Relics and all that

[pauldogx]

Like someone else said--you first have to buy the premise that tme actually changes the tone. I have no doubt that there are people like Eric Johnson and Danny Gatton that can hear the difference between different bridges and other hardware. And I think we can all agree that every guitar(even solid bodies) has its own tone and that it changes somewhat over time with solidbodies. Every piece of wood is different. I think this especially evident with acoustics,violins,jazz boxes etc. where the wood plays a bigger role in tone production than with solid bodies. The other piece people always leave out of the equation is whether the guitar is properly set up, intonated, and adjusted for the individual player. I think the guitars today are of a far better build quality and consistancy than were ever produced in the 50's,60's 70's. Have you ever played a early 70's ***der three bolt neck---nothin to write home about. A friend just gave me his 75 SG custom to set up for him--seriously---(in my best Mike Meyers Voice) ITS CRAPPPPPPPPP! I'll take todays guitars anyday over vintage. BTW, I just sold my 2005 Triumph Bonneville---and believe me it blew away the 60's and 70's ones that I had.

 

[beej]

Time doesn't change tone, but certainly different components are used over time. Some guys drool over the early model strat pickups ... it's hard to replicate exactly what was done back then (inconsistently). Ditto for the early Jen wah pedals- took years for companies to reproduce good copies of those old inductors to get that vintage sound.

But f***ing up the finish of a guitar on purpose? That's just plain crazy. Unless you're Zakk Wylde and you want to set yours on fire and nail beer caps to it. No, wait, that's crazy too. But he's too big a guy to say it to his face

 

[Bungo]

I had to revive this thread after something I saw yesterday!

Went into a local music shop where they had on display a relic, Fender Jeff Beck tribute model Esquire.

Nastiest hunk of beaten up junk I've seen in a long time. The price?..........Ladies and Gentlemen I kid you not. This ugly sucker had a tag on it asking for £8949.99 or about $16,600 to you lot over the Atlantic.

Just unbelievable!

 

[Wide'Iwas]

Apparently the prevailing mindset is that "they don't make 'em as good as they used to.."

ahh best line ever! my thoughts exactly!

 

[Enc3f4L0]

What's the point of having dings and scratches on your baby if you don't know how they happened?

I remember how every single ding/chip/scratch happened on mine, and the pain I felt at the moment.

Hell, I even get goosebumps when I listen to 'Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon - Us and Them' because that's what I was listening to when my JP7 got it's chip.

If there isn't a history behind it, it's pure BS!

 

[DrBob]

I had to revive this thread after something I saw yesterday!

Went into a local music shop where they had on display a relic, Fender Jeff Beck tribute model Esquire.

Nastiest hunk of beaten up junk I've seen in a long time. The price?..........Ladies and Gentlemen I kid you not. This ugly sucker had a tag on it asking for £8949.99 or about $16,600 to you lot over the Atlantic.

Just unbelievable!

I'm not fully up to speed on vintage prices but surely you can get a 'real proper' old pre cbs tele/esquire for that kind of cash ?

Or of course do like I'm in the process of doing and buy a great used Silhouette Special for $500 and then use the remaining $16,100 you've saved to take 6 months off of your day job and actually play the thing rather than stick it in a glass case. ?.......

As an aside I'd love to see an Axis/Esquire type thing.

 

[Spudmurphy]

I watch my mate make beautifull hand made guitars - then relic them 'cos that's what the customer wants !!!! - insane - but I love watching how he does it.

 

[candid_x]

I’m not prone to guitar make bashing, but this one gave me a good laugh.

I decided to seriously look at Fender Strats, and this well equipped guitar shop in Reno had a boat load of them on their walls and in stock. After trying about eight US models, and being completely appalled at how they played, the salesman looked at me with a glimmer in his eye and said, I’ll be right back. He returned and handed me this… beat up blue thing, and said “Try THAT!”. It was a one of the early Relics. I looked at him with a “you must be kidding” look. I have to say, it played better than the off the shelf ones I’d tried, but only because it was set up correctly. I handed it back and left the store. I still say, you must be kidding!

