la bam Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Just thought id ask as this issue came around again with me after buying a new bass.... When I got my first few basses they were second hand and well used. They used to sit in the house unprotected not on stands and picked up whenever for a play. They had dints all over them and I didn't care. Then I got an immaculate fender isa p bass. And I couldn't have looked after it more. It lived in its hard case, was only used in clear spaces so it could get bashed. I did 3 years in a band before the drummer pointed out that I needed to get some dings and bashes on the bass for it to be a 'proper' rock n roll bass (all be it tongue in cheek - more a laugh at how protective I was of it). Then I Did get a ding in the headstock, and forever more it bugged me until I sold it 7 years later! I've since had 3 different basses that didnt really bother me, but now I have a metallic red Yamaha I've noticed I would absolitely hate any kind of scratch or ding in out! Does anyone else get this on certain basses?! They prob should get dings in them if they're gigging instruments! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FelixGubbins Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I'm a bit like this on my Fender USA Jazz. Bought immaculate and kept as such until I caught it with another bass (and no, I don't mean she was being unfaithful lol) so now there's a 1cm graze on the edge. It's pearl blizzard to not that noticeable, but I notice it. I keep thinking I should try and touch it up (OMG the innuendos are coming thick and fast ... there I go again!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Not to that extent...I look after them and service them regularly... but I don't mind a ding if accumulated during putting them to work, but that doesn't mean I want some p*** taking liberties, so I don't let anyone bar people I feel I can vouch for, play them... and by invite only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoJo Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I am a bit like that and it does bug me when a bass gets dinged. When I'm not playing them, they are in their cases or on a stand. I'd be the sad git who'd refinish a relic'd 60's P-Bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I don't mind minor odd in-the-line-of-duty ding at all, I have plenty That said, very few of my instruments have been brand new, so they've always had the odd bit of wear or damage already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 No not in the slightest - they live in gig bags but if the get dinged then so be it. Nice to have some genuine relic on them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I don't think looking after my bass means I'm precious about it. But I am precious about it [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I'm quite precious about my basses, amps, cabs - everything. Although I have a USA SUB Stingray that was well worn when I bought it and it is liberating to gig with it and not have to be careful and protective. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nash Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I don't abuse my basses and also look after them i.e. Clean them properly but at the end of the day they are tools to create something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 My US standard Precision has a few chips and scrapes here and there as a result of gigs in small spaces, the most serious happened when the drummer knocked the bass over while it was resting against my amp & cab, but now I look on them fondly as reminders of gigs past. It still sounds and plays great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 For me, some finishes look ok with age related wear and dings, Olympic white for example. Metallic or pearl sort of paint job has to look perfect. I'm careful with all of mine, although probably not precious about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lonestar Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Keep it nice and clean,well set up and try to be careful, but not precious about scrathes,small dings and wear and tear in the line of duty. Was a bit miffed when the drummer walked into and knocked my us jazz off its stand at a rehearsal once though but nothing broken fortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I look after my basses, unless being used my gigging ones are kept in cases, but if a ding happens it`s legit road-wear so I`m not going to be fussed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 My Grandaughter dinked my Jazz but she got away with it like only Grandchildren can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I absolutely detest any kind of dings or marks and it's not the first time I've been looking at a bass on here or Ebay and spotted a ding and walked away There have been times when I've looked at the damage on some basses and wondered how they managed to get so badly looked after. It is a tool to do a job but you don't go out of your way to dent your car or break a window of your house so that it looks well used Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josie Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Much as said above - all mine are second hand and and have minor chips and scratches, mostly at the back and edges where they're not visible when I'm playing anyway, and while I do take very good care of them, another odd little knock in the line of duty wouldn't bother me too much. Anything conspicuous would upset me though. The latest is immaculate and (for now at least) the littlest dint would really hurt. Otoh she's far too beautiful to live shut up in a case. Matthew Crawford (philosopher and restorer of vintage motorcyles) tells the story of a friend taking delivery of a gleaming new bike, and immediately picking up a handful of gravel and throwing it at the petrol tank, to the horror of his assembled friends. When asked why, he said "I can ride it now and not worry about it". However I absolutely do not get deliberately "relic'd" basses, any more than I get factory-ripped jeans or "shabby chic" furniture. YMMV. There's a related question, buying a bass you haven't seen, as to how honest the photographs are. I was impressed by Fanny's House in Nashville - the photos of my Jazz Aerodyne on their web page pointed out all the little nicks and scratches and actually made it look worse than it is. I did go in and play it before buying it, and had to hunt for some of the dings they had shown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burns-bass Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Honest playwear is fine. I used to tour (full flight case) my 60s Fenders and a bash here and there wasn't a problem. It's sort of natural to some extent, particularly as I'm very clumsy. But purposefully basing up a guitar is a bit silly really. It just looks fake and is easy to spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Not at all but I do try to look after them & when selling on people always comment on how good the condition is. They're just tools of the trade though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 I'm kinda in between. I always take good care of my basses and everyone comments on how great they look for instruments that get regular play. However, if one gets a bit of a ding, well that's life/entropy. I can't help feeling that if that's the worst thing that happens in a week or if that's the worst thing I have to worry about then life can't be too bad, can it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 well, I look after my basses and do what i can to avoid getting in dangerous situations, won't lend it to any random person I don't trust, etc... but things happen and I don't get too worried about it. I accept my instrument will acquire some (small) marks and scratches, but I will try to delay those events as much as possible, within reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Yes and no. I take care of my basses and do my best to ensure that they don't get damaged, but unless you keep them mounted in glass display cabinets and never play them, then the odd ding and dent is inevitable. And if they get too battered, then that is what all the great refinishing services are there for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattbass6 Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 In the past, I was ridiculously precious about them to the extent that I would be put off them if they had a dink. I would keep thinking about the dinks to the point of distraction. It was crazy. I am still very careful with my instruments as I do treasure them but, I'm not as precious as I was. I have an exclusion zone on stage though, which especially applies to my singer ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I got a brand new US Fender Dlx Dimension 5 about 3 months ago. There were 3 small dinks on it - on the heal, the headstock and the truss rod wheel. They bothered me for about 24 hours and then I treated them like birth marks. My Vigier came to me "new" and had 4 dinks which really annoyed me but again, I now look at them as part of the make up of the bass. All my basses and guitars are cleaned / looked after regularly, and always put away in a case after use. I have promised myself that any further basses I buy, will be 2nd hand. So much easier to deal with any sort of dink / scratch. They were designed to be played and they will get knocked. Since letting go of my over protectiveness, I enjoy the basses so much more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddy Le Cragg Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 My Jazz always ended up either on the floor or in the drumkit so nope, not precious. The bloody thing is indestructable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassassin Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 Depends. My favourite basses are mostly 70s & 80s MIJ relics and I love their decades of wear & history, so if I occasionally add a few new knocks & scratches that just add to the provenance. These are the ones that get out of the house most often and see the most use. However, I have a few I've had from new, and one or two older instruments that have survived the decades unscathed - I [i]really[/i] don't like the idea of these getting damaged. I have a 1981 Ibanez RS924 Roadster in near-new condition, and it occurs to me it hasn't been out of its case in about three years! Things like this make me seriously question the point of owning some of these instruments - but the alternative is to sell them to people who will probably beat the hell out of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassjim Posted October 31, 2016 Share Posted October 31, 2016 For me its there to be played not stared at. If it gets a ding here and there along the way its fine. I wouldn't be happy about it falling down a flight of stairs but my concerns would be more about it becoming non functional rather than cosmetic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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