Heavy crackled '78 Musicmaster Bass

[Chris P.]

This Musicmaster belongs to a friend. It's a black '78 and the lacquering is heavily crackled. One should think it has been in a damp room or even under water, but the rest of the bass is almost as it left the factory. Hardware and neck are perfect. Also the body has a very small split between two parts, but it's as solid as a rock. On the back you can see it was made of three pieces.



What can be the cause of this? Wasn't the wood dry enough? A problem with the first layer of coating?

This one has exactly the same issue:

http://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/collections/fender/products/fender-musicmaster-bass-black-1979-s100

[Pilgrim]

The Fender fanatics don't care why it happened, they call it mojo and rain condemnation upon anyone who would even consider refinishing the bass.

Based on the places it's visible, much of the chipping across the bottom looks like rough handling; some of it may be due either to surface contamination before painting, or wood that was too damp. Musicmasters were not a premium line at Fender.

[Chris P.]

 

I shall make some better pics, but it's no wear. The whole back is crackled. The whole body. Everything.

[gearHed289]

Just throwing this out there, but back in my model car building days, there were a few times where I sprayed something a new color, and the two paints reacted by immediately crinkling up. Is it possible somebody sprayed over the original finish with another paint that would cause a reaction?

[Denis]

Just throwing this out there, but back in my model car building days, there were a few times where I sprayed something a new color, and the two paints reacted by immediately crinkling up. Is it possible somebody sprayed over the original finish with another paint that would cause a reaction?

Had that same result many times, much to my irritation.

If that was my bass I would probably clear fill those naked areas to protect the wood. Of course I had to strip my '75 P-bass because the paint was still tacky, years after someone applied it to the original clear coat.

[Dave W]

There was one at a local shop recently with the same issue. Also late 70s, also black. You have to wonder if it was just a problem with a paint batch.

[Chris P.]

The link in my post is also to another one. That's a '79 while my friend's one's a '78.

[rahock]

Just throwing this out there, but back in my model car building days, there were a few times where I sprayed something a new color, and the two paints reacted by immediately crinkling up. Is it possible somebody sprayed over the original finish with another paint that would cause a reaction?

That is a definite possibility. Also , as Dave mentioned a bad batch of paint could be the issue. Either too much or too little hardener can cause this. Opposite situation.....exact same result .
Rick

[ilan]

I saw that happen more than once on Musicmasters. They were made from 4-5 strips of leftover wood, possibly different woods, and were painted without a primer or clearcoat. Maybe that causes the body to expand or shrink more under weather changes, and that causes the paint to crack and peel off.

Here is my old '77 before and after I modded it with a Mustang pickup and pickguard/control plate:

[lowend1]

Just an aside here - did Fender put MOP pickguards on Musicmaster basses as original equipment? I was in a local "vintage" store the other day and the guy had a 70s variant that was equipped that way and swore the bass was all original. All the previous ones I've seen had a solid color guard - either black or white.

[ilan]

AFAIK only 3-ply white or black. But with Fender never say never.

[copacetic]

Some years ago I saw Meshell Ndegecello at the Great American Music Hall in SF.  I noticed that she was getting and making an incredibly delicious bass sound. Everyone knows she is good down to the bone. Upon moving ip closer I noticed she had another bassist behing her. He was playing a black Music Master bass just as Ilan pictured (with the paint job and crackeld look). What really got me though was his sound and the way he was mashing it up on that tiny bass I always thought perhaps was a toy. I also thought he must have some customized pickups or something in the bass. Coincidentally enough several days later I was in a local repair shop ( Gary Brawers) where some workmwas being done on an old Ampeg Scrolltop of mine. I saw on a table in the back a black messed up painted Music Master. I asked Gary about it and he told me it belonged to Meshell and she was having some pots or something being worked on. I asked if I could give it a try. Isat down and played it for a few minutes and ....I was a believer.  There is more to them than meets the eye. (Just like Silvertones!)

[dadagoboi]

AFAIK only 3-ply white or black. But with Fender never say never.

.060 3-ply, like a TBird.  That's why they cracked so easily and so many have been replaced.

[Highlander]

Ilan... curiously, the cracking is parallel with the grain...?

[Dave W]

Some years ago I saw Meshell Ndegecello at the Great American Music Hall in SF.  I noticed that she was getting and making an incredibly delicious bass sound. Everyone knows she is good down to the bone. Upon moving ip closer I noticed she had another bassist behing her. He was playing a black Music Master bass just as Ilan pictured (with the paint job and crackeld look). What really got me though was his sound and the way he was mashing it up on that tiny bass I always thought perhaps was a toy. I also thought he must have some customized pickups or something in the bass. Coincidentally enough several days later I was in a local repair shop ( Gary Brawers) where some workmwas being done on an old Ampeg Scrolltop of mine. I saw on a table in the back a black messed up painted Music Master. I asked Gary about it and he told me it belonged to Meshell and she was having some pots or something being worked on. I asked if I could give it a try. Isat down and played it for a few minutes and ....I was a believer.  There is more to them than meets the eye. (Just like Silvertones!)

Definitely agree. Many times you see them with the pickup "upgraded" but I've never heard one with a replacement pickup that sounded as good as the original 6-pole pickup.