 

[heavymetaljames]

I have found with many guitars - especially Fenders that they feel so new that they are not comfortable to play - my last Fender puchase was a second hand strat - and it was so worn in - it felt great! I didn't keep it long - it was a Fender! I have always liked the unfinished necks on guitars too when I have previously come across them - they seem to warm in nicer - and that is one of the reasons I love my EBMM - it feels like I've had it forever, and that its already worn in - even though its nearly new.
Hope I make sense here - I know what I mean!

 

[Warg Master]

Pre-beaten up at the factoryguitars show no real character... just like those who buy them

 

[heavymetaljames]

If anyone wants me to turn their guitar into a relic - I won't charge as much as Fender to beat the hell out of it!

I can't unfortuately offer the same waranty as Fender and there could be a fine line between relic and heap-o-junk by the end

 

[jongitarz]

i saw a used one on ebay...........in mint codition....

 

[peterd79]

ok... i'm a big fan of the war worn guitars... meaning i've played the hell out of it and it looks this way as a result. I've got an E$P Custom Shop Strat that i've played to the hilt (cause i ain't got no balls) and it's been played and played and played.... I've got the hint of the paint starting to go... and it's lookin sick...

NOW: if i bought the guitar and had someone sand it down, oxidize the hardware i'm now classified as a chump... i've got no business even holding a guitar. SO i say this...

IF YOU'RE SO EAGER TO HAVE A RELIC... PLAY THE HELL OUT OF IT... PUT IT TO USE AND EARN THE WAR WORN GUITAR... DON'T PAY THE OUTLANDISH PRICE TO MAKE YOURSELF APPEAR TO BE A SLINGER OF THE AXE... PUT THAT MONEY INTO LESSONS AND ACTUALLY LEARN HOW TO PLAY...

 

[John C]

I'm not fully up to speed on vintage prices but surely you can get a 'real proper' old pre cbs tele/esquire for that kind of cash ?

Dr. Bob - it's getting harder and harder to find real vintage stuff for that kind of price. I did a quick gbase search and found things like a '56 Tele for $42,500, but I also turned up a '63 Tele for $15,000 and a '66 (early CBS era) Tele for $12,500. Strats, however, are really through the roof. Granted, that Beck Esquire is limited edition priced rediculously, just like the worn SRV Strats and Hendrix Woodstock Strats from a couple of years ago; a typical teambuilt Nocaster goes for more like $2,200-$2,500, well below vintage pricing.

I don't much care for the relic thing on a new guitar; I would rather put the wear in myself. That being said, I have played some relic Fenders that outplayed all other Fenders in the store, and on other occasions I've played one with the NOS ("New Old Stock") finish - no artifical wear - that outplayed the relics. It's pretty much luck of the draw if one is better than the other. I should also point out that sometimes when I've "run the rack" I've found an American Vintage model that outplays the Custom Shop stuff.

 

[robelinda2]

yes i saw that Jeff Beck esquire around on the net, $15000 is insane.

But i guess i cant talk, I am the not-so-proud owner of the Rory Gallagher relic strat, man do i want to sell it and get a few EBMM guitars in its place! Lucky it has grat resale value, so i've seen on ebay. I feel like a tool owning it now. I bought it early last year, looked kinda cool in the catalogue, wanted to get one custom shop strat at some stage in my life, was still in fender mode then, so i thought i'd go the whole way and get it, i'd never even seen a relic and was a little intrigued by it. I liked it for about 2 months, then i was in EBMM mode, and have been ever since, and havent even touched the rory all year so far.

Hey we all make mistakes right? I learnt my lesson, got many balls now......

 

[Big Poppa]

How aobut if I open a used car lot and take new cars and give them to =teenagers to vomit in and relic?

 

[Warg Master]

How aobut if I open a used car lot and take new cars and give them to =teenagers to vomit in and relic?

Now, THERE's an Idea!

 

[peterd79]

BP's RELIC CAR LOT



If it's Relic we'll sell it

 

[heavymetaljames]

Can you use artificial vomit - its just the smell might put people off buying them!

 

[Warg Master]

Can you use artificial vomit - its just the smell might put people off buying them!

I don't think that would work. the smell needs to be there to complete the atmosphere and "feel" of a relic.