The bass was damaged by a drop not caused by you getting mad or excited and throwing it around, it is now unique in its own way and has its own character. The more wear and tear, the more personality of its own this bass is going to have. Play the hell out of this bass.
Ah… makes sense… this and that fact that basses are just larger than guitars… more meat on them… guitars just won’t hold up to such dragging about… basses have more balls, so to speak…😎
Basically you let decades of wear and tear happen to your bass by way of these drops and dings, not whatever the Fender/Gibson custom shop does to their instruments to relic them
You can attempt a drop fill. Lots of simple tutorials online. It requires CA glue (Krazy Glue) and various grits of fine sanding paper. Also, a razor blade. I've done this procedure a few times on neck dings, and finish chunks like yours. As I'm not a pro and I did a rush job, it isn't 100% perfect, but at least the chunk is smoothed over.
No worries then. No one’s gonna see it but you. But patch it up if you want to like wango55 said. Once you patch it find some similar colored fingernail polish if you want to go the extra mile, but you’re lucky it’s on the back.
Here's a drop fill video: [https://youtu.be/rTVScFJoe24?si=svMNYxdhdqSYuXZ6](https://youtu.be/rTVScFJoe24?si=svMNYxdhdqSYuXZ6)
I did this for a big scratch on the back of one of my guitars. It's not perfect (I think it probably works better for smaller scratches) but it definitely seals it.
Also, I have this same bass and I can't find any info on the specs to see what wood the body is. The SN doesn't bring anything up on the Fender site. I bought mine new as well from Musician's Friend. I've replaced the pickups and shimmed the neck and everything looked normal to me.
I bought a couple factory second bodies (1 p bass and 1 mustang guitar) for really cheap because they had significant poly finish chunks missing. The first one came out meh, but from a distance it doesn’t look bad. I got impatient and didn’t let the glue dry enough, so it had some small divots in the patch area. Second one came out much better. You can see where it was patched but the surface is glassy smooth.
It's this model, bought brand new. Made in Mexico I think. [https://reverb.com/p/fender-deluxe-precision-bass-special-1999-2004](https://reverb.com/p/fender-deluxe-precision-bass-special-1999-2004)
I went back and looked again, I’d glue it actually that’s a big spot and it’s likely to catch on something and pull more finish off. (I’d probably just superglue it on the edges and break or sand the edges down
Does it appear to be a laminate from closer inspection? Or is that wood grain? Is the finish separating from the wood?
If the finish looks to be separating from the wood, and is likely to catch on clothing and pull further off, I’d do some cyanoacrylate (SuperGlue) and a bit of sanding to prevent that… if the wood appears to be a laminate, I’d maybe seal it… if you are ok with it cosmetically, that’s it… if you want to repair the finish, that’s a bigger project…
For me, it just means you actually use your instrument… but I would want it catching on clothing or otherwise accelerating a deterioration of the body, especially if it’s a laminate of some sort… a laminate will be more subject to issues with moisture than a solid piece of wood… can’t tell this from the model and pic on Reverb…
You could contact Fender support and ask if it’s a laminate if you can’t tell from looking at it…
Why does it look like a layer of brown paper in between the wood and paint lol like there’s gaps between each of the layers like it’s cardboard paper or something
My SG has had a small chunk missing on the edge for 25 years and nothing has started rotting or anything. It just adds character.
https://preview.redd.it/sznrzvvg3sic1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=991303839062109f157f2f78907bad4961438a06
I’d take some coarse grit sandpaper (80) on a hard block and smooth out the area (*outside with a mask; don’t go inhaling the dust).
Then swing by a hardware store and grab a small can of WATCO Danish Oil. Rub some in with a rag, then 10 minutes later wipe off. Immediately do that process a second time, then let it sit to *cure* for a day in a garage or someplace where the fumes won’t give you a headache.
The spot will be stable, won’t chip, and will be sealed from moisture/humidity affecting the spot or swelling the area.
Congrats on your new relic beauty mark. Guitars gets sexy scars over time like the rest of us.
