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How do you treat your bass?


munkonthehill
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[quote name='MythSte' post='683569' date='Dec 14 2009, 12:02 AM']I never go out of my way to damage my bass. But if im wasted and finish a set by throwing her at the drumkit, then well, Shes got a few beauty scars :) I also like the feel of a dried sweaty bass. Plays smoother.

All IMO etc :rolleyes:[/quote]

Not been funny , but why would you play a gig when you are wasted ? Does your audience and band mates not deserve a good show rather than a drunken one ?

Also , I can't imagine any drummer i have played with to be impressed by having a bass thrown at their kit.....

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I am schizophrenic about this. On brand new basses I like them to stay looking new and treat them with kid gloves (as those who have bought off me will attest) whereas I just lurve the look of scarred old basses (my all-time fave being Martyn P Casey of the Bad Seeds' beat-up old Precision). Paradoxically therefore I am far more worried about my shiny black Shuker JJB picking up a ding than my more-valuable 72 P-bass.

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[quote name='metaltime' post='683577' date='Dec 14 2009, 12:11 AM']Its different for different basses for me. I am trying not to get my ACG bashed up but i am gigging it and i am, shall we say, pretty lively on stage. I guess i don't mind if one of my basses get hurt when gigging but if i mark them through my only stupidity i hate that.[/quote]
I swear to God, if you scratch that bass.......

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I am really not precious about mine any more. It's quite worn, like an old jumper, and if I knock it on a door or something I don't mind - it's as solid as a rock and has a lot of character. There used to be a time when I played an Alembic that I would be afraid to play the bass almost, but as my #1 bass has a non glossy finish and lots of nice worn areas I can just pick it up and it feels 'warm' straight away. I am much more careful with my fretless, but it's annoying because the gloss black finish and mirror fingerboard means I can see all the finger marks!

I don't think I could have a main bass that I had to be especially careful with. I don't mean I willingly dent my bass or anything. I take great 'care' of it and it's my most precious possession, but I don't 'baby' it, I guess.

ped

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Looking through this thread I don't think that I expressed what I was trying to say very well, so here's another go...

I look after my basses, but accept that if I'm going to use them rather than just look at them they will pick up scuffs and marks and scratches and dings eventually. What I don't accept is that once the instrument has acquired them, it should be stuck with them for ever. There comes a point for me when a bass has picked up too much 'wear' at which point it will get a full refurb and refinish.

To me refinishing a bass that has picked up too much wear/damage to the finish is no different to restringing because the old strings are dull and worn or fret-dressing and refretting because the instrument will no longer play properly, it just doesn't need doing as often.

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I look after my basses, but they are tools and I accept the "playing wear" they will suffer. I just try not to be too clumsy with them! However, my Warwick Thumb is very well looked after these days. Some gigs I can do from a chair, and otherwise I just try to create a big space for myself, even if I'm on a small stage! But most of the stuff I play with other people is jazz fusion, so I don't have to worry about bandmates jumping around the stage like idiots! Lets face it, when does John Mclaughlin ever jump about the stage? etc etc

But yeah, the Warwick is well looked after, waxed regularly and polished with lint free cloths every couple of days.

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I like my basses to be in as good nick as busily gigged basses can. The Black Std Precision has the odd minor scar and ding, after around 300 gigs, so I reckon I'm doing well.
The 51RI is 13 years old, was relatively unused until I got it, and has since done, ooh, 150 gigs or so. It still looks (almost) new. I don't mind that they get playing wear and dings, but relicing in any form is horrible to me. And dirty instruments? You would not not be so blasé if you were a tech and had to clean them...

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[quote name='metaltime' post='684186' date='Dec 14 2009, 05:04 PM']That sounds like a great and rewarding job. Good Work :) :rolleyes:[/quote]
It really is. Just to see the look on his face when I turn up is amazing. I'm very lucky :lol:

Edited by Duarte
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