Natural distressing

**Crowder** · Dec-22-2007, 4:56pm

I've never been a fan of intentionally-distressed instruments. It always reminds me of when my Pee Wee Football coach caught me and another kid with our helmets off, knocking them together to trade paint like the big boys do when they are fighting on the line. He said "Boys, them licks ain't worth a thang unless you get 'em knocking somebody over!"

My Passernig is the first varnish instrument I've owned. I've been playing out a lot lately and I've noticed a lot of little wear marks here and there on my baby. The first one set me back a little, but I'm starting to embrace the concept of a "well loved" mandolin. This one is my keeper, and as long as all the wear comes from me playing it I won't complain.

Anyhow, just a little revelation for yours truly.

**Tim2723** · Dec-22-2007, 5:02pm

Natural wear and tear and even a well-earned battle scar adds a lot to the charm of an instrument. If you really want to accelerate the process naturally, let me play it for a week. I'll look 50 years old!

**gnelson651** · Dec-22-2007, 5:10pm

Originally Posted by (Tim2723 @ Dec. 22 2007, 18:02)

Natural wear and tear and even a well-earned battle scar adds a lot to the charm of an instrument. #If you really want to accelerate the process naturally, let me play it for a week. #I'll look 50 years old!

... or do it like Frank Wakefied and bake it in the oven at 450*F for 30 mins.

**JeffD** · Dec-23-2007, 1:24am

Originally Posted by (Crowder @ Dec. 22 2007, 17:56)

My Passernig is the first varnish instrument I've owned. I've been playing out a lot lately and I've noticed a lot of little wear marks here and there on my baby. The first one set me back a little, but I'm starting to embrace the concept of a "well loved" mandolin. This one is my keeper, and as long as all the wear comes from me playing it I won't complain.

Amen!!

**Hans** · Dec-23-2007, 6:01am

Just like a new car, after the first scratch it's transportation. #

**F5G WIZ** · Dec-23-2007, 8:05am

My first nick came from my then two year old daughter and a small rock she decided to throw while I was playing on a camping trip. I was upset at first but now I look at that little nick and it will always remind me of that trip and my little (rambunctious) daughter. Must have been playing something she didn't like!

**laddy jota** · Dec-23-2007, 8:29am

I like to build instruments but I hate the finishing. The finished products always show my bias. The finishes on some are so bad that I have lately started calling them distressed models. I am thinking of raising the prices.

**Cary Fagan** · Dec-23-2007, 8:43am

If an instrument could talk, it would say, "Don't keep me under glass, play me!" My own Passernig is 10 months old now. Some wear only adds to the beauty.

**jmcgann** · Dec-23-2007, 9:45am

People must really like the "Relic" look, since companies like Fender are selling them like hotcakes.

Personally, I can't think of a more bogus concept than fake distressing. No accounting for tastes, though.

Actual dings and such as part of playing life are one thing, but isn't there enough fake stuff in the world already?

**Peter Hackman** · Dec-23-2007, 9:52am

Originally Posted by (F5G WIZ @ Dec. 23 2007, 09:05)

My first nick came from my then two year old daughter and a small rock she decided to throw while I was playing on a camping trip. #I was upset at first but now I look at that little nick and it will always remind me of that trip and my little (rambunctious) daughter. #Must have been playing something she didn't like! #

She caught you pinky posting?

**steve V. johnson** · Dec-23-2007, 10:24am

Wait, wait... waaaaaiiiiiit a minute here....

Glenn Nelson wrote, "... or do it like Frank Wakefied and bake it in the oven at 450*F for 30 mins."

Now... this is a bit of mando lore that I have never heard and do not know anything about. What's the story on this, eh?!?!?!?

-BAKED- his mandolin? Musta taken off the metal parts, yes? Or... not?? And what was the point, to age the finish?
Really?!?

I feel like I may be blundering into a real sucker moment here, but I have to ask...

And, discussions of "distressing" inevitably remind me of Ken Ratcliff's work, which I love to look at, and tho I've only heard a few
I really love the sound of both Ken's and Laura's mandolins. And it seems that Ken's distressed models have been well received and well respected. If I fell in love with the sound and feel of a Ratcliff distressed model, the look of it would not matter much.
But that's qualified by the possibility of ordering one that could look about any way I want...

But I don't really 'get' distressing, aesthetically. I'd rather install my own wear. The process tells me a lot about myself, and
one of many ways of gathering information thru my instruments that I value a lot.

stv

**f5loar** · Dec-23-2007, 11:34am

Is it "live" or is it "Memorix"? Sounds like you saved yourself about $6000. While I think the Gibson distressed look is fine the paying of $6000 more seems a bit over the top. You could have yourself another Gibson for that price.
I don't know how Fender is charging for their new distressed models vs. regular models. Anybody know the difference?

**jasona** · Dec-23-2007, 11:34am

Half an hour at 450 would probably have caused every glued seam on the mandolin to fall apart. Are you sure this temp is correct?

My first dings were already on the mando when I got it. The first one I put it it was a small crack due to overhumidifying the mando because my hygronomer was on its way to the trash can. Now I hardly look at it close enough to notice when another thin happens, its more like, "what happened there?" when I notice it.

**gnelson651** · Dec-23-2007, 2:46pm

Excerpt from Jim Moss interview with Frank Wakefield***

Jim: So you got this mandolin and Monroe played it and he liked it. #So, what was the
next thing that happened to the mandolin?

