“Masterbuilt” or “guitar by stencil”...

bacchanalian

I have thought for quite some time that heavy relics and ultra relics were a number of steps too far along the relic road for me.  I am not surprised that they are using templates to bring a level of consistency. 
There may be some justification if the templates are lifted from real examples but it does undermine the argument that you are paying for a work of art.
I am sure there will be plenty of comment, from fans of this sort of thing, that there is a huge amount of skill in preparing the wood, in advance of being stenciled, so that the bare wood looks authentically aged.

bluechargeboy

Are there any other products where unique artificial aging is desirable?

springhead

bluechargeboy said:

Are there any other products where unique artificial aging is desirable?

Designer aged jeans?

Kittyfrisk

bluechargeboy said:

Are there any other products where unique artificial aging is desirable?

Fake antiques.
Actors.

paganskins

bluechargeboy said:

Are there any other products where unique artificial aging is desirable?

Clothing – denim, leather
Furniture
And cars too in the world of hot rods

Rob Wade’s ’65 Chevy II has a few parts of its fresh paint worn through to give the car some patina. The trick is to not overdo it.

There's bound to be other examples too

guitars4you

bluechargeboy said:

Are there any other products where unique artificial aging is desirable?

leather - jackets, bags

Musicman20

I know it might be to some people's tastes, and I like a relic, but not extreme. It looks awful. 

My MIM Fender Flea Jazz Bass looks more authentic and it was less than £900 in a rare colour with USA pickups. 

guitars4you

bluechargeboy said:

Are there any other products where unique artificial aging is desirable?

oak + pine furniture

Philly_Q

I've got an Ancho Poblano Strat and I've seen quite a few examples of the same model - I've noticed that they all have pretty much the same wear patterns.  It's not a heavy relic though, I think it was one of the first "journeyman" relic models, so I doubt there were actual stencils used.

Once you get to the heavy/ultra relic models, I really don't like the ones where they try to create specific wear patterns.  The Rory Gallagher models, for example, have always looked fake.

bluechargeboy

OK I think I've got enough info now to work on a completely relic-ed house/car/wardrobe/life. It's just a shame I'm so well-preserved.

poopot

It just goes to show that the work done by our own refinishers on tFB is even more impressive!...

I can’t see anyone of them churning out the same thing over and over again...

if you you want something unique get it refinished by the likes of Scott et al!!!!

jeztone2

I like the journeyman relic finishes. But the heavy ones look comical to me. Always have done. Because most people look after their guitars. So the wear has never seemed real. 

I bought a Victorian house three years ago and because the temperature changes a lot. I’m starting to see nitro cracks appear in my Les Paul Goldtop. But it will take decades before a patina appears, if ever. 

Fishboy7

I always thought the heavy relics look a bit dodgy, but they got it just right with the Journeyman finish. 

MLten80

Paint by numbers really

The ones I've played all look so fake & premeditated 

timhulio

The trick is to not overdo it.

peteri

I've always had a problem with the necks too to be honest.

Firstly - the profile never feels right to me, but in the Peach video - you just don't get the wear like that on a real one, it's so obviously sanded and the lacquer on the headstock is obviously brand new.

I think Fender makes some stonking instruments, but these ain't it

Winny_Pooh

bluechargeboy said:

Are there any other products where unique artificial aging is desirable?

Violins

longjaw

Look on the bright side - it's easier to identify fakes, as the wear won't look exactly the same as the real thing!

rossi

Lets face they have to do it some how .It was all a bit suspicious as no primer showing as wear and tear would suggest  .Removing paint deliberately was fairly common even in early days but not like that .It tended to be all or nothing  usually when bored in hotel bedrooms when the groupie  had  been used  and abused and you were still high .So off came the paint, afterwards told as tone improvement .My friends P Bass bought well used in 1964 had no paint on it  except under the pickguard  when he got it .He just used  holts rattle can to paint it white but it was a poor finish .So I suggest that style should be called mid groupie style .

AlexO

I've always thought the Gibson VOS job always looks great as does the Custom Shop NOS