Reliced Guitars - WTF

Mark1960

Can somebody please enlighten me as to the attraction of buying a brand new guitar that has been "reliced". It's complete madness! Why would you want to buy something brand new that looks like its 20 years old, and been poorly looked after? Maybe I'm just an old git but I just don't get it!

I have a 35 year old guitar, and I spend time and money periodically upgrading it with new parts to keep it looking like new, and in top working order. I regularly clean and polish it with loving care with the time held view that if I look after it, and keeep it nice it will give me years of reliable use and pleasure!

I'm not sure if this analogy is relevant but you would not buy a brand new car, and set about it with an angle grinder, and a lump hammer, so why do it too a guitar. It just makes no sense to me, and seems to be a mass case of "the emperors new clothes" or am I missing something?

Please educate a grumpy old git.

prowla

People buy torn jeans too; I don’t get that either. 

Veganic

I would never own one but they would look cool on stage from a distance.  Compare say IDLES and the battered, probably real damage, Strat and er The Vaccines and that Shiny Pristine White Strat.

Mark1960

prowla said:

People buy torn jeans too; I don’t get that either. 

Yeah me too!

vasselmeyer

It's not just guitars. See "shabby chic" for household decor and furnishings. Personally, I prefer my guitars with the natural relicing that comes with being used. I have a nitro-finished Tele and a PRS which uses a polyester basecoat with an acrylic urethane top coat. I've probably gigged both of them about the same amount and the Tele coat is relicing far more quickly. I still like both guitars though.

Horses for courses.

JD50

Are relic guitar more expensive than a non relic equivalent? Say custom shop Strat non relic v relic?

m_c

I used to think the same, but then I happened to see one of the Telecaster bodies SC Relics had done which Axecaster had for sale, and well, I thought it just looked right.
I did build it up using all new parts, as I still don't get the whole relicing every single part thing, but I've got a distinct guitar that I love, and isn't just another shiny new blonde Tele.

Mark1960

vasselmeyer said:

It's not just guitars. See "shabby chic" for household decor and furnishings. Personally, I prefer my guitars with the natural relicing that comes with being used. I have a nitro-finished Tele and a PRS which uses a polyester basecoat with an acrylic urethane top coat. I've probably gigged both of them about the same amount and the Tele coat is relicing far more quickly. I still like both guitars though.

Horses for courses.

Guitars that have reliced with age and or use yeah I have no problem with that, and I agree that they can look very distinctive, and cool, but not new ones.

HAL9000

prowla said:

People buy torn jeans too; I don’t get that either. 

Someone I know of left their distressed jeans on the hotel bed whilst on holiday in Cuba. When he got back to the room, he found that the maid had helpfully mended them. He was not a happy bunny.

SouthpawMark

Hate them too. Last week I was in Andertons buying a new guitar, and on the same fan from their warehouse they had just received a PX’d lefty custom shop relicked Strat. They said they would be looking to sell it for around the £3k mark. First of all it looked nothing special. Honestly, if it didn’t have the logo on the back of the neck you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a squier. Then the relicking... urgh. Call me crazy, but when I buy something brand new I want it to look new and shiny. 

LastMantra

There's plenty of finishes I don't like. Each to their own. 

What I like about a nice relic job is how they feel. Not all sticky and highly polished. 

I don't see the point in buying expensive chemicals to rub on a guitar. Quick wipe with a moist, soft cloth when changing strings.

LastMantra

Plus I can't afford a proper 60s strat.

not_the_dj

JD50 said:

Are relic guitar more expensive than a non relic equivalent? Say custom shop Strat non relic v relic?

They should be, as there's an extra process in relicing them. As far as I know they produce a perfectly good new guitar, then relic it, and that's labour intensive. I read we have Keith Richards to blame. He had a new touring guitar and asked Fender if they could make it look old.

Haych

I'm much less vehemently anti-relic than I used to be.  If done properly I think they can look ok and I do 'get' the appeal to a certain extent.

Also, only my opinion but, if you spend a lot of money on a guitar - say a PRS or Tom Anderson, Nik Huber etc, you're very likely to baby it and the first real ding is like a stab to the heart.  If you have a guitar that plays like new but has the already worn in look you're less likely to worry about harming it and more likely to enjoy playing it to it's full potential.

I think the first guitars that made me think relicing wasn't so bad were the Fender Road Worn series.  They seemed to get the balance of nicely worn and not go for the dragged behind a Porsche down the M1 look, which I still think is rediculous.

I also cant stand what seems to be a current fashion of relic'd refinish - a guitar purposely sprayed one colour, refinished in a completely different colour and then beat up to look like it's done 10 rounds with Pete Townsend!  What the actual fudge!?

richardhomer

Great idea for a thread....

PC_Dave

LastMantra said:

There's plenty of finishes I don't like. Each to their own. 

What I like about a nice relic job is how they feel. Not all sticky and highly polished. 

I don't see the point in buying expensive chemicals to rub on a guitar. Quick wipe with a moist, soft cloth when changing strings.

Flagged for unnecessary use of the word "moist"

Mark1960

LastMantra said:

There's plenty of finishes I don't like. Each to their own. 

What I like about a nice relic job is how they feel. Not all sticky and highly polished. 

I don't see the point in buying expensive chemicals to rub on a guitar. Quick wipe with a moist, soft cloth when changing strings.

I can see the bit about "Not all sticky and highly polished" - All new guitars can feel a bit that way to me. Regards buying expensive chemicals I agree, the only thing I use is almond oil once every 9 months or so on the rosewood fretboard, to keep it in good condition, and of course "elbow grease" to polish it between stringings.

guitars4you

JD50 said:

Are relic guitar more expensive than a non relic equivalent? Say custom shop Strat non relic v relic?

Yes - The more heavily aged the higher the price

Some will question this but anyone with knowledge of manufacturing will confirm time is money - So if more time is required to build the guitar then cost will rise

An additional point - For all those who don't buy into the aged format, the sales of aged to non-aged, regarding Custom Shop,  is not even close - I bet I sell 20/25 aged to 1 NOS (non aged)

Equally I fully appreciate it is the customer who decides which they prefer to buy

guitars4you

Springsteen has now retired his 50's Esquire and now tours with an aged replica - As he said, you can't play rock n roll, wearing jeans, black leather jacket, t-shirt and a new shiny guitar

You very really change customers thought pattern and opinion on this subject - Yet equally I've had many potential customers who don't like the shiny gloss neck on an NOS Strat - As such they prefer the 'aged' necks - But an aged neck and a shiny gloss body looks stupid

guitars4you

Just a thought - If anyone purchased an exceptional clean, original 1960 Strat, then you would find at least a hint of wear - Oxidization, lacquer checking and some fade to the finish - So why not allow this to be incorporated into a replica 

In many ways those who think an aged finish is wrong and fake - Doesn't the same apply to a replica that looks 100% new and shiny - I quote this, as no original guitar, that is now 50 or 60 years old, is NOS clean - Exceptionally clean old guitars show some aged character, even if slightly

guitars4you

My house is about 110 years old - Bath room has original wood floor boards - Varnished - But totally 'knackered' now, so I needed to replace them - A joiner was going to fit new boards for me - We pre-cut them and laid them all out in the room, but instantly the new shiny vibe looked wrong - So I then painted them - Stripped them back, so as to leave  a hint of 'character' in the grain - Aged them a bit with a few nicks etc - Fitted them and it now looks likes like they are 110 years old