Relic'd Guitars are for Posers

[Dogs of Doom]

What about dragon telecasters haha?

put on a white dragon suit & a wig already! ...

 

[Dogs of Doom]

Don't know, haven't heard them tmk
Is it an purely cosmetic treatment ?
Or an electromagnetic thang ?
Both?

they scraped the ferrite oxide from King Tutt's tomb...

 

[ricksdisconnected]

Don't know, haven't heard them tmk
Is it an purely cosmetic treatment ?
Or an electromagnetic thang ?
Both?

i think they are just relic'ed but traditionally made
same as they were in the olden days.

 

[Mitchell Pearrow]

Here it is in 1993 Got it in 86 and it still had most of the finish

This is a great performance
Love the tunes an tones great work Tom an crew

 

[tomsvintage]

This is a great performance
Love the tunes an tones great work Tom an crew

Thank you for the kind words !! We had a fun band and I was fortunate to play with them

 

[NewReligion]

I agree relic is for posing for entertainment purposes IMO.

A caveat to this may be recreating EVH’s main axe or Malmsteen’s “Play Loud” Stratocaster.

I have a JMP which is my favorite amp which I modified but the road ware on the tolex down to the wood is authentic character.

I take very good care of my guitars. There is no reason guitars should be trashed unless it is a prop guitar for a stage act. My vintage equipment & instruments are all authentic.

Ware out your own knees in the Levi’s…Don’t pay extra for a prefab facsimile lol.

I grew up on Stratocasters, owned 2 1959 Stas with the first mid year 59 rosewood slab fret boards. One was immaculate and the other pretty trashed. I started playing Ibanez guitars in 1984. My favorite customer shop RG2570 in Inca silver shows hard core ware on the finish around the bridge, volume pot & picking area but I did that &!it looks cool. Authentic if you will.

Now I’m into buying vintage Les Pauls as I work on my right hand technique. These stay in tune with my aggressive approach. I am pleasantly surprised.

Now to complete a collection of some of my favorite amps. Have a couple arriving this week.

In Summary: relics are okay to match a well established axe from the hands of our guitar hero’s but baking pick guards, removing paint then adding dents I think is too contrived.

David Hopkins

 

[mistermikev]

What say you?

Any blemishes or finish faults on my guitars were earned honestly... by me !

i take it every guitar you have was bought brand new? For me... relic is just another finish. I don't care if someone plays a relic any more than I care if someone plays a 59 strat. Either way that wear wasn't put there by either persons playing... and to me, "stolen valor" is just silly jealousy.

 

[mallcorn]

What say you?

Any blemishes or finish faults on my guitars were earned honestly... by me !

Good for you or shame on you for not taking better care of your guitar? No one cares what it looks like but the player. Everyone else just cares about how well you play it....

 

[William Masterson]

Whatever floats your boat. Not for me, I still cringe when one of mine gets a new ding.

 

[aside]

All guitars are for posers.

 

[nasticanasta]

I couldn't agree more, relic'd guitars are indeed for posers

 

[AustinPaul]

What say you?

Any blemishes or finish faults on my guitars were earned honestly... by me !

"Good Lord! Not this again!" (in my best Chris Farley voice - RIP)

 

[Garth Rocket]

What say you?

Any blemishes or finish faults on my guitars were earned honestly... by me !

Great thread! I must say I am impressed with the artistry that goes into making a new guitar look like it was played at gigs for 30+ Years, but there’s now way I would pay for that. I think I’d be embarrassed to have one.

 

[WoundUp]

What say you?

Any blemishes or finish faults on my guitars were earned honestly... by me !

And? In the end, it's the exact same thing as one that been relic'd:

A beat up guitar. Yours isn't any better because it was done by you. Its still just a beat up guitar.

 

[SuperFleeky]

What say you?

Any blemishes or finish faults on my guitars were earned honestly... by me !

I really don't care what others' guitars look like. It's simply a matter of taste. if a relic look makes anyone want to play more, that's a great thing, right? If you have the money to buy exactly what you like that supports the image you want, I'm happy for you! How many people buy/play these Frankenstrats that are never going to in the same stratosphere of a player as EVH, but that doesn't make them a poser. They are a fan! Same thing goes for any finish/model... you get what inspires you.

I totally get that some are very proud of the fact that they have guitars that have been played religiously for years that show the milage. You should be proud, but... an imitation look shouldn't offend you. Try to understand that it's simply two different things, and most people are perceptive enough to know that your authentic worn guitar IS the real deal, and can spot the purposely reliced finishes... usually by the player's abilities.

I'm a natural athlete, and I see so many guys in the gym that take enhancement drugs. That doesn't take anything away from my stature. I simply smile inside knowing that my organs are going to last and I'm not going to suffer from any of the long-term effects of drug use. I'm very proud of that fact that my physique is authentic 100% healthy living, but seeing guys who are way more jacked doesn't make me want to take away from their accomplishment. Again, it's a different path, and most people understand it. Anyway...

Celebrate the excitement of playing music... regardless of the finish or style of the guitar!

 

[Chris Banuelos]

What say you?

Any blemishes or finish faults on my guitars were earned honestly... by me !

Seems like a personal preference. I’m not really too worried about what other people like.

 

[kisschicken]

We're on a forum that celebrates gear. Part of that culture is putting higher end gear on a pedestal. Gear can only get so high-end so they had to create relics and custom shops to raise margins. I don't understand why anyone would want a relic or custom shop, but I get the marketing behind it.

 

[bassmastermkii]

I completely do not get relics when it comes to finely crafted instruments. I do, however, understand making things that people will buy.

If you look at the vintage market, “player grade” is at a discount. The new market is a premium for a “fake”. It defies logic until you compare the actual prices of new v. Vintage collectibles.

Now we get into discretionary spending and this is the answer.

Cars is an example. 60’s muscle cars are ridiculously expensive for what they are compared to new offerings and RI’s.

We have the pristine restored muscle car v. the “Rat Rod”, James Bond v. The Dude. Simply a matter of taste. Obviously, the reasonable choice, fueled by ca$h, is both!

For the price of a closet queen vintage guitar one can buy multiple modern master-builds.

The hole debate comes down to the taste of collectors, which is an irrational subjective choice fueled by marketing and taste-making.

Relics say: “I’ve got money, but I’m not bourgeoisie”

I say, that guitar looks like you can’t take care of your stuff and have zero respect for the people who designed and made it.

 

[gjohnson]

I laugh at the reliced guitars that are worn where nothing touches it. Total joke

 

[Bruce Wright]

I couldn't agree more, relic'd guitars are indeed for posers