It’s on the back of the bass. The only one really bothered by it will be you, and it’s easier and cheaper to decide it doesn’t bother you. I’ve owned basses with that exact type of damage. They played fine, and no one seeing me perform could ever really tell the bass was damaged.
You can try to fix it though. I’m not necessarily suggesting you don’t fix it, but if that already bothers you a ton, you’re gonna need to accept that no amount or method of “fixing it” is gonna get it back to how it was. It’s why I suggest you save yourself the money, time and effort, and just get back to playing it. Basses are meant to be played. If it’s still playable, then it works fine.
for sure. it doesn't bother me at all, visually. it's just a deep enough cut that I worried that moisture getting into the wood would cause me big problems. Maybe i'll just throw some varnish on it.
I think that’s a good move if you’re concerned about it. I had a Fender Deluxe Active Mexican J bass I bought used that had damage exactly like that around the same area. It wasn’t quite as deep as yours. From what I can remember, the previous owner did nothing about it. Maybe he put some varnish on it, but I seem to remember asking and he said he did nothing. Based on memory though, it might have had something coating it, but he also took a black sharpie to it to make it less noticiable, so my point is I can’t recall if it had anything coating the damage.
What I’m getting at though is that it still sounded fine and didn’t cause any known moisture damage or anything of that sort. I grew to like it. Granted, I’ve owned basses with beautiful, natural relics. This one didn’t have that. It had stupid looking damage, but especially since it was not very noticeable to anyone other than myself or someone who would play it, I did end up growing to like it. It’s like enjoying some stupid flaw or defect in yourself or a person you love. You might wish it wasn’t a thing, but you also learn to love it.
Did it get dropped off the roof of a building? I kid.
As someone that spent my early years in a hardcore band known for destroying instruments, this is just character… I wouldn’t sweat it.
It looks wicked if I'm honest. Whack a knarley sticker over it and your done. We all know stickers are awesome on guitars and bass. Character all the way. I have a cracked glass sticker on my strat where I damaged it and it looks quite cool to be fair.
I certainly hope not. It's this model:
[https://reverb.com/p/fender-deluxe-precision-bass-special-1999-2004](https://reverb.com/p/fender-deluxe-precision-bass-special-1999-2004)
You have nothing to worry about, the wood will not react negatively to normal environmental conditions and even if it did, this is a non-functional part of the bass which is under no stress or has no structural purpose.
I remember when I first started buying instruments and getting wear marks on them. I hated it. But now, I look at every single mark or scuff and I remember most of where they happened. Just like people, instruments have character, and this is how you build character.
Jazz or P bass? Not like it matters because I am going to say the same thing --- wasn't the first chip (judging from the smaller one also visible in the picture) and certainly won't be the last. I would just play the shit out of it and see how relic'd it's going to look in a few years from now. Like another person said, "battle scars". I think it's attractive if it isn't done intentionally.
Sand down there finish for about three inches around the hole. Put and thin layer of Bondo over the hole. Let it dry sand it smooth, the match the pain as best you can and then clear coat it.
Hit it with sandpaper until you can’t feel any edges to the chip running your finger over it. It will look and feel way better and nothing further will chip off. Really probably not necessary to mess with varnish, you could maybe try something light like a shellac but realistically it will be totally fine, maybe rub in some fretboard oil if it looks thirsty.
Filling and paint matching etc. are technically doable but odds are strong you’ll make it look worse if you don’t have a lot of practice doing that sort of thing.
2 things that worked for me:
#1 I bought a bass that had been dropped and had some chunk(s) chipped off just like yours. The previous owner used a combo of paint and clear nail polish to cover up the exposed wood. Test it BEFORE you go and do that to your own bass. But mine looks ok, and from a distance you can't even tell unless you look for it.
#2 I bought a guitar with a missing chunk on the back like yours. I used primer, threw on quite a few coats/layers of it to the isolated area and then I color matched as close as possible to the original color. It's far from perfect, but it sealed up any exposed wood, and I'd say it even stopped more chunks/chips of paint from coming off.
Both are cheap fixes that won't cost more than $10 and some time.
