Let's Talk Relic Guitar/bass Trend

Nachobassman

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I want to start with a top secret picture I found from the Fender CS relic department

20637888_10155012581109576_8863960310982095663_n.jpg


Bet Warwick use old Panzer VI Tiger Ausf. B tanks. ;)
 

Hector

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HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAAAA!!! That's about it really!

Frankly, I find "reliced" guitars (and the current crop of "overpainted" from the factory) to be bullshit. It's simply there to make it look like you have an old guitar (and, they claim, to make it feel like it's been "worn in"). It's not like it increases the mojo of the pickups or anything..
 
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Agreed- I have a friend who is a luthier and builds his own line of guitars and he absolutely refuses to 'relic' any customer's guitar or his own.

For my part I want something that looks new and pretty just like when you buy new Levi's 501s.

What if they did that to cars- could you imagine paying US$50,000 for a new Camaro that had one panel with dents or gray primer on it?


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Hardy

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There are cool methods to let a guitar look like a worn instrument. The advantage: you don't have to care for signs of use. But just relicing is out of date since 2013.
 
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I like that amber tint of the lacquered maple necks of the Fender 50's reissue series -

The only guitar I ever relic'd was a 70's tele- I wore through the poly finish at the third fret just from playing so much. I sold it though.

I wore dark smudge marks on the maple fingerboard of my 79 strat but my luthier friend 'de-relic'd' it with a good buffing when I brought it in for a setup.


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I want to start with a top secret picture I found from the Fender CS relic department

20637888_10155012581109576_8863960310982095663_n.jpg


Bet Warwick use old Panzer VI Tiger Ausf. B tanks. ;)

My first thought was that it would take a tank to hurt a 'Wick!


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DiMarco

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A tank or a moron who should have gone for a Squier.
 
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Henrythe8

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I happen to find the relic'ing job pretty cool.
First, it's the only way a Fender can look cool.
There is a guy in France doing some awesome job :
I prefer A LOT to see an relic'd P Bass over a Warwick "Rusty Finish". Sorry for my bad taste.
Like Hardy sais, a relic'd instrument already has battle scars. You don't fear to take it to a gig. All my basses have traces of use and are pretty worn in, I like 'em that way, so if I can have an instrument that looks like a battle veteran, I'd prefer it over a brand new one. Fender is not very good at relicing, but when I see what Sandberg can do... Damn. I'm happy they don't do broadnecks and wide spacing for 5ers, because I really dig what they do. And the basses are rock solid, too.
Anyway. I like relic'd intruments and Nickelback. Sorry.
 
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I've never been big on the whole relic thing... I would prefer to do the damage myself over time. After a while the battle scars on the instrument hold their own stories that help to make the bass truly yours, in my opinion anyway
 

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Yeah, I'm also a person who takes pride in a minty bass. The only time an instrument should be road worn, is by actually playing it hundreds, thousands of times....on the road. Bass of Doom of course....Willie Nelson's "Trigger" for example.

 

Hector

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Maybe I'm a nutter but I try to keep my basses in mint condition. The relic hype will blow over.

Same here! The only guitar I have with massive wear marks on it, is one that I bought used, the previous owner did 99.99% of the 'damage' to it.
 

Hector

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I happen to find the relic'ing job pretty cool.
First, it's the only way a Fender can look cool.
There is a guy in France doing some awesome job :
I prefer A LOT to see an relic'd P Bass over a Warwick "Rusty Finish". Sorry for my bad taste.
Like Hardy sais, a relic'd instrument already has battle scars. You don't fear to take it to a gig. All my basses have traces of use and are pretty worn in, I like 'em that way, so if I can have an instrument that looks like a battle veteran, I'd prefer it over a brand new one. Fender is not very good at relicing, but when I see what Sandberg can do... Damn. I'm happy they don't do broadnecks and wide spacing for 5ers, because I really dig what they do. And the basses are rock solid, too.
Anyway. I like relic'd intruments and Nickelback. Sorry.

Relic'd instruments... no reason to be sorry...

Knickelback on the other hand !!!


Just kidding, I like some of their songs too :)

And you are right, I never take the Framus outside the house, it's why I bought the used SG complete with scratches etc.. kinda stupid I guess. Like car collectors who buy an old Ferrari and then never drive it..
 

Florin

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I like old beaten instruments (I am able to relic pretty much anything in 1-2 years of use). So Why not - I like relic - instrumens as well. But I would not pay lots of money for this option.
 

Florin

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Btw, a former guitarist of mine was absolutely sure that if he hammers the guitar here and there, the guitar will sound better, like the wood detensions or something. Have you ever hears something like this?
 

Nachobassman

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I like my basses to "gain" mojo, signs of use. I never abuse an instrument, I care for them and try to keep them clean an in good working shape. Since I realized I could not care less about beign a collector and that I like to play music, I see scratches and ocassional dents as mojo, accidents, that add life to my basses.

OFC I get mad any time I accidentally hit one of them, so hitting them with a hammer sounds like you friend, @Florin, likes to hit things... :D
 

Hardy

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Btw, a former guitarist of mine was absolutely sure that if he hammers the guitar here and there, the guitar will sound better, like the wood detensions or something. Have you ever hears something like this?

Yes, I heard about those "guitarists". Seems to be strange folks in some cases. :p
 
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