Relic rant

[dpc915]

Hi all
I’m sure I’ll get in the weeds on this one, but what’s the deal with the relic fad? I personally love guitars like we all do here, and I love as my telecaster ages it gets things and beat up. But, I put those marks there from real use. Why pay ridiculous prices for a “fake” or relic model. Seems silly to me. Ok. Lame rant over. Carry on guild friends

Dave

 

[twocorgis]

This might belong in the ROTD thread, but I totally agree. My '69 D28 has been organically relic'd, and I wouldn't change a thing.

1969 Martin D28

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[chazmo]

Yeah, dude! Put it in ROTD!

drc, I totally agree, but of course I also think to each his own. If folks wanna' pay to get their guitar beat up, so be it. BTW, we had this conversation very recently. There's a strong negative reaction to this from most of the LTGers, but there's also a few that have them and love them.

Oh, and drc, I saw you were selling one of your Richie models? Is everything OK? I was sad/surprised to see that.

 

[Uke]

I've got a 1999 Olympic White AVRI strat that has naturally aged into an eggnog yellow, with plenty of natural dings and chinks in it. Where my arm rests while playing it there has been a natural pinkish shade emerging, probably from some kind of undercoat. Natural "relic" always looks the best.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Authenticity.

 

[HeyMikey]

A few years ago I bought a new Alvarez that had some finish cracks from warehouse storage. Played great though. When it came time to sell it (real cheap) nobody would even look at it. After a couple months I relic’d it with compressed air, sandpaper, and stain to the nut, saddle and binding. Sold it in person for more $ the same day I resisted it. Crazy.

 

[Rich Cohen]

This might belong in the ROTD thread, but I totally agree. My '69 D28 has been organically relic'd, and I wouldn't change a thing.

1969 Martin D28

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That's some mojo with the relicization and that braz back and sides. I had a '71 D-28 (bought new) for about 50 years then sold it for a Guild in 2017. BTW, my D-28 was EIR, not braz...missed it by a year or two. Just returned to the US from India after two years living in a village in Rajasthan, introducing high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice. Best decision I ever made. It was tough, but settled my interest in India and turned me into a linguist. Got back and went straight to grad school at UPenn and straight to 8th Street Music, when it actually was on 8th Street in center city Philly. I think I paid around $600 for the D-28, new.

 

[fronobulax]

Cosmetic relicing seems silly to me and is something that appeals to posers who want a certain appearance and have more money than time or patience.

However there have been reports of relicing that actually effects function. The easy one is the finish on the back of the neck. Players who sand their necks can buy a relic that is already sanded. I think there are some parts that are used on relics that are not the same as the new, pristine equivalent and that matters in some performance related ways.

Relicing is ultimately a personal preference and all I really can do is shake my head if someone choses to spend their money in a way that I would not.

I have found that not all rants are equally important and my time and energy is limited. As long as there are kids on my lawn I cannot get too excited about relic'd guitars.

 

[Uke]

As long as there are kids on my lawn I cannot get too excited about relic'd guitars.

 

[twocorgis]

That's some mojo with the relicization and that braz back and sides. I had a '71 D-28 (bought new) for about 50 years then sold it for a Guild in 2017.

I'll be eternally grateful to @richardp69 for selling it to me. It's exactly 213 serial numbers away from the last Brazilian rosewood guitar Martin made, and it had had a lot of work done to it in its life. One of the upgrades was replacing the large rosewood bridge plate with a proper small maple one. I normally hate it when people call guitars "cannons", but this one really is. There's something about these old straight braces D28s that cuts through everything.

 

[Rocky]

Fender (and Vince Cunetto) have been making 'relic' guitars since 1994. I think you're a quarter century late to the party.

 

[walrus]

We've discussed this before. It's not a new thing. When Lennon and Harrison sanded down their Epiphone Casinos in the 60's, was that relicing?

It clearly has merit from a sales point of view - it would not be so common today if nobody was buying them. And, as usual, us geezers are probabaly not the target market. The playabilty and comfort of some of these relic'd guitars seems to outweigh the "look" for many guitaists.

