ridiculous Fender "Roadworn" clip

dapmdave

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About 20 years ago I worked in a vintage shop, where old Fenders, Gibsons and such would come through on their way from pawn shops and under beds to the hands of vintage buyers. While they were often pretty beat up, the thing that stuck with me was the SOUND of these old instruments. Seems like something happens to magnets and wires after 30 or 40 years that is amazing.

We felt the guitars were better if they were exceptionally clean, or some custom color. Not the other way around.
But the value was in the true vintage sound.

Just my $0.02

Dave
 

Rich

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capnjuan said:
jp said:
... The whole thing screams, "Don't live the dream, buy it!" A sad statement on priorities today.
... and all to the apocalyptic strains of Mozart's Requiem. And they didn't bother to suggest that the guitars sound good or play well.

They are horrid.
 

Walter Broes

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krysh said:
meanwhile I read some great reviews of the basses in a german bass forum, they seem to sound and feel really good.
did one of you ever check the feeling of the guitars?
what if - as they advertise - these instruments really give you the feeeeling of playing a real relic?
Got a roadworn maple neck strat shoved into my hands at the local music store when trying out a pedal - and I absolutely loved it, if I'd had a couple hundred more in the bank I would have bought it on the spot - if it wasn't for the ridiculous fake "wear" on it, and knowing I would have felt eternally stupid and ripped-off buying the stupid looking thing. That said, it played absolutely great, and sounded like I like a strat to sound, bright, percussive, and twangy.

The only thing "relic" about it that improved playability for me is the lack of finish on the back of the neck, but the same effect is easily accomplished in under an hour with some sandpaper or a sharp blade - it'll feel just as nice, and you won't have to make it look like it was owned by edward scissorhands for 80 years.
 

taabru45

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I'm waiting for 'relic' guitar players to be wanted and appreciated... :lol: :lol: Steffan
 

AlohaJoe

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taabru45 said:
I'm waiting for 'relic' guitar players to be wanted and appreciated... :lol: :lol: Steffan
:lol: :lol: Yea, my guitar is in decent shape... I"M the relic!
 

spiderman

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The disease has spread to acoustics, Gibson is offering a "roadworn", they call it aged, J-45 I believe for $5K more than the new looking one. Be certain to read the comments :lol:
http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Acousti ... Jumbo.aspx
Never heard of Aaron Lewis but my rock & roll days ended about the time "the day the music died", with a few rare excursions since.
One could argue that the Gibson True Vintage and the Martin Vintage, Golden Era, etc. are in the same league, but those are a matter of construction, and they are not scratching them up.
Sigh.......


Harmony H-173 bought in 1960 (retired)
Alvarez AC60S 2008
Eastman AC320ce 2008 BOOKMATCHING BOOKMATCHING WE DON'T NEED NO STINKING BOOKMATCHING!
http://www.massstreetmusic.com/store/sh ... id-Cutaway
GAD-JF30E(blonde) 2008
JF55 1997
D25M 1974
Martin Grand J35E 2009
 

bluesypicky

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jp said:
It's kinda like the whole "badass biker thing" with yuppies, especially the "market segment" targeted by Harley Davidson. It's mostly a lot of weekend warriors in $1000 worth of "distressed" leather biker gear, who spit and polish a lot, but don't even know how to check their oil. The whole thing screams, "Don't live the dream, buy it!" A sad statement on priorities today.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Just found this thread, loved your comment jp! Not to mention these "badasses" are often guys who waited to be in their 50's to get on a bike for the first time of their life and of course, choose (where they can, like here in FL.) to ride without a helmet on... Gotta be a badass all the way to the morgue right? :shock: :roll:

As to the roadworn clip, it is an embarrassment indeed.
 

dapmdave

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bluesypicky said:
jp said:
It's kinda like the whole "badass biker thing" with yuppies, especially the "market segment" targeted by Harley Davidson. It's mostly a lot of weekend warriors in $1000 worth of "distressed" leather biker gear, who spit and polish a lot, but don't even know how to check their oil. The whole thing screams, "Don't live the dream, buy it!" A sad statement on priorities today.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Just found this thread, loved your comment jp! Not to mention these "badasses" are often guys who waited to be in their 50's to get on a bike for the first time of their life and of course, choose (where they can, like here in FL.) to ride without a helmet on... Gotta be a badass all the way to the morgue right? :shock: :roll:

As to the roadworn clip, it is an embarrassment indeed.

I get a kick out of the "bikers" who haul their Harleys to Daytona on a trailer, towed behind the family SUV.
 

Andy Hiwatt

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Well... I agree that the promotional Video for the Roadworn guitars and basses is pathetic, but I actually checked some of those Teles and Strats out last summer while on Holiday in the USA.
I didn't particularly like the poor relic treatment, even if some of the aesthetic touches on the Strat bodies were pretty alluring, what I did like a lot were the necks , the balance and the tone of the guitars I tried. I was very intrigued by the cheap price , many Guitar Centers I visited had special summer prices for those guitars and in a Portland Store on MLK Boulevard they had the best deal I found on a Roadworn Tele: $699. Strats generally went for $750 or little more.
While I absolutely love Telecasters ( the shape, the sound the feel ,everything) and I proudly own a very good one, I 'm not at all into Strats ( even If I admit and recognize the Strat is a great classic guitar, that sounds marvellous in the right hands) I never felt the need to add one to my collection, but in this case I was almost tempted to buy one of those Roadworn Strats I played..I must have played 6-7 of them in different stores and all were consistently well built with perfect necks, perfect action , a warm and loud unplugged tone and very good sounding pickups when plugged into Fender ,Peavy or Vox AC30 amps. They impressed me a lot, I was playing them just for fun not expecting anything, just to try something more,but I ended up very tempted , and I wondered if it was the case to invest some money into a Strat at last...

Also the Telecasters were very well built and with even better necks ,particularly the '50s style models with the maple fretboards ( I normally prefer rosewood fretboards), I found the unfinished back of the neck very comfortable ..it felt very good. Big chunky necks ,very meaty and right for my hands.

I really think these guitars can be a very good cheap introduction to classic Fenders, and they give the idea of being far superior in feeling ,mojo, and actual tone and building quality when compared to the shiny, plastic looking, modern and "improved" versions of the new standard Teles and Strats that normally go for $1200..I tried many of those as well and they look and feel soulless, anemic and cold, they might be perfectly working and reliable instruments but I'd never buy one of those for sure.
 

MojoTooth

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I've always felt the while pre-made "relic" to be a bit ridiculous. Not to mention every one of them looks the same (the made in Mex RW series that is). Same wear in the same spots.

One day I am going to put together my own custom dream Telecaster and I am going to have the nitro custom checked to have that scaled look to it, but without the chips, scratches and dings. I can do all of that myself with good hard playing over time.
 
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