Frank: #After I had it for a year or two I took it back home and I couldn’t make it
sound like Bill’s mandolin…and I didn’t realize.. Bill said it is all in your right
hand to get that sound. #But you are always.. when you are young about 28, 29 years old…
you figure that you know more then everybody else… you think you are going to make
it sound better.. so I sanded it off… put some paint and stuff on it…

Jim: Paint? #You sanded it off what?

Frank: I sanded it off…

Jim: The face?

Frank: yeah…. # And I left it that way for a while.. there are some pictures of me
when it was blond.

.......

Jim: And you used what kind of paint?

Frank: Just a regular can of spray paint..

Jim: So where did you get this from… a car store?

Frank: Right!

Jim: Epoxy paint?

Frank: I am not sure if it was or not I don’t remember. #So I figure I’d dry it
and bake and everything… I baked it for a while for about 300… well about
110 or 120 degrees something like that..

Jim: In the oven?

Frank: Yeah.

Jim: ah huh… that always helps! # # Ooooohhhhhh

Frank: Actually did make it dry and though it sound better.

Jim: uh huh..

Frank: Good thing I didn’t leave it in any longer cause that other glue
woulda come loose.

***OK so I made up the 450*F for 30 mins.

**billkilpatrick** · Dec-23-2007, 3:14pm

this has to do with internal stressing as opposed to the superficial variety:

i remember reading the account of some guy who was flying from one place to another in a small jet and at one point in the flight the guitar in his case began to hum - vibrate - for reasons unknown. when the plane landed and he was able to check his guitar for possible damage, he found that it sounded sweeter than ever before.

i know that oud players will "sing" into the sound holes of their instruments to set up a sympathetic "hum" from within. the vibrations produced by this exercise tend to open-up the instrument and bring on its optimum, mature sound.

i agree that it's "bogus" to stress your instrument artificially - particularly if it's only to indicate dues not actually paid - road houses not actually played at ... gigs not actually performed. but if my mandolin happened to hum in sympathy with a vibrations of a lear jet (or more probably to the sound of my own voice) and become a better sounding instrument in the process ... where's the blame?

**steve V. johnson** · Dec-23-2007, 3:31pm

Hey Glenn,

Thanks for the interview excerpt! #That is wild...

I'd guess that FW got impatiient for the paint to dry ... #ya think?

I know young guys who have done completely wacky stuff to their instruments, too. #It's a phase.
Sometimes it passes...

stv

**jmcgann** · Dec-23-2007, 3:58pm

Originally Posted by

if my mandolin happened to hum in sympathy with a vibrations of a lear jet (or more probably to the sound of my own voice) and become a better sounding instrument in the process ... where's the blame?

No blame. It's different from taking a perfectly new axe and dragging it from the back of a pickup truck down a gravel road to make it look "bluesy"

**JeffD** · Dec-23-2007, 4:11pm

When I got my first real job, they issued me a brand shiney new hard hat. On my way to my first field assignment I stopped by a gravel road and kicked and scuffed that hard hat around in the rocks and dirt until I could wear it without looking like a total newbie.

**otterly2k** · Dec-23-2007, 4:17pm

yep... like many of us used to do when we got brand new white sneakers.

no paying $6k for it, tho!

**craigmurray** · Dec-23-2007, 8:31pm

When I was a kid, one of my ski coaches used to put a large scratch on his skis with a screwdriver before he ever skied on them to save him the agony of worrying about that first scratch. It is going to happen. I was a bit upset when I put the first ding in my new mando, but as many have said, it didn't take long to not worry about it much anymore. I do love the look of a well played mando.

**woodwizard** · Dec-24-2007, 3:23pm

I've been dreaming of a Master Model (Gibson). And you can bet if I ever take that plunge it won't be for the distressed one. I want to distress it myself if you know what I mean. I find it hard to understand the distressed model or the concept of it. I know it's a new thing made to look old but why? To resemble a an 80+ year old Loar I guess.

Guess I just like the "new look" on "new" things better. That's more natural to me. They will get old in time so why hurry it up

**Rick Crenshaw** · Dec-24-2007, 11:35pm

The way I am on my mandolins, it won't take much time to 'get old'. I'm really careful with everyone's mandolins but my own. My gorgeous new tortoise bound Daley #56 took a lick the other night when I was opening a package of 9volt batteries to put in my Shure IEM. The pack was hard to open. It finally gave and one of the batteries took a flying leap and landed on the top of my Daley. Right up on the top above the fingerboard extension on the bass side. Nice half moon the size of the large round pole on the battery. I'm all better now thank you. #21 has a similar sized ding, only deeper, right on the scroll from a short stubby cell phone antennae. BTW, don't keep a cell phone in your top pocket and lean over to get your mandolin out of the case. Ask me how I know.

**surfandstrum** · Dec-24-2007, 11:37pm

Sorry to laugh...but I can relate to the dings, but other ways of inflicting it upon my instruments...Happy Holidays...

**Lee** · Dec-27-2007, 4:47pm

I think we've all feared the saber-toothed upper latch.

**Griffis** · Dec-27-2007, 5:21pm

Originally Posted by (jmcgann @ Dec. 23 2007, 10:45)

People must really like the "Relic" look, since companies like Fender are selling them like hotcakes.

Personally, I can't think of a more bogus concept than fake distressing. No accounting for tastes, though.

Actual dings and such as part of playing life are one thing, but isn't there enough fake stuff in the world already?

Well spoken. As you say, naturally occurring distress is fine. But coming from someone who used to play electric guitar, I find the fake-aging and distressing issue completely bizarre.