I tried a custom shop "relic" strat today... interesting. Opinions/experience.

[hamish5178]

I played a sonic blue 60's strat relic in a shop a few months ago.  The salesman started giving me the speech: "they beat them up to look old and worn in, them they make them play like butter".

The wear was stupid, it looked awful, the neck had sharp edges and frets (and the wear on the back of it was just lame).  On top of that, it just felt "dead".  Many really expensive guitars do it seems.