I don't care for a "heavy" relic, but I was converted by a Nash telecaster I tried with a "light" relic. A few dings here and there, but as frono pointed out, the main thing was the sanded neck. Oh my, very very comfortable! I would say that if the right one came along, I would consider buying one.

walrus

 

[tonepoet]

I've thought "relic-ing" to be silly since the first time I saw one offered.

I may seem prudish, but I cherish my guitars and respect them. I don't see a beat-up guitar as being "well loved".

I wince whenever I've caused a ding or a scratch in one of my guitars. But, accidents happen. Purposely dinging and scratching up a guitar is something unnecessary, to me.

 

[Minnesota Flats]

People should feel free to spend their money on anything they wanna: it's their money.

That said, for the most part, I've always sought out either new or excellent-condition used instruments, all else being equal. Once they are in my possession, I try to keep them in the most undamaged condition possible. Wear and damage, whether intentionally inflicted or accumulated over time due to routine usage isn't a factor that makes an instrument more appealing to me whatsoever. Well-crafted instruments reflect a certain amount of care taken by the maker and I like to respect that by treating them with care.

Accidents happen, but it would never occur to me to intentionally go after one of my instruments with a belt sander or whip it with a chain to (supposedly) "increase its Mojo".

 

[wileypickett]

People have been ripping holes in their new jeans and scuffing up new shoes for ages.

Manufacturers took note and started adding rips and tears, fading the material and who knows what to brand new items of apparel.

It seemed silly to me, but what do I know from fashion? Apparently there's an an appetite -- and a market -- for such things.

Why not guitars too?

You pays your money, etc.

 

[johnreardon]

This subject has been done to death over the years and sorry I don’t see what the concern is about.

People buy things they like, whether it be ratrods, distressed jeans or guitars that have a relic finish.

If they like them, then so be it. Why should it worry me or you. If there wasn’t a demand, manufacturers wouldn’t make them.

I couldn’t care less what a guitar looked like as long as it played and sounded well in my hands.

A decade or so ago, I was looking for a Strat and tried numerous in a shop. The one that played and sounded best to me, just happened to be a Custom Shop Strat…..Relic.

So was I supposed to ignore the guitar because it was a Relic?

Before you say anything, I an NOT saying all Relics sound and play better. I must have played around 10 in the shop and this one sounded and played the best for ME.

 

[Walter Broes]

I think the relic thing is silly and embarrassing, but the market obviously disagrees. I thought it would be a passing fad, but it's been around for 20 years, and it's spread to acoustics and even amp covering.

It feels kind of extra silly if your main player is over half a century old and you've been trying to keep it in clean cosmetic an playing shape for 20 years of pretty heavy use.


There's another pet peeve I have about the relic thing - there are a lot of Fender clone "builders" (assemblers) out there who hide behind the relic thing to deliver what is basically bad or lazy finish work. Goes from no/poor grain fill to uneven color to no top coats. Finishing a guitar in gloss lacquer is quite a bit of tedious, repetive work.

 

[GAD]

Stevie Ray Vaughn bought i
His #1 already beat to hell from a pawn shop because he liked the way it looked. I guess he was a poser?

i’ve said this in the many other threads in the subject, but I thought relics were dumb until I bought this:

Story here:

GAD Buys a Relic

I'm one of the first people to say that I think relics are dumb. I've always said that if I want a worn guitar then it needs to be that puts that wear on there. I get why people like them but they're just not for me. I even prefer mint examples of vintage guitars for the same reason. Don't get...

letstalkguild.com

People like relics so companies make relics. It’s really that simple.

 

[Guildedagain]

So was I supposed to ignore the guitar because it was a Relic?

If you like a guitar, go for it.

Lightly worn guitars are best for me, and natural aging, because it is very subtle and increases over time.

 

[Guildedagain]

This might belong in the ROTD thread, but I totally agree. My '69 D28 has been organically relic'd, and I wouldn't change a thing.

1969 Martin D28

Explore this photo album by Twocorgis on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Real wear tells a story.