Do/would you baby a "relic'd" guitar?
- Thread starter spudmunkey
- Start date
my answer would fall into the camp of "it depends" 
I'm more likely to handle something with extra care on a sliding scale for how expensive it is to purchase or fix.
if it's set neck... I don't have the skills to fix that myself with any confidence, so I'll handle those with more care.
4 screw square plate bolt on electrics were essentially designed to be repaired, so I'm less put out if they take a few whacks.
production relics around here are pretty much exclusively Fender stuff. the made in Mexico Fender relics I've seen have been better executed than most of the US ones, but they're all over the place. the white Mexican Charvel with the Floyd was exceptionally well done, and the older "road worn" series seemed to be a bit closer to the "less is more" place that I gravitate towards.
I assume productions costs vs. price point in the Mexico factory limit the time spent beating the new instruments up, which might tend towards more realistic / less battered results. shrug. they're missing a marketing opportunity for "factory relics" by selling every scratch and dent body etc. that's been bumped in production, perhaps.
if I ever get my hands on the one Les Paul that blew my mind (and is miles out of my reasonable budget range), I'd be really careful with it. in part because it's expensive, sure... but also because I wouldn't be happy just replacing it with any other guitar. I was primarily interested in that guitar because it sounds amazing, the neck feels fantastic, etc. it's a relic guitar from their higher tier production range, so it costs 3x as much as a "standard" one. womp womp.
I'm more likely to handle something with extra care on a sliding scale for how expensive it is to purchase or fix.
if it's set neck... I don't have the skills to fix that myself with any confidence, so I'll handle those with more care.
4 screw square plate bolt on electrics were essentially designed to be repaired, so I'm less put out if they take a few whacks.
production relics around here are pretty much exclusively Fender stuff. the made in Mexico Fender relics I've seen have been better executed than most of the US ones, but they're all over the place. the white Mexican Charvel with the Floyd was exceptionally well done, and the older "road worn" series seemed to be a bit closer to the "less is more" place that I gravitate towards.
I assume productions costs vs. price point in the Mexico factory limit the time spent beating the new instruments up, which might tend towards more realistic / less battered results. shrug. they're missing a marketing opportunity for "factory relics" by selling every scratch and dent body etc. that's been bumped in production, perhaps.
if I ever get my hands on the one Les Paul that blew my mind (and is miles out of my reasonable budget range), I'd be really careful with it. in part because it's expensive, sure... but also because I wouldn't be happy just replacing it with any other guitar. I was primarily interested in that guitar because it sounds amazing, the neck feels fantastic, etc. it's a relic guitar from their higher tier production range, so it costs 3x as much as a "standard" one. womp womp.
GunpointMetal
SS.org Regular
Nope, but I wouldn't buy one either. Unless it was a showpiece relic'd by a known rockstar, seems silly to me to baby it. But I guess people avoid scuffing their pre-ripped jeans, too.
OmegaSlayer
SS.org Regular
How old are you?I'm ok with Gibsons and Fenders being worn out, because I don't want to own them.
I thought the same until I was 42-43, then I wanted those sounds in my collection.
Didn't want a guitar with the shape of the Les Paul with better playability and different pickups, I wanted the real deal, same for a Strat and a Telly, with '60-'70s specs.
At the moment I only have a Lespy and I'm happy with that.
I wanted a PRS that did the PRS stuff, I wanted a Starcaster...and no, I'm not getting old because in the same week I picked a Starcaster, I got an Ibanez Falchion too...
I only have one relic guitar, my Frankie and I treat it like anything else. I play it without abusing it.
Darkscience
SS.org Regular
After owning 2 relics, I sold them and do not plan to buy one ever again. I do like the look and feel of the guitar that is relic, but in the end I would find things on it that just look wrong and make me feel odd for paying so much for something. For example when they scrape away paint and you can see all the tool marks, and also the typical shot gun blast to the top but the plastic or tuners look brand new. Ever since I learned what I like and don't like, I have not found a relic guitar for any price that wasn't flawed somehow, (minus the copies, like greeny etc.).
Lastly, unless I really really love the guitar and it's the best I have ever played and plan to keep it 100% never sell it. I realized IMO relic guitars will never go up in value, they will always be worth a discount from new and even if it is 50 years old, it will only be worth the used price of a new relic in that time. Also most relic are relic the exact same way, it's like they have a model or two of a real one that was voted to be a good looker and they try to mimic it. Murphy Lab is the worst offender there, two relics are not identical because it is impossible but very very close. But either way, like I said, 50 years from now no one will want to buy your relic, they will just get a new relic.
Like I said I like how they look per se, but I pretty much prefer new. I don't even like VOS Gibson, where they just lightly age it, it looks weird to me and it's never done consistent, like they will lightly age everything but the pick up covers are brand new etc.
