Relic work?

[metropolis_4]

As a guitarist I love the look of old worn guitars.

As a player, I only like it if it’s real wear and tear that I’ve done myself naturally.

I had a Tele that was heavily “relic’d” from many years as my main gigging guitar. When I lost that guitar I tried replacing it with relics and I liked them at first because they felt more familiar, more like that Tele had felt.

But over time I found I didn’t bond with them because I knew the wear wasn’t my own.

These days I like to look at them, but when I play them they just feel wrong. Like they’re trying to pretend to be something they’re not and it’s only skin deep. As soon as I play it the illusion is gone and it’s just another new guitar it just looks old.

I also HATE the ones that are overdone and don’t look anything like real wear!

I think what I love is the story. Real authentic aged guitars have stories behind them. Relics don’t

 

[dbagchee]

I’d like to get a nitro finish Fender at some point so I can develop my own relic. I suppose my 94 mexi strat is vintage now right?

 

[FuzzyAce]

Real authentic aged guitars have stories behind them. Relics don’t

Hacks gone wrong!? Sounds like a story to me.

 

[Chocol8]

I’d like to get a nitro finish Fender at some point so I can develop my own relic. I suppose my 94 mexi strat is vintage now right?

Your 94 is a good bit older than SRV's number one was in the 80's. If you have a thin nitro finish it doesn't take very long to get natural aging.

 

[Eagle]

Relics usually sound better than their NOS counterparts because the paint is thinner and probably less or no plasticiser so harder too . The most important part of instrument finish is thin and hard . Nitro not important as long as thin and hard is right.

 

[Eagle]

Working on my blackguard . Body is cut from a water stained old piece of swamp ash that will get the final guitar at just under 7lbs .
The CNC is to a 52 original.

Trying to copy the style of the sanding and all the mistakes on the earlier bodies.

Router hump and uneven lip on the edge of the neck;

And here is a 52;

Quite a way to go but I’m not paying £50k for an original and I enjoy the challenge ( when it’s for me anyway).

 

[FuzzyAce]

Working on my blackguard . Body is cut from a water stained old piece of swamp ash that will get the final guitar at just under 7lbs .
The CNC is to a 52 original.
View attachment 61252
Trying to copy the style of the sanding and all the mistakes on the earlier bodies.
View attachment 61253
Router hump and uneven lip on the edge of the neck;
View attachment 61254
And here is a 52;
View attachment 61259
Quite a way to go but I’m not paying £50k for an original and I enjoy the challenge ( when it’s for me anyway).

 

[gearJunkie]

I like your approach for creating relic finishes.

Like you, Kip Elder of Starr Guitars here in Orlando does excellent relic work. He also maintains the guitars on display and in storage for Hard Rock Cafe Orlando.

He does a great job with laquer checking and wear use patterns.

 

[Eagle]

I like your approach for creating relic finishes.

Like you, Kip Elder of Starr Guitars here in Orlando does excellent relic work. He also maintains the guitars on display and in storage for Hard Rock Cafe Orlando.

He does a great job with laquer checking and wear use patterns.

View attachment 61264

That looks believable and that’s what makes it look good imo.

 

[LCW]

Do you still have that LP with the HB in the bridge and P90 in the neck?

No I ditched it. Just didn't jive. I don't keep stuff I don't click with.

 

[JasonE]

I personally hate relic jobs other than what you are talking about where you put in the effort to match a real vintage guitar that has naturally aged.

The other stuff just looks fake to me. Suhr, Fender CS, Murphy Lab, pretty much all of them. I would MUCH rather have a NOS copy where it will naturally relic on its own if it gets used. Of course most of these high dollar guitars end up as part of a collection and don't get played much if at all. They might get the effects of age, but not the wear that comes from use.

This is exactly the camp I am in.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

No I ditched it. Just didn't jive. I don't keep stuff I don't click with.