Rays finish is coming apart!!!

[supadave]

Hi folks
Haven't dropped in for a while. Small issue with the finish on my Ray. Its an 88 so its starting to age nicely but a large chunk of the outer finish has come off the top horn and, while I like my basses to looked well loved and well played, I'm concerned that it could get worse..or should I be happy about it? I'm not sure anymore.
Beneath the first poly layer, another has been exposed. It doesn't break up like Nitro does it, which is a bummer. I doubt its reversable and I can see other areas which could do the same soon, just wanted to know your thoughts if poss.
Cheers all.

 

[paranoid70]

People pay top dollar for Relic'd guitars. Sounds like you have the real thing.

Would it look crappy if you sand it down to the wood and smooth out the edges so it doesn't spread?

 

[Big Poppa]

Sorry your bass is having issues...When I clicke3d on this I thought (as mpost may when they read it) that something is wrong with current poduction and not a 23 year old one!

 

[supadave]

No its got some years on it. I should have put that in the title. Doh.
I'm not sure about sanding it back. The top layer is maybe 1.5ml thick and the more I mess with it, the more it comes off. I'm thinking of either letting it do its thing and seeing what happens....or whipping the whole lot off and recoating it with something. It doesn't affect sound so its not major.
Maybe its worth more now as a relic. Thanks for your comments guys

 

[fly]

i'd let it run it's course..........but that's just me.

any pics ?

 

[J Romano]

If you are concerned with more coming off, you could always cover it with a satin or flat water base polyurethane coating. Be careful on any exposed wood, go lightly the use 0000 steel wool between coats after drying. Some grain will raise on the exposed wood, that's natural. The steel wool with take it down. Experiment on a rear section of the bass to see how it will appear when finished. When satisfied with result, do the front. Or as others have said, let it relic naturally.

 

[oli@bass]

What colour?

 

[DTG]

Stick up a pic !

 

[jlepre]

+1!

I'd LOVE to see it..

 

[cellkirk74]

Did the bass get a hit or something where the color comes off? It is very unlikely that this has something to do with the paint job since it lasted well for more than 20 years. Pics could help...

 

[supadave]

Thanks for the replys folks. I believe one of my offspring has my camera so can't put pics up until tomorrow.
Mine is a 4 up Honeyburst with a clear pg that I've had for 21 of its 23 years.
It has never let me down. Not once. Not even when I've treated it badly. Even though I have a couple of other basses, I really only play Ray.
I'm hoping I share something in common with Rory Gallagher and have a rare blood type which makes my sweat like paint thinner.
But I don't think I do. I think its age related, to be honest, but it happened so quickly I kind of freaked out. One day it was fine but a little cloudy, the next it was coming off in little peices. I'm starting to like it though.

 

[supadave]

heres some pics of my aging weapon and the lacquer issue. Hope you can see them ok. The lacquer is coming off where my right hand sits but I expect that. The other bit, I'm not so sure about. As you can see, the exterior is getting cloudy, which means it will all come off eventually I think. The back of the gat has a couple of bits of the wood showing and is already down to the last layer of lacquer. Comments are welcomed.

 

[lowliferumble]

The figuring on you neck looks amazing!!!

 

[supadave]

Yeah the neck is really nice. Thats actually what drew me to it years ago.

 

[Rano Bass]

It looks cool, dont worry.

 

[supadave]

Haha. Yeah I'm starting to think the same. Not sure what I was worried about now. Maybe I just needed reassurance that it wasn't some hideous disease.

 

[oli@bass]

That's not as bad as I'd expected from your description. I think a good guitar paint shop can give it a new clear coat and it would look like new.

 

[MrMusashi]

That's not as bad as I'd expected from your description. I think a good guitar paint shop can give it a new clear coat and it would look like new.

keep it original, even if its starting to wear a bit.. the value will never be the same again if you or someone else fumble around with it

MrM

 

[Basswave]

It looks cool, dont worry.

Yeah seriously...Its from 1988 (I mean that in a polite way)

Let the bass take its natural path.

I was going to refinish my 89 SR5 and its kind of beat, dinged with a 4" x 2.5" rash on the back (probably from a huge belt buckle) and you know what...I love it.

These are tools that we have a connection with but nothing is like an instrument that has some lovin marks on it.

 

[supadave]

I'm loving the comments folks.
I've come to the conclusion, like you guys, that I just love this guitar too much to tell it how it should look. If it chooses to discard some of its lacquer then far be it from me to stop it. It makes zero diff to tone and I always prefer my gats to look used/loved.
Would love to see some other examples of 'loved' guitars on here if anyone has any. Just for interests sake.