Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

just curious but why does the clear tend to pull away as the basses get older? Meaning I've noticed a few spots on the upper cut away of my bass where there's a very small thin gap as if the binding is starting to pull away and stuff. I've also noticed slight ripple (I've no other way to describe it) in the clear towards the bottom of the bass near the edge. I play behind the bridge pickup so that may just be wear from me playing there. I'm not too concerned about it, but if it ever does just strip away is there anyone around on here that can re-jetglo my bass?

I believe Paul W (jingle jangle) in the curmudgeon section is the refinish master. Also Dale Fortune.

Miles, how old is your bass?

She's an '83 so 26 years old

It probably happens due to the differences in expansion and contraction of the wood and the finish due to changes in temperature and humidity. Paul W could explain it much better than me. If you'd like, I can move this thread to his section, but he'll most likely see it here.

Yeah that would be awesome man. It concerns me because I love this bass and it was my first bass and I've had her since I was 13. So I was trying to think maybe I should retire her to home use and buy an early 80s 4001/3 of the same color and go with that.

Okay, I'll move this topic to Reflections Of A Curmudgeon. I'll keep it in the basses forum through tonight as well.

Edit: I'll move it later. My moderator tools seem to be dysfunctional right now!

sweet. if you could provide a link to where the thread may end up that would be awesome otherwise I'll never find the bugger. I noticed another stupid thing I've done. In my recordings I noticed my bass had a very harsh "blarp!" sound when i hit the E and A strings. I only use the bridge pick up and I was struggling to wrap my head around why. Lightening hit my brain and I had realized that I had lowered the pickup on the high end side but didn't balance it out on the low end side. With that now done my bass sounds like audio sex. I even took time to compare it to a newer one and I have to say, I like the older ones more. I don't care if its not machined properly or whatever. I like the way mine sounds tonally and the way it plays. The necks on the newer ones just feel weird, almost sharp. I dunno, maybe I'm just neurotic. I think with that in mind I may likely buy another 4001/3 within the next year or so depending on how busy my band gets. Anyway, back to the matter at hand, would it be more cost effective to fix these little blems or just buy another bass?

No need to move it.

This is probably, as Joey said, an issue with environmental changes, especially sudden temp changes and differences in humidity. Back and forth from damp to dry to damp, etc., can cause lots of grief with the varnish coating.

Ditto binding, as it expands and contracts at a different rate from the wood itself. After time, it can pull free in higher-stress areas, like tight inside bends.

jingle_jangle wrote:No need to move it.

Awww, but my mod tools work now!
Thanks!

jingle_jangle wrote:No need to move it.

This is probably, as Joey said, an issue with environmental changes, especially sudden temp changes and differences in humidity. Back and forth from damp to dry to damp, etc., can cause lots of grief with the varnish coating.

Ditto binding, as it expands and contracts at a different rate from the wood itself. After time, it can pull free in higher-stress areas, like tight inside bends.

So how exactly is this fixed? I assume the clear coat must be sanded down and the binding re-glued, or even new binding installed? At that point would it be more cost effective to refinish the entire bass?

nothing on this?