Lastly, unless I really really love the guitar and it's the best I have ever played and plan to keep it 100% never sell it. I realized IMO relic guitars will never go up in value, they will always be worth a discount from new and even if it is 50 years old, it will only be worth the used price of a new relic in that time. Also most relic are relic the exact same way, it's like they have a model or two of a real one that was voted to be a good looker and they try to mimic it. Murphy Lab is the worst offender there, two relics are not identical because it is impossible but very very close. But either way, like I said, 50 years from now no one will want to buy your relic, they will just get a new relic.
Like I said I like how they look per se, but I pretty much prefer new. I don't even like VOS Gibson, where they just lightly age it, it looks weird to me and it's never done consistent, like they will lightly age everything but the pick up covers are brand new etc.
Neon_Knight_
SS.org Regular
A relic'd signature, to imitate a specific famous guitar, is the one situation where I actually understand why someone would want to own a relic'd guitar. I wouldn't buy one myself, but I get why someone else would. I'd be most tempted by an EVO or FLO replica, but at the end of the day I'd prefer a mint JEM (and a mint J. Custom over that)
Neon_Knight_
SS.org Regular
Failing to "age" the tuners / tone & volume knobs is just sloppy and lazy imo. If it was a naturally aged guitar, would someone really have replaced hardware due to superficial wear, without getting the guitar refinished? It's possible, but unlikely imo.
nickgray
SS.org Regular
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Wouldn't want to buy one in the first place, but if I had one, to me that's pretty much the only actual benefit of relicing - you can ding the guitar and not feel bad. Although then it makes sense to feel bad for paying full price for a guitar with tons of dings and scratches and whatnot. Which is exactly why I don't like relics.
Neon_Knight_
SS.org Regular
34. For me, a "vintage" neck profile = antagonised chronic wrist injury, while a Wizard / Super Wizard = play as much as I like care free*. Fortunately, the Ibanez aesthetic is also far more suited to the styles I play, so I really don't feel like I'm missing out. I consider the traditional strat, tele and LP designs to be antiquated and. Aesthetically, LPs can look nice and strats are ok (but look very '50s/'60s), while teles are an ugly abomination that should have been discontinued by Fender as soon as the strat was released. If someone tells me they own a tele, I'm always quick to change the subject...in the words of Thumper, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all".
*I barely played guitar for about 3 years because playing my Cort G250 (first guitar) kept causing a ganglion cyst to flair up on the back of my wrist (initially caused by a rupture to the tendon, when I was a teenager). At its worst, I could only flex my wrist by about 10 degrees, so inability to play guitar wasn't my biggest concern (but playing was the biggest antagonist). My other passion / hobby (volleyball) was somehow far less antagonistic...something my physio was always sceptical, but very wrong, about...so that took priority (and still does, but now I can do both again). Although plenty of people find thin necks more problematic, playing an Ibanez in a store was the first time a guitar didn't feel "wrong" in my fretting hand. I'd spent a long time thinking I just needed to "get used to it" or couldn't play guitar frequently because of my wrist injury, but I then found a used XPT700 for a very good price (£210 in very good condition) and have only played Ibbys since.
The Falchion is a bit too "B.C. Rich" for me, but I love my Xiphos. It doesn't match the playability of my higher end Ibbys, but it looks awesome and mine has the extra sentimental attachment of being my path back to playing. I keep getting GAS for an XPTB720 (I don't own a 7-string yet), but have a nagging voice in my head saying "don't be stupid, get a Prestige RG".
KentBrockman
Bite back with Kent Brockman!
If I were to buy a relic’d guitar, which I wouldn’t because I don’t have bad taste, I probably wouldn’t baby it because I’m already ok with a beaten up guitar.
Except for one, I bought all of my guitars used. Two of the used ones are in such good condition that they easily pass as mint condition. The rest have chips and slightly worn hardware. Those ones are the ones I take to play at band practice and shows.
Except for one, I bought all of my guitars used. Two of the used ones are in such good condition that they easily pass as mint condition. The rest have chips and slightly worn hardware. Those ones are the ones I take to play at band practice and shows.
Neon_Knight_
SS.org Regular
OmegaSlayer
SS.org Regular
If it's a health issue is another matter altogether.34. For me, a "vintage" neck profile = antagonised chronic wrist injury, while a Wizard / Super Wizard = play as much as I like care free*. Fortunately, the Ibanez aesthetic is also far more suited to the styles I play, so I really don't feel like I'm missing out. I consider the traditional strat, tele and LP designs to be antiquated and. Aesthetically, LPs can look nice and strats are ok (but look very '50s/'60s), while teles are an ugly abomination that should have been discontinued by Fender as soon as the strat was released. If someone tells me they own a tele, I'm always quick to change the subject...in the words of Thumper, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all".