It sucks and I feel your pain and frustration. I have an accidental gouge on the top of my Yamaha 12-string put there by the headstock of my bass going on 50 years ago. Never did anything to try to fix it. Guitar still sounds beautiful.
Related story: on one of my visits to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, there was a display right at the bottom of the escalator going down to the 'basement'. (Which is where you're supposed to start your visit, so like the first thing you see.) I don't remember now whose it was, but there was a guitar behind the glass which was beat all to hell. Scratches, gouges, chips, chunks, you-name-it. You wouldn't give this thing a second look if you saw it in a pawn shop. All I thought was "Now *there's* a guitar someone loved!"
Love your bass, blemishes and all. It'll love you back.
Had a similar experience a few days after I got my bass. Was walking home from a buddy one night and slipped on ice. Luckily it was only a dent, so it didn’t flake off. On the bright side I have an interesting story to tell if anyone wonders what happened
Step one is complete, this badass bass works better than before
https://preview.redd.it/b8g637txfkjc1.jpeg?width=2657&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e167ec30408579632716a5fc7c905b71efc77a2
Congrats, you’ve begun your relic journey lol. I have a guitar with paint chipped off…been two years now and haven’t had any issues.
But Billybob Corden says the toan is in the white paint! 😢
Because he doesn’t have balls to hold his toan
No no no! Toan is in the strap pegs/ strap locks dummy!
[удалено]
The older you get, the more it leaks
This is natural and sane relicing. Don’t worry about the wood getting ruined because of one little drop
I'm not familiar with the term "sane relicing," what does that mean?
The bass was damaged by a drop not caused by you getting mad or excited and throwing it around, it is now unique in its own way and has its own character. The more wear and tear, the more personality of its own this bass is going to have. Play the hell out of this bass.
Insane relic is like leaving a guitar out in the elements for a few weeks or towing it behind your car
Wait, what? Doesn’t everyone tow their guitar behind their car?
But toan is only added if you use a hemp rope. Synthetic fibres suck toan out.
Ah… makes sense… this and that fact that basses are just larger than guitars… more meat on them… guitars just won’t hold up to such dragging about… basses have more balls, so to speak…😎
Yes! And stoopud relic (a sub-category of insane relic) is when you pay thousands of extra dollars to fake relic.
I’ll do it for half the other competition
I bid half of your half and raise you half.
Basically you let decades of wear and tear happen to your bass by way of these drops and dings, not whatever the Fender/Gibson custom shop does to their instruments to relic them
You can attempt a drop fill. Lots of simple tutorials online. It requires CA glue (Krazy Glue) and various grits of fine sanding paper. Also, a razor blade. I've done this procedure a few times on neck dings, and finish chunks like yours. As I'm not a pro and I did a rush job, it isn't 100% perfect, but at least the chunk is smoothed over.
I've used CA glue and a razor blade before. It's hard on the nose. /a
thank you for this.
The big question: Is the damage on the front or back of your bass?
back
No worries then. No one’s gonna see it but you. But patch it up if you want to like wango55 said. Once you patch it find some similar colored fingernail polish if you want to go the extra mile, but you’re lucky it’s on the back.
I might find the edges could tear or catch on clothing. That might be the only annoying thing about this road wear
Here's a drop fill video: [https://youtu.be/rTVScFJoe24?si=svMNYxdhdqSYuXZ6](https://youtu.be/rTVScFJoe24?si=svMNYxdhdqSYuXZ6) I did this for a big scratch on the back of one of my guitars. It's not perfect (I think it probably works better for smaller scratches) but it definitely seals it. Also, I have this same bass and I can't find any info on the specs to see what wood the body is. The SN doesn't bring anything up on the Fender site. I bought mine new as well from Musician's Friend. I've replaced the pickups and shimmed the neck and everything looked normal to me.
I have done this and it doesn't look great because of my own sloppiness, but from a distance of like 1 foot, nobody can notice.
I bought a couple factory second bodies (1 p bass and 1 mustang guitar) for really cheap because they had significant poly finish chunks missing. The first one came out meh, but from a distance it doesn’t look bad. I got impatient and didn’t let the glue dry enough, so it had some small divots in the patch area. Second one came out much better. You can see where it was patched but the surface is glassy smooth.
