Why relic?

[bigguspickus]

I don't mind a good relic'd finish when it's done right.

I've seen some pretty bad examples from the Fender Road Worn series that look like someone just took a power sander to the edges.

I prefer it when the guitar looks more "beat up" than "buffed out"

http://wildwoodguitars.com/electrics/fender/10s/59strat/r50921/r50921_lg3.jpg

 

[JaySwear]

Well I can't wait to finish my fake relic guitar with my fake vintage sounding pickups and my fake reissue pedals and fake reissue amp.

exactly. i can't tell if you're for or against relicing, but people want the rest of their guitar to a 1958-spec. why not a finish to match? even if it's just a couple paint chips, it looks decent.

 

[pabloman]

I just think it's hilarious that people want to talk about how it's fake while everything else is also geared towards being vintage as well. Now as far as being fake ya I guess it is but it's not really intended or marketed or even implied that it is trying to be the real deal. What I also find quite amusing is somebody posting on a Warmoth board about something being fake. So why build licensed guitars if you're so concerned about keepin it real? And before I get bombarded with all the nuances that make a Warmoth superior to what it is copying (or at least the best they can while putting a lame Fender neck pocket on some otherwise pretty kickass bodies) I know why the W is better. In the end it's still built to Fender spec's or whatever the copy cat (licensing) agreement states. It's just a purely cosmetic touch and let's face it, if guitarists didn't care about looks we would all play Tele's. arty07:

 

[Cagey]

...let's face it, if guitarists didn't care about looks we would all play Tele's.

<GASP!> What you said!

Yer gonna geddit! <grin>

 

[Strat Avenger]

What's next? New cars that are pre-beat up and scratched up, for a nominal upcharge? How can anyone think that looks good?

 

[pabloman]

A relic guitar and a car really don't compare. :dontknow:

 

[Strat Avenger]

A relic guitar and a car really don't compare. :dontknow:

The concept is the SAME. Taking something that is brand-new, and beating the sh!t out of it (or making it look that way) and charging extra for it. You could just as easily do that with new cars as new guitars.  In any case, nothing looks better than a new guitar with a flawless finish.

 

[CouchSpud]

...let's face it, if guitarists didn't care about looks we would all play Tele's.

<GASP!> What you said!

Yer gonna geddit! <grin>

RAAAAAAAAGE!!!! :evil4:

 

[JaySwear]

i think cars are completely different animals. nobody takes a shovel to their car to chip paint away from the edge just because it's a 1970 Dodge Dart in great condition and that just doesn't seem right. a car with dents or paint chips just plain needs to be in a body shop. but a guitar with some wear can still be a very beautiful thing. shows it's well used and well loved. even if it's artificial relicing it can still give it that sort of a vibe.

plus there's the feel argument. my pristine bass has a heavily "reliced" neck on it. feels GREAT! the body doesn't match in the slightest with the look, but damn the neck feels nice and broken in (even though i very rarely play bass). i definitely appreciate the look and feel of that neck over a bright white new maple neck.

 

[Patrick]

Relic'd Guitar:

its playable and sounds great

Relic'd Car

inoperable and would never drive the same as a new car

apples and oranges buddy

 

[AutoBat]

Relic'd Guitar:

its playable and sounds great

Relic'd Car

inoperable and would never drive the same as a new car

apples and oranges buddy

You're wrong. According to your pic, you'd relic a guitar and leave the pups, bridge, and tuners off of it.
Some people relic car hoods & trunks for some reason.
I give you:

http://

or the whole car:

 

[Cagey]

Not a good analogy. The ugly Strat has only cosmetic damage. That car's is cosmetically destroyed AND stripped of all its vital parts. If you pulled the bridge, tuners, pickups, pots, pickguard, frets, etc. off the Strat, then it wouldn't be usable, either.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Relic'd Guitar:

its playable and sounds great

Relic'd Car

inoperable and would never drive the same as a new car

apples and oranges buddy

Yeah, your comparison is apples & oranges. No one told you to remove the wheels and engine. How about removing the strings and pickups from the guitar for a FAIR comparison. Comparing something that's inoperable to something that is ugly, yet operable is ridiculous.

Bottom line; a new car and a new guitar looks great. A car or guitar that's beat up looks like sh!t.

A beat up car needs to be RESTORED, and so so does a beat up guitar. Obviously, you wouldn't restore a guitar that was played by Hendrix or SRV.

 

[JaySwear]

A beat up car needs to be RESTORED, and so so does a beat up guitar. Obviously, you wouldn't restore a guitar that was played by Hendrix or SRV.

good points all around. i personally wouldn't restore a guitar that still sounded / played great. but to some people a chipped paint job can be as bad a dodgy pickup switch.

 

[drewfx]

Come on.

That car is "relic'd" about the same way this guitar is about to be "relic'd":

 

[GoDrex]

I bet the person that did this thinks it looks totally bitchin'

I don't understand it, but sometimes beat up guitars just look cool. Cars, not as much.

 

[Mor Paul]

I think part of it is that it's alright to have an old guitar. My '86 Camry, however, isn't getting any sexier.

 

[bigguspickus]

Ha, I love those cars with everything immaculately detailed and then a rusted hood. I've never even heard of that before, but now I want one just because it would drive people nuts.

 

[drewfx]

I bet the person that did this thinks it looks totally bitchin'

I don't understand it, but sometimes beat up guitars just look cool. Cars, not as much.

Hey, how'd you get that picture of my car?  :laughing7:

 

[DesmoDog]

i think cars are completely different animals. nobody takes a shovel to their car to chip paint away from the edge just because it's a 1970 Dodge Dart in great condition and that just doesn't seem right. a car with dents or paint chips just plain needs to be in a body shop. but a guitar with some wear can still be a very beautiful thing.

Not true. I've seen people take decent cars and build "rat rods" out of them. Primer them up, crack windows, etc. Bikes too. IIRC When Jesse James built a VW bug it had a fiberglass front end.... that was rusty.

Fake patina. Everybody does it, just to different extremes.