Anyone else frustrated with the whole relicing thing?

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by Nymuso

It is amusing that people do this intentionally to their instruments yet other people obsess over every slight ding or scratch on theirs.

This! We guitarists are pretty hilarious sometimes.

It doesn't frustrate me. It bores me. It's just another way to obtain something without working for it.

[PHJim]

Not at all. It's your guitar; do what you like with it.
Mine seem to get battle scars without me doing it intentionally.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by stephenT

Every time I see a thread disparaging a relic finish choice I roll my eyes AND click my tongue. I might even throw in a tisk tisk tisk.

No matter how it got there, there is no such thing as fake wear. Intentional,.. but hardly fake.

I completely agree "disparaging a relic finish" or being frustrated by it,, is silly at best, if not kind of ridiculous.

BUT as far as "fake wear " guess it depends on ones interpretation of the definitions




These images have emerged on the internet that could suggest stenciling on the paint pattern rather than "wearing" away of the paint ???????????

[rllink]

It doesn't really "frustrate" me because I don't really care for them. So I don't go pulling them down, examining them, and looking at the price. I mean, if you don't like them, quit looking at them. Simple solution to the problem.

[stephenT]

Originally Posted by KevWind

I completely agree "disparaging a relic finish" or being frustrated by it,, is is silly at best, if not kind of ridiculous.

BUT as far as "fake wear " guess it depends on ones interpretation of the definitions

I don't disagree that many relics don't represent wear from hands and on stage use. It's not an easy task to make a relic job look authentic.

And the relic-ers' dirty secret is they can apply a crappy and careless (and way easier) finish because they know they are going to mess it up.

Of course I was being literal when I suggested "fake" wear is a misnomer. The OP used the term to disparage the guitars and it's just irritating. Too often these threads go on to disparage those who buy relics, which is even more obnoxious.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

To me, it's not worth any personal frustration. It's simply another buying choice, one I'm not interested in. - Glenn

This is the stance I take. Some people just like the look, and sometimes more importantly, the feel, of older guitars. Give them what they want I say! No need to get frustrated about it.

[anton]

I like the light to medium relic look. If i wanted to buy a particular guitar and it happened to be relic'd it would not turn me off. I've played a few of the Nash Tele's that I really enjoyed.

[jayhawk]

Originally Posted by Nymuso

It is amusing that people do this intentionally to their instruments yet other people obsess over every slight ding or scratch on theirs.

Hmm, it raises the question if you went to sell a relic'ed guitar, could you sell it as 'mint' conditioned? How would you know?

Jack

[Fatfinger McGee]

Originally Posted by jayhawk

Hmm, it raises the question if you went to sell a relic'ed guitar, could you sell it as 'mint' conditioned? How would you know?

Jack

For that matter, why aren't we all calling our well-used guitars relic'ed and marking them up, instead of player grade and marking them down? These frets aren't worn, they're relic'ed! That'll be an extra 20%.

Anyway, to the original question, I'm a little bemused, but not frustrated, nobody is being conned or misled. The Zager easy play guitar thing, now that's frustrating.

[Ian111]

If someone buys a vintage guitar with wear they haven’t earned those stripes either.

If someone buys a new guitar and beats the hell out of it on purpose they haven’t earned that wear either.

Its like buying a distressed pair of jeans over a new pair of jeans thats crisp with perfectly creased dark denim.

I used to scoff at relicing but now I’ve come around to digging the whole vibe. As long as it doesn’t go too far. Rock has always been about being cool even if you sometimes have to fake it.

[dnf777]

So Im confused now...if I sell one of my guitars, do I dutifully photo every scratch and dent and discount the price accordingly....or do I just say its relic-ed and jack up the price?

[Don W]

I like the custom shop "new old stock"...not beat up. I have always wanted to go back to the early 60's and get that Jazzmaster that I used to drool over in the music store window ...brand new without a scratch on it. I am very careful with my guitars...if there is a scratch or wear I like it to be from me. Bought all of my instruments new.

[Silly Moustache]

A thought occured to me.

Gere in the UK in the '60s a guitar was a very precious thing, they were expensive and difficult to find, so if you got one, esp. an "American" one, you treasured it.

I guess the first truly reliced guitar I saw was made that way by real road warrior work, and that was, I think, a white (or butterscotch) Fender Esquire played by Jeff Beck when he used to play and the Eel Pie Island club on Wednedays with "the Tridents".

Even then it looked so wrecked that I, a drummer, thought it looked weird.
The Stones were still playing Harmonys.

The next wrecked up guitar I remember was when I'd just started playing guitar and made friends with a starving luthier called Chis Eccleshall in west London. He used to work on stuff from a number of pretty famous guys. He phoned me up one day to tell me he had Rory Gallagher's D35 in for a set up. He knew I was looking for a Martin and hadn't seen a d35.

I drove over to see the d35 with a really high action, "that's how he likes it!" he said, same as his electric, and he pointed to a Strat that, as I remember, didn't have enough paint on to say what it ever was, dirty brown wood and grime, and with a very high action. "whose are they? "A guy called Rory Gallagher" I'd heard of him, but hadn't met or seen him. Later, I reailised how hard he worked his guitars.

[Fatfinger McGee]

Originally Posted by Ian111

If someone buys a vintage guitar with wear they haven’t earned those stripes either.

Its like buying a distressed pair of jeans over a new pair of jeans thats crisp with perfectly creased dark denim.

I used to scoff at relicing but now I’ve come around to digging the whole vibe. As long as it doesn’t go too far. Rock has always been about being cool even if you sometimes have to fake it.

Bingo on the first point and the last. I totally disagree on the jeans though, pre-washed jeans are way better than stiff new denim but a new guitar is pretty much a new guitar.

[Captain Jim]

Frustrated? No. I don't pay a lot of attention to guitars that I wouldn't consider buying. Fortunately, there are PLENTY of guitars out there to choose from. I try to keep my guitars in nice shape. If someone else likes theirs beat up, it doesn't really matter to me. For the record, I don't wear ripped jeans... nor skinny jeans... never had a man bun. Those things don't frustrate me, either.

Shipping times when I'm waiting for a guitar? Now, THAT'S frustrating.