U still have the chunk that fell off? I would just glue it back on.
NOOO WHY DID I THINK THAT WAS A BASS CAKE AND THAT WAS A SLICE TAKEN OUT--
ITS ALL CAKE. MY WIFE IS A CAKE. DUFF YOU BASTARD.
Is it normal for it to look like that under the paint? What is going on there? Is it some cheap cardboard China bass? Shouldn't be solid wood?
It's this model, bought brand new. Made in Mexico I think. [https://reverb.com/p/fender-deluxe-precision-bass-special-1999-2004](https://reverb.com/p/fender-deluxe-precision-bass-special-1999-2004)
Thats funny. The specs mention neck and fingerboard material but not body. What are they hiding?
Some people pay extra for stuff like that. Slap a bandaid sticker on it and keep jamming
Yes Sticker
Gaffa tape
Are you from New England, by any chance?
Or Olde England.
Im from Current England
I love your work in scones and Ribena!
I’m from normal England actually
Haha fair enough. I figured it was one of the two if you could make the honest mistake of spelling “gaffer’s tape” like that haha
Ngl I legit thought that’s how it was spelled aha
Gaffer! Gaffer = boss, and they’re the lead sparky on film sets, hence needing lots of tape to tie cables to the floor etc..
View it as evidence of rough sex and move on
Cause sometimes you gotta slap a bit...uh, bass.
You can purchase wood fill or even use Bondo to fill missing wood. It’s simple: fill, sand and paint. (Can even leave it unpainted)
Happens, you could put some oil on it to keep it from absorbing moisture if you’re worried, it should just naturally crust up with dirt and oxidize
I went back and looked again, I’d glue it actually that’s a big spot and it’s likely to catch on something and pull more finish off. (I’d probably just superglue it on the edges and break or sand the edges down
It looks like there is cardboard inside that bass. I am assuming that is just the image…
Does it appear to be a laminate from closer inspection? Or is that wood grain? Is the finish separating from the wood? If the finish looks to be separating from the wood, and is likely to catch on clothing and pull further off, I’d do some cyanoacrylate (SuperGlue) and a bit of sanding to prevent that… if the wood appears to be a laminate, I’d maybe seal it… if you are ok with it cosmetically, that’s it… if you want to repair the finish, that’s a bigger project… For me, it just means you actually use your instrument… but I would want it catching on clothing or otherwise accelerating a deterioration of the body, especially if it’s a laminate of some sort… a laminate will be more subject to issues with moisture than a solid piece of wood… can’t tell this from the model and pic on Reverb… You could contact Fender support and ask if it’s a laminate if you can’t tell from looking at it…
The bare wood is no problem. But what is this huge crack?
Why does it look like a layer of brown paper in between the wood and paint lol like there’s gaps between each of the layers like it’s cardboard paper or something
# CHUNK! https://preview.redd.it/0ev9vfkrmric1.jpeg?width=840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=74b95e56ee795b720074500af528de6b97b8a905
My SG has had a small chunk missing on the edge for 25 years and nothing has started rotting or anything. It just adds character. https://preview.redd.it/sznrzvvg3sic1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=991303839062109f157f2f78907bad4961438a06
Did you eat the chipped off part or can I?
I don't think I knew that Fenders have veneer tops. 😳
I’d take some coarse grit sandpaper (80) on a hard block and smooth out the area (*outside with a mask; don’t go inhaling the dust). Then swing by a hardware store and grab a small can of WATCO Danish Oil. Rub some in with a rag, then 10 minutes later wipe off. Immediately do that process a second time, then let it sit to *cure* for a day in a garage or someplace where the fumes won’t give you a headache. The spot will be stable, won’t chip, and will be sealed from moisture/humidity affecting the spot or swelling the area. Congrats on your new relic beauty mark. Guitars gets sexy scars over time like the rest of us.
Get a small pot of red paint and a brush.
Just let it be and enjoy. Gives it character.
