Take care of your gear, use a guitar stand, and after the gig is over put you bass in it's case, works for me. I play my stuff and it remains in good shape.

 

[barginkov]

A story pertinent (or at least tangentially related). Around 1979 I got a brand spankin' new Music Man StingRay. We had a monthly gig at a local place where the stage was just inside and to the side of the door, so anyone coming in and walking to the bar had their back to the stage. The very first gig I played my new 'Ray, during some song with a longish intro during which I played cowbell, this girl I knew in HS came in wearing a pair of pink hot-pants, and she filled them very attractively... I wasn't paying attention to my cowbell hand, and smacked the thumb with the beater. The cowbell fell and landed right on the the cutaway and I got the first ding on that bass.

A month later, same club, same song, same girl, same hot-pants, same posterior, and the bass got its second ding.

Point is stuff happens when you're playing, even if you are very careful. Finish wear, some scrapes and dings, etc. will happen. Try to alleviate it and carefully avoid major damage, but don't be discouraged if the normal wear happens.
jte

What happened to the girl?

 

[Thegrandwazoo]

I personally never had anything to 'let go' of- they're made to be used, plus I think that wear, blemishes, and grime are part of what makes an instrument cool. I've never babied an instrument, hell, I've never even cleaned them (except for metal/electronic parts, strings, and fingerboards to preserve playability and function).

 

[GIBrat51]

There's a world of difference between the wear that comes from normal use, and plain neglect and abuse. Before I bought it from him (consignment @ Jerry's Lefty Guitars), this '78 Kramer 450B was gigged by a pro all across the Southeast for 27 years -constantly. You have to look really hard to see any wear at all on it. What there is, is where he put his thumb; where the pick guard would have worn if it had had one; and around the knobs. But even then, the light has to be just right to see it. Abuse and neglect is just that; and to a lot of us, it come from ... well, I won't say. Sticky goo and filth is not "Mojo"; it's sticky goo and filth. If you want Mojo, go to www.luckymojo.com, and get an actual mojo bag like this one. I recommend the Triple Strength Blues Boy ($34.95). In addition to the stuff that will make you play like you sold your soul, you can take the nastiest part of your cleaning rag that you used to clean all the.. stuff.. off your bass with, and put it in the bag, too. Then you'll have more Mojo than one person could ever need. And people in Hazmat suits won't be following you around, either...

 

[Two-Spirit]

If the people off stage can't see the wear, who really cares?

 

[Wood and Wire]

Morning all, hope everyone is having a decent Sunday so far...

So, I was doing my usual weekly to fortnightly deep clean on my 2012 USA fender jazz this morning and noticed its really starting to pick up a fair few minor scratches and a couple of minor dings now, it's to be expected from an instrument that gets played daily both at home and the practice room but at what point does one emotionally let go of that mint condition baby and let it become the time served work horse it yearns to be?.

I've got kids and it feels like the same thing, you try and wrap them in cotton wool but it's inevitable that at some point they get hurt and grow as a result.

I envisioned when I bought my jazz that it was going to be kept mint forever but I'm starting to realise that this is virtually impossible, does one let go of the dream?

Discuss...

Same as with kids - after you drop them for the 3rd time, you stop worrying so much.


Otherwise, some time around the 25 year mark, after which you start thinking about retiring them, as you're too emotionally attached to see anything bad happen at this point - and get a new one.

 

[devnulljp]

I think my PBass might be a bit overdue for one of those deep cleans you're talking about

 

[TinIndian]

I dont own a bass that doesnt have a couple of scars. Some more than others.
My hands sweat so much i have to give em a good wipedown after every gig though. If i dont things start to rust pretty quickly! Scars aplenty though!

 

[J_Bass]

Lest we forget...

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Thank you for that, curiosity led me to this, very insteresting:

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[Paulabass]

Digging into a plate of ribs at a big festival. I'm told we're on NOW. Closest running water is a LONG way away...

 

[Son of Wobble]

Digging into a plate of ribs at a big festival. I'm told we're on NOW. Closest running water is a LONG way away...

Funky fingers bring the funk!