White Basses & Ageing

[Tage]

I was wondering if theres a way to prevent a new white bass from gaining that creamy colour as it ages?

I like white basses, I just hate the aged colour they get.

 

[BCinU]

Auto paint buffing compound. But I don't recommend it. My 75 Olympic White Precision has that creamy color. I love it. My buddy has a 59 OW Precision that the prior owner compounded. It's snow white. :yuk:

 

[Aaron Saunders]

Why?! Why would you do that? That's the best part about an old white bass...

 

[funkycarnivore]

I think with a lot of the more modern types of lacquer, you don't get the yellowing in the finish. It seems that the nitrocelluluose finishes on older basses are most susceptible. Here's a Jazz that I sold on eBay today with a really extreme yellowing--probably from people who smoked a lot of cigarettes.
Invalid Link Removed

 

[sargebaker]

Auto paint buffing compound. But I don't recommend it. My 75 Olympic White Precision has that creamy color. I love it. My buddy has a 59 OW Precision that the prior owner compounded. It's snow white. :yuk:

wouldn't that decrease the value of a 59 P-Bass?!?!?! :scowl:

 

[James Hart]

Why?! Why would you do that? That's the best part about an old white bass...

the big +1 here.... I actually hang my white bass in the Livingroom on a Sunny wall when I'm not playing it. The Maple is aging nicely but the paint will take a while.

 

[Lockout]

I think with a lot of the more modern types of lacquer, you don't get the yellowing in the finish. It seems that the nitrocelluluose finishes on older basses are most susceptible. Here's a Jazz that I sold on eBay today with a really extreme yellowing--probably from people who smoked a lot of cigarettes.

Wait... You're saying that bass was originally white?

 

[Aaron Saunders]

That jazz bass is GORGEOUS! It looks like it's made of caramel...tasty!

 

[Tage]

I actually like how that bass looks, but to me that creamy white-ish colour that a lot of the basses take on just look.. sickly.

 

[Aaron Saunders]

Or creamy and tasty and just makes you wanna caress it?

 

[AJ Love]

seems to me that not too many people keep basses long enough for them to age anyways

 

[funkycarnivore]

Wait... You're saying that bass was originally white?

Yep...the area under the pickguard and control plate are white. You can kinda see it in the neck pocket too:
Invalid Link Removed

 

[Tage]

Meh, I'm not too worried about the resale value of a bass. While it would be nice to own a vintage '59 Fender, I'm not going to buy a brand new 2004 bass with the intention of it being worth a lot in another 40 years.

 

[LowEndLobster]

Yep...the area under the pickguard and control plate are white. You can kinda see it in the neck pocket too:
Invalid Link Removed

That's kind of disgusting. :-\

 

[Lockout]

Wow, that's crazy. Just by looking at it, I never would have guessed that it could've originally been white.

 

[BCinU]

wouldn't that decrease the value of a 59 P-Bass?!?!?! :scowl:

Yup. That's why I don't recommend it. I, also, like the aesthetics of aging white basses.

 

[bryan bailey]

That's kind of disgusting. :-\

Only if it smells. If it doesn't that thing would be awesome.

 

[LowEndLobster]

Only if it smells. If it doesn't that thing would be awesome.

Not a bass I would like to lick though :-\..
I lick barse, not arse.

 

[drd07]

Actually, since we are on the subject, I have to ask the opposite question: How do you "age" an olympic white bass to get that creamy color?

I have a 2002 MIA Fender 70's reissue P bass in olympic white. It has a little bit of cream to it, but I would love it to have more! Is there any way to accelerate this process?

 

[elgranluis]

Actually, since we are on the subject, I have to ask the opposite question: How do you "age" an olympic white bass to get that creamy color?

I have a 2002 MIA Fender 70's reissue P bass in olympic white. It has a little bit of cream to it, but I would love it to have more! Is there any way to accelerate this process?

leave it in the backyard all day. then turn it around and leave it all day. and then turn it around again. Repeat until you get the desired results.