The battle scars of a mighty warrior
It’s on the back of the bass. The only one really bothered by it will be you, and it’s easier and cheaper to decide it doesn’t bother you. I’ve owned basses with that exact type of damage. They played fine, and no one seeing me perform could ever really tell the bass was damaged. You can try to fix it though. I’m not necessarily suggesting you don’t fix it, but if that already bothers you a ton, you’re gonna need to accept that no amount or method of “fixing it” is gonna get it back to how it was. It’s why I suggest you save yourself the money, time and effort, and just get back to playing it. Basses are meant to be played. If it’s still playable, then it works fine.
for sure. it doesn't bother me at all, visually. it's just a deep enough cut that I worried that moisture getting into the wood would cause me big problems. Maybe i'll just throw some varnish on it.
I think that’s a good move if you’re concerned about it. I had a Fender Deluxe Active Mexican J bass I bought used that had damage exactly like that around the same area. It wasn’t quite as deep as yours. From what I can remember, the previous owner did nothing about it. Maybe he put some varnish on it, but I seem to remember asking and he said he did nothing. Based on memory though, it might have had something coating it, but he also took a black sharpie to it to make it less noticiable, so my point is I can’t recall if it had anything coating the damage. What I’m getting at though is that it still sounded fine and didn’t cause any known moisture damage or anything of that sort. I grew to like it. Granted, I’ve owned basses with beautiful, natural relics. This one didn’t have that. It had stupid looking damage, but especially since it was not very noticeable to anyone other than myself or someone who would play it, I did end up growing to like it. It’s like enjoying some stupid flaw or defect in yourself or a person you love. You might wish it wasn’t a thing, but you also learn to love it.
Did it get dropped off the roof of a building? I kid. As someone that spent my early years in a hardcore band known for destroying instruments, this is just character… I wouldn’t sweat it.
That's got to feel a bit lighter on the old shoulder Poly is the funniest finish for dings, either absolutely nothing or deshells itself like an egg
If you’re worried I’d just get some tru oil or some similar shit and apply a bit in there
Remember that wear is part of an instrument's history and personality, just like a scar on a person. I would keep the damage.
Chunkless basses are the real 2025 move.
Release the toan.
Congratulations it's beautiful!
My 16 year chipped bass is perfectly fine and i live in a damp climate. Youre good.
Sell it and get a new one
Very rock and roll looking! You can leave it as is, or throw on some black tape to patch it, Frankenstein style.
Sand the sharp edges off and run it.
It looks wicked if I'm honest. Whack a knarley sticker over it and your done. We all know stickers are awesome on guitars and bass. Character all the way. I have a cracked glass sticker on my strat where I damaged it and it looks quite cool to be fair.
Get a sticker of a speech bubble that has “Ouchies” in the bubble and slap it next the damage. Embrace the character
Sand it smooth on the edges and rock on
Hit it with some fine sandpaper, then emory paper to get it really smooth.
Plywood?
I certainly hope not. It's this model: [https://reverb.com/p/fender-deluxe-precision-bass-special-1999-2004](https://reverb.com/p/fender-deluxe-precision-bass-special-1999-2004)
It looks like it's a piece of the "top" if that makes sense
Careful all the toan doesn't leak out...! ;\^p
It’s the patina of experience
You have nothing to worry about, the wood will not react negatively to normal environmental conditions and even if it did, this is a non-functional part of the bass which is under no stress or has no structural purpose.
It’s rock n roll baby! Scars make it cool! Punk as fuck
I remember when I first started buying instruments and getting wear marks on them. I hated it. But now, I look at every single mark or scuff and I remember most of where they happened. Just like people, instruments have character, and this is how you build character.
Tone dent
Cool!
Tone is in the paint chip
You could probably will the hole with some kind of epoxy, or wood filler, just to protect
Kiss the guitar's boo-boo and put a bandaid on it ♥️
3% punchier now
BATTLE SCAR!!!
I’m not sure if I understand this picture. Do you have any better ones?
Less garbage photo https://preview.redd.it/8wjg0lg1isic1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=827d2dca177e137067982184bd4e5809a819bf98
Brush some CA glue on it lol
my epiphone thunderbirds headstock fell on a radiator.. now theres a massive hole in the neck joint 😃
A lil 2 part epoxy will fix that right up.
