Battle Scar - Proud or Pissed

[T-bone]

Last night, while playing a gig in Richland, Washington, I looked back at my rig just in time to see the head fall off the cab due to vibration. And, dang it all, my buttercream was right there to catch the fall. Now the weird part is, as I look at this good sized nick, I find I'm not too terribly upset. Strange how my brain is somehow justifying my perfect buttercream now has a battle scar. It's a good thing I was playing the 30th (and not the other way around).

Sure wish I had been playing a 3 lb Little Mark instead of that 20 lb GK.

tbone

 

[Frankie5Angels]

Initially it pisses me off royally that my bass has gotten a scratch or nick. But after a while I come to look upon it as a part of life with the instrument. It gives it character.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

My guitarist had a similar incident at our last gig, but it was a 100lb+ PA speaker. It also took out his all tube head. He didn't have a small nick, but some major damage to both the guitar and head.

It makes me think twice about leaving my instrument on a stand at a gig. I might be employing the "in the case when not being played" strategy soon.

 

[tkarter]

It is too late to go back so the party goes on or not.

There is something to keeping them clean and something to enjoying them no matter what.

We need a picture.

tk

 

[Dr Stankface]

It depends on what happened.

My trans red has a nice ding on it from where I collided with my rack while playing. I wish I could blame it on the fact that I was rockin' out. I was actually just avoiding being hit by the shards of a beer bottle coming at me from where a fight broke out.

That one is an actual in gig ding so I don't mind it.

I have one right by the bridge that was a result of me practicing and one of my brother's trumpet mouthpieces fell off a shelf and hit it. Now THAT one pissed me off.

 

[Big Poppa]

My basses will always have fewer scars than me so its all good

 

[ekb16b]

I might be employing the "in the case when not being played" strategy soon.

i always leave my bass in its case at home, but one day wen i was taking it out i accidently wacked it into the buckle things on the case.. i chipped the paint

cases do protect from falling amps and accidents but doesnt protect it from stupidity

 

[oddjob]

Initially it pisses me off royally that my bass has gotten a scratch or nick. But after a while I come to look upon it as a part of life with the instrument. It gives it character.

+1 on this!!!!!!

 

[sloshep]

i always leave my bass in its case at home, but one day wen i was taking it out i accidently wacked it into the buckle things on the case.. i chipped the paint

cases do protect from falling amps and accidents but doesnt protect it from stupidity

Oh, do I know that sound. That sound is especially worse when it hits the top of an acoustic guitar.

Stuff happens, its just a part of life. That said, it sometimes takes me a few days.. okay weeks to get over some dings depending on the stupidity level involved with it.

 

[silverburst]

My basses will always have fewer scars than me so its all good

Chicks dig scars. As long as they are not self-inflicted.

 

[Psychicpet]

T-Bone!!!!!!!! (sorry, just had to get that out )

ya, I just re-wool'd and waxed the Bongo neck and noticed that in line with the G string tuner I've got a hefty chip out of the headstock, obviously it took a bit of a hit on my recent trips, but ya, gig wear is always cool to me. I mean, the Relic'd Fxxxxxs always look cooler to me than new ones so to have an instrument that's actually been gigged and showing the amount of blood, sweat, and tears that have gone in to grooving many many people then ya, it's a "Proud" chip

 

[Aussie Mark]

My trans red has a nice ding on it from where I collided with my rack while playing

That's why us old fat guys sling our basses lower. We don't want our bass to collide with our rack.

 

[Colin]

That's why us old fat guys sling our basses lower. We don't want our bass to collide with our rack.

so we hang our balls lower to protect our rack?

 

[oli@bass]

That one is an actual in gig ding so I don't mind it.

It's one you can tell a story about it... so it's a cool one!

weeks to get over some dings depending on the stupidity level involved with it.

Same here... studpidity level is a large factor... and also place... what I truly hate is dings on the back of the neck, because I can feel them when I play and am therefore remembered every time I take the instruments in my hands... (BTW, that's also a plus of oil & wax finished necks... you can sand out small scratches and dings)

so to have an instrument that's actually been gigged and showing the amount of blood, sweat, and tears that have gone in to grooving many many people then ya, it's a "Proud" chip

Yeah, I always tell people they should buy new basses, and do the relicing themselves! And yes, if it happens during gigs its sort of .

However, I love all my stuff (computer, cars, basses, you-name-it) to having near-new condition even after been used for many years... I take pride in being careful... I think...

 

[JimmyO]

I see this as one argument for buying used, same with cars... If it's already been "loved" a bit, it won't hurt so much when you put that first ding in it.

 

[Dr Stankface]

That's why us old fat guys sling our basses lower. We don't want our bass to collide with our rack.

Mine's not quite bowtie height but it's not incredibly far off.


Maybe I should learn from you guys.

On bass stuff that is, not fashion.

 

[Jazzbassman23]

Okay, somebody has to ask. How loud were you playing to vibrate your head off your cabinet?

 

[T-bone]

We were definitely rock'n the house. The head fell about 3 feet, so the nick in the body of my buttercream is quite visible. Oh well, at least I didn't lose the head. That would have messed up the night.

My basses will always have fewer scars than me so its all good

BP, nice of you to help put it all in perspective. After all, these really are just material things. But then again, they are My Balls!

tbone

ps - Hey BP, Julia wants to send down some canned fruit. She said something about having you taste her peaches (or something like that) How about an address?

 

[asianjeff]

Last night I dinged my Bongo's headstock on the Megoliath... and apparently the acoustic player and I collided during the set sometimes too (I didn't feel anything so I guess the damage is all his) but... so far I can't find any scars

 

[joshbrake]

It happens, man. The first day I brought my SR5 in to show my teacher, he was using a 75 Ric 4001, and he turned around at a strange angle, and the tips of our headstocks banged together... I've got some really old Ric paint embedded in a small dent on my headstock


Every mark and scar on every instrument I have has it's own story.