*I barely played guitar for about 3 years because playing my Cort G250 (first guitar) kept causing a ganglion cyst to flair up on the back of my wrist (initially caused by a rupture to the tendon, when I was a teenager). At its worst, I could only flex my wrist by about 10 degrees, so inability to play guitar wasn't my biggest concern (but playing was the biggest antagonist). My other passion / hobby (volleyball) was somehow far less antagonistic...something my physio was always sceptical, but very wrong, about...so that took priority (and still does, but now I can do both again). Although plenty of people find thin necks more problematic, playing an Ibanez in a store was the first time a guitar didn't feel "wrong" in my fretting hand. I'd spent a long time thinking I just needed to "get used to it" or couldn't play guitar frequently because of my wrist injury, but I then found a used XPT700 for a very good price (£210 in very good condition) and have only played Ibbys since.
The Falchion is a bit too "B.C. Rich" for me, but I love my Xiphos. It doesn't match the playability of my higher end Ibbys, but it looks awesome and mine has the extra sentimental attachment of being my path back to playing. I keep getting GAS for an XPTB720 (I don't own a 7-string yet), but have a nagging voice in my head saying "don't be stupid, get a Prestige RG".
But when you'll be in your 50s you'll remember that guy in the guitar forums that told you that you would get over the shapes when you get older
RevDrucifer
SS.org Regular
I don’t baby any of my guitars, my JEM is the most beat up one I’ve seen next to EVO.
I have two guitars that’d be considered relics, they get treated like every other guitar. I’m not gigging right now and that’s where quite a bit of damage on my other guitars came from, but I also don’t see myself jumping around with a vintage-spec’d Strat at any point, so they’re less likely to get banged up than other guitars.
The thing I get a kick out of is people seem to think you can only get an expensive relic; both my partscasters were under a grand.
The wear one that was done really well, the chipped areas are all smoothed out as if it happened decades ago and the whole finish is sunk into the body slightly, you can see the grain lines through the finish in some angles.
I’d be willing to put it up against one of these-
I have two guitars that’d be considered relics, they get treated like every other guitar. I’m not gigging right now and that’s where quite a bit of damage on my other guitars came from, but I also don’t see myself jumping around with a vintage-spec’d Strat at any point, so they’re less likely to get banged up than other guitars.
The thing I get a kick out of is people seem to think you can only get an expensive relic; both my partscasters were under a grand.
The wear one that was done really well, the chipped areas are all smoothed out as if it happened decades ago and the whole finish is sunk into the body slightly, you can see the grain lines through the finish in some angles.
I’d be willing to put it up against one of these-
Spaced Out Ace
SS.org Regular
The candy apple red with what I am guessing is the EMG DG20 looks great!I don’t baby any of my guitars, my JEM is the most beat up one I’ve seen next to EVO.
I have two guitars that’d be considered relics, they get treated like every other guitar. I’m not gigging right now and that’s where quite a bit of damage on my other guitars came from, but I also don’t see myself jumping around with a vintage-spec’d Strat at any point, so they’re less likely to get banged up than other guitars.
The thing I get a kick out of is people seem to think you can only get an expensive relic; both my partscasters were under a grand.
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The wear one that was done really well, the chipped areas are all smoothed out as if it happened decades ago and the whole finish is sunk into the body slightly, you can see the grain lines through the finish in some angles.
I’d be willing to put it up against one of these-
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RevDrucifer
SS.org Regular
Yep, that’s my Gilmour Strat. It was the first guitar I fell in love with that made me want to play but something I could only buy after I had the other guitars I wanted to use for my own music. And now it’s one of my most played guitars, definitely does a LOT more than the Gilmour thing.
If I had a relic I would treat it as a regular guitar. Only guitar I am babying is a rare dead mint guitar.
Spaced Out Ace
SS.org Regular
I wanted to out together a Gilmour inspired CAR Strat. Unfortunately, I couldn't really find something I wanted in that regard. My go to was a tobacco burst HSH Strat with a red tortoise shell pickguard (darker than a brown tortoise shell pickguard if you can imagine that). Worked out and I enjoy the guitar a lot.
RevDrucifer
SS.org Regular
Precisely why I had it made, it’s an MJT body and a Musikraft neck. The Fender AVRI’s were over $2K used and I do not get along with the 7.25” radius, nor tiny vintage frets, so right out of the gate I’d be buying a guitar that I feel is more expensive than necessary with features I don’t dig.
I went with a 12” radius and med/jumbo SS frets and I can’t put that thing down for very long. I’ve been on this LP honeymoon but picked it up over the weekend and man, it just plays so damn good and the range of sounds I can get out of it is insane. I don’t even prefer guitars that are versatile, I’m fine if they do one thing really well, but when you stumble on a different sound with the Strat it makes me want to venture into it for a bit.