Bad luck - good mojo
Same thing happened to my Stingray. I just chucked some clear nail polish on it and it has been fine for nearly a decade.
Why would you force me to witness this… it hurts me
Yeah, happens
Hell yeah dude, hardcore
Congratulations on your free road worn mod! Rock on! 🤘
Find the chunk and glue to back in.
Jazz or P bass? Not like it matters because I am going to say the same thing --- wasn't the first chip (judging from the smaller one also visible in the picture) and certainly won't be the last. I would just play the shit out of it and see how relic'd it's going to look in a few years from now. Like another person said, "battle scars". I think it's attractive if it isn't done intentionally.
Why the hell does it have lath and plaster like you smashed the wall in an old house? Lol
Is it caaaake?!
everyone is talking about how cool it is but dude has a right to feel hurt it’s not like our gear comes cheap :/ i hope u find a solution
Battle scar
Chicks digs scars
Character
Nail polish
Sand down there finish for about three inches around the hole. Put and thin layer of Bondo over the hole. Let it dry sand it smooth, the match the pain as best you can and then clear coat it.
Hit it with sandpaper until you can’t feel any edges to the chip running your finger over it. It will look and feel way better and nothing further will chip off. Really probably not necessary to mess with varnish, you could maybe try something light like a shellac but realistically it will be totally fine, maybe rub in some fretboard oil if it looks thirsty. Filling and paint matching etc. are technically doable but odds are strong you’ll make it look worse if you don’t have a lot of practice doing that sort of thing.
This is why I don't hang up my guitars. Multi-guitar racks for me all the way.
2 things that worked for me: #1 I bought a bass that had been dropped and had some chunk(s) chipped off just like yours. The previous owner used a combo of paint and clear nail polish to cover up the exposed wood. Test it BEFORE you go and do that to your own bass. But mine looks ok, and from a distance you can't even tell unless you look for it. #2 I bought a guitar with a missing chunk on the back like yours. I used primer, threw on quite a few coats/layers of it to the isolated area and then I color matched as close as possible to the original color. It's far from perfect, but it sealed up any exposed wood, and I'd say it even stopped more chunks/chips of paint from coming off. Both are cheap fixes that won't cost more than $10 and some time.
It sucks and I feel your pain and frustration. I have an accidental gouge on the top of my Yamaha 12-string put there by the headstock of my bass going on 50 years ago. Never did anything to try to fix it. Guitar still sounds beautiful. Related story: on one of my visits to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, there was a display right at the bottom of the escalator going down to the 'basement'. (Which is where you're supposed to start your visit, so like the first thing you see.) I don't remember now whose it was, but there was a guitar behind the glass which was beat all to hell. Scratches, gouges, chips, chunks, you-name-it. You wouldn't give this thing a second look if you saw it in a pawn shop. All I thought was "Now *there's* a guitar someone loved!" Love your bass, blemishes and all. It'll love you back.
Had a similar experience a few days after I got my bass. Was walking home from a buddy one night and slipped on ice. Luckily it was only a dent, so it didn’t flake off. On the bright side I have an interesting story to tell if anyone wonders what happened
Rechunk bass with wood glue and don’t let bass fall down too much.
Personality! I've dropped a lot of instruments in my short teenage life. almost all still work
Now you can join a shitty hardcore band.
No need to worry about moisture or rot.
Oh no now the toan leaking out 😰
Bondo and paint
Is it cake?… it looks like it
Clear coat
Sorry that happened
Battle scar. Cool.
Nail polish and super glue. Sand polish sand polish
this happened to my Squier Tele but it revealed a layer of sparkly red paint underneath the blue paint
Epoxy and red paint
Adds character, doubt anything will happen to the guitar unless it's constantly humid if which case I'd pour wood glue in the crack
Step one is complete, this badass bass works better than before https://preview.redd.it/b8g637txfkjc1.jpeg?width=2657&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6e167ec30408579632716a5fc7c905b71efc77a2