Does This Appearance Matter

[kiva238]

Geez, my real prewar Martin doesn't look anywhere near that beaten up.
I'd say the folks at Prewar overshot the runway a bit. . . .

[cary]

I don't generally mind the idea of a light relic'ing that just kind of takes the edge off that brand new shine, but this guitar just looks beat-up. How would one even go about making those strum marks?

[cmac]

Not for me. I see guitars as musical instruments, not fashion accessories.

[mcduffnw]

Originally Posted by fngrpck

Now if they put a few scratches on the bridge I might consider it.

You know...thats the thing...the relic job that they do at level 2 and above IS super realistic for bluegrass flatpicking wear...but...they almost always seem to leave the bridges clean...which looks wrong, and is not realistic, as bridges often get some scratches and dings and such in a guitar with that much and that kind of wear on it.

Still they do the best, most accurate relic job I have seen on acoustic guitars, and besides that, their guitars really do capture the vintage Martin and Gibson tone quite accurately.

duff
Be A Player...Not A Polisher

[Tony Burns]

That guitar doesnt looked used -
it looks abused .
not for me -but im sure its somebodys
dream come true

[LyleGorch]

Yikes.......

[ALBD]

Originally Posted by cmac

Not for me. I see guitars as musical instruments, not fashion accessories.

Boy there are a lot of artist who would take issue with that one. Johnny Cash liked his black guitar. Prince liked his funky symbol guitar. Eddie Van Halen preferred faux duct tape. Etc, etc, etc, etc............

Are there no aesthetics you prefer? All plain Jane with no stain.

[Mr. Jelly]

Looks matter. That's why name bands have fashion designers create a look. Check the Rolling Stones out. Even hot shot hired gun guitar players have to have a look for country bands. No look, no brand.

[Goodallboy]

Buying a guitar for something other than how it sounds seems to be completely missing the entire point.

Having said that, this one would have to sound better than any non-relic’d guitar I could find, for me to bring it home. The chances of that are as slim at best, but if it did, the condition would be secondary to the sound.

[bufflehead]

The lack of authenticity, starting with the brand name, bothers me.

[ALBD]

Originally Posted by Goodallboy

Buying a guitar for something other than how it sounds seems to be completely missing the entire point.

Having said that, this one would have to sound better than any non-relic’d guitar I could find, for me to bring it home. The chances of that are as slim at best, but if it did, the condition would be secondary to the sound.

Yes but what drew you to all those gorgeous guitars you own in the first place?

[cmac]

Originally Posted by ALBD

Boy there are a lot of artist who would take issue with that one. Johnny Cash liked his black guitar. Prince liked his funky symbol guitar. Eddie Van Halen preferred faux duct tape. Etc, etc, etc, etc............

Are there no aesthetics you prefer? All plain Jane with no stain.

Pretty much, yes - I like plain guitars. But that's not really my issue here.

Johnny Cash, no problem. A black guitar is just a black guitar.
Prince, no problem. Funky design is funky design.
Eddie Van Halen - really, faux duct tape? I hadn't heard of that, but I see it as different from the first two, and basically the same as intentional distressing.

Decoration is one thing, and if someone produces a guitar that is painted pink, or has neon binding, or bridge pins that light up then that's fine - not to my taste, but we're all different.

But why distress a new guitar to make it look old? I can think of a few reasons:
- to give the impression that the owner is supremely unconcerned with the look of their guitar.
- to give the impression that the owner and their guitar have been on such a journey as to 'earn' those scars and wear.
- just because some people like that look for their own sense of aesthetics.

The first two are, in my mind, just dishonest, like lying about past experience in a job interview. People do it, and benefit from it, but it's not a good thing to do.

The last one... if that's your thing then fair enough. Each to their own. But if distressing is the look you like then why not buy a new guitar, play it hard and don't baby it; let the distressing mean something more than just the equivalent of a paint job.

Personally I like the precision that this into the building of a good guitar. To take that and then intentionally make it look abused defeats that purpose, so it's not to my taste.

[fngrpck]

This thread brings one thought/question to mind and I surely hope that it's not too political for the thinned-skinned;

What a country! God bless the USA!

[zmf]

Originally Posted by fngrpck

This thread brings one thought/question to mind and I surely hope that it's not too political for the thinned-skinned;

What a country! God bless the USA!

??
Don't quite get it. We're all distressed?

[why2]

ALBD, I am definitely old school.

Using the word stupid, with one definition stating "having a great lack of common sense" is maybe a bit harsh but it's what does come to my mind when looking at a perfectly nice guitar with some "artistic", pick, etc., marks on a nice soundboard.
I understand that it's just marketing. But I don't like it. As well as I don't buy distressed clothing or any other of the those items you listed.

Maybe I just like genuine stuff. My Carhartts, Levis, John Deere tractor, Cummings Dodge, 52 Chevy truck, new Subaru all show honest wear. I do regret some of the dings but such is life.

The tuners on my Sexauer Schoenbergs are shiny. The tops are aging and getting that nice warm color shift that comes from age.
My Barnabes have done the same.

I live with many aged things which I enjoy the character of from the patina and use over the years. This includes an ancient house built out of mud in the desert. But I will admit to buffing the finish off the brass drawer pulls so they would not shine and do the aging thing. That being thirty years ago. It worked.

I, as I'm sure you do, love the sounds created by these wooden boxes with strings. I just like to take them for what they are. Bling at times can also get in the way from my old point of view.