Distressed / Relic'd Acoustic Guitars

[guitar george]

There are lots of relic'd electric guitars being produced and sold at highly inflated prices. Why not relic more acoustic guitars? Does anyone know of any other relic'd acoustic guitars?

Here's the story of the Aaron Lewis Southern Jumbo produced by Gibson a few years back:

"Aaron Lewis, the Grammy-nominated songwriter, frontman for hit rock band Staind, wrote some of the last decade’s most enduring and gut-wrenching songs (“Outside,” “It’s Been Awhile”) using his collection of vintage Gibson acoustics. Gibson Acoustic honors Lewis’ continued artistry with the introduction of the Aaron Lewis Southern Jumbo Standard and the Aaron Lewis Aged Southern Jumbo. Both guitars are replicas of Lewis’ prized 1951 acoustic and one has been aged and distressed to recreate the rugged look that occurred naturally as Lewis put his Southern Jumbo through the paces on-stage and in the studio. With the Aged model Gibson luthiers took the aging process several steps further, doing all distressing by hand. Thirty seven guitars lmited-run guitars were hand-aged in the Gibson Montana Art Shop and 13 more hand-aged guitars are personally autographed by the guitarist and have been played by him in live and studio performances. The Gibson Acoustic Aaron Lewis Southern Jumbo guitar is an exact replica of Aaron’s most treasured acoustic, his 1951 Gibson Southern Jumbo."
AARON LEWIS SOUTHERN JUMBO.jpg

[Wade Hampton]

Well, as you may have noticed in previous discussions on this forum, there's substantial resistance to the idea of "pre-relicked" acoustic guitars. The very idea seems to push a hot button for a lot of folks.

Me, I'm indifferent to the idea. I certainly wouldn't pay extra for a guitar that's been subjected to abuse designed to simulate years of playing wear, but if somebody else wants to buy a guitar that's been treated that way, it's none of my concern. I'm certainly not going to get indignant about it.

I figure that acoustic guitar companies are surviving by a thin margin in many cases. If "relicking" a guitar can generate a bit more revenue for them, fair enough. I'm not going to donate to that particular cause, but more power to those who do.


Wade Hampton Miller

[woodbox]

I simply do not get it.
I really don't.

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by woodbox

I simply do not get it.
I really don't.

Yep...me either. But then I still don’t understand why folks pay a premium for “new” jeans that are already worn and torn. I’d rather wear my own stuff out. But hey...if it floats your boat go for it. None of my biz...

[Sasquatchman]

Doing it just for doing it... I dunno.

I have a guitar that is falsely aged - it's a Fender "closet classic", so it is ostensibly a guitar that would be "as found" in a closet after 50 years. Features include plain-jane stuff like a parchment pickguard and neat stuff like cracked lacquer. The guitar is great, but it's not great because of that stuff, it's great because the Fender Custom Shop did a nice job on it, the neck is awesome, the pickups terrific.

Sometimes I look at the relic guitars and think "oh that's cool" but on a lot of them I just think "Why?" You can't just inject mojo, can you?

Google Pre*War Guitars Company and Gibson Distressed Master Model. You’ll see how to do it right in terms of appearance and tone. Whether or not you like it is a personal choice.

[Steadfastly]

Originally Posted by woodbox

I simply do not get it.
I really don't.

Totally agree with you.

Originally Posted by Rev Roy

Yep...me either. But then I still don’t understand why folks pay a premium for “new” jeans that are already worn and torn. I’d rather wear my own stuff out. But hey...if it floats your boat go for it. None of my biz...

To me, it's fraud. It may not be illegal but I would feel like a fraud if I bought or relic'd one.

[TKT]

I like the look myself, but ONLY if it was on an awesome relic find, and was superficial, not structural. Not recreated on a new version. I think it looks cool on metal resonators.

I also like old rat trucks with a great natural patina with rust showing through, but I'd expect to get it for a rat truck price, unless under the hood was completely rebuilt and everything was safe, solid and upgraded.

[AZLiberty]

I don't get it.

It would be like ordering a new 4x4 pickup and having the dealer hit it with chains and rocks to make it looks like it's spent years out in the desert?

[slopeshoulder]

I with Wade on this. His reply reflects my point of view as well.

[Silly Moustache]

A new guitars made to look old and badly used ? Gosh, they'll be selling jeans with holes in next!

If I bought an old guitar that had signs of usage, like my recently acquired Harmony 12 string, I'd be quite happy to accept that look.

If I bought a new guitar (unlikely now) I'd want it all bright and shiny.

My new luthier/tech is well known to 'lectric guitarists for making reliced versions of famous solid guitars. https://www.eternal-guitars.com/

Personally when I see the finish scratched off by pick wear around the soundhole, it says to me that the last owner didn't have any right hand technique.

[BluesKing777]

I think guitars like the Collings Waterloos and some Martin Authentic models are just crying out for some relic work!

I mean, the Waterloos sound so old while you are playing and then you stop and look down and think: ‘No, that can’t be? Pristine?’

And my Martin OM18 Authentic has everything Martin can do to make it sound old already, VTS and torrefied top and fairly exact replica build and you look at that after playing and think: ‘I am so lucky to have a mint OM! Oh, it isn’t’.

But would I scratch it up? Nup.


BluesKing777.

[swarfrat]

while I'm generally repulsed by the idea of people buying them, as Wade mentions, the companies selling them are just trying to meet customer demand.

However, there is one area where i feel its legitimate. Dan Erlewine recently had a column on a repair made to a 53 tele that someone had destroyed for some sort of tremolo bridge. While I'm not comfortable with the idea that someone might pass it off as original instead of professionally restored, id also be heart broken if he just released it into the wild with a shiny new finish.

http://www.stewmac.com/How-To/Trade_...elecaster.html

[Ozark]

Almost 100% of the reliced guitars being sold will never see outside the owners home. It's a free country and I think someone should be able to spend their hard earned money however they choose. I don't understand the opposition to someone who wants the road worn look.

The reliced guitar look is popular in the electric guitar community and there are plenty of naysayers to relicing there also.

I like the pristine look of guitars and take care to keep mine that way. I think a good relic job looks kind of cool though, the Fender custom shop does a good job. The extra cost goes to the man hours it takes to make it "authentic" I would presume.

Too each his own.

Here is a thread about the Pre*War Guitars Company from just last month. If we keep on pace we can get nine more in before Christmas..

February thread

For the record, everyone I know who owns a Pre*War guitar takes it outside their home, to jams, stage, recording, etc.

And a list of famous "frauds" playing such instruments.

Tommy Emmanuel (2 guitars - J and 000)
Molly Tuttle (D)
Andrew Marlin from Mandolin Orange (000)
Graham Sharp from Steep Canyon Rangers (000)
Woody Platt from Steep Canyon Rangers (HD)
Chris Frank from Red Clay Ramblers (J and NL)
Eli West
Trey Hensley

And for mandolin "frauds" we have those below for a start.

Ricky Skaggs
Herschel Sizemore
Roland White
Danny Roberts
Jeff Rose