Rotten Relics

Discussion of newer designs, copies and reissue offset-waist instruments.
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Powdered Toast Man
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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by Powdered Toast Man » Fri Jun 24, 2022 3:17 am

I own a couple relic guitars so I can't get all high and mighty about relicing as a thing.

However...

I prefer something that's actually realistic in that the wear and aging is at least plausible looking. There's a lot of stuff out there (including a very popular aftermarket parts maker) where the relicing is looking increasingly like someone was too enthusiastic with the orbital buffer. We seem to have reached a stage where the relics are copying each other rather than simulating vintage age and wear.

And frankly I think if a builder doesn't even have an option to order or refuses to do a completely new and clean finish that's a red flag that they're using the relic trend to cover for an inability to properly finish their product.

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superficial
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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by superficial » Fri Jun 24, 2022 4:43 am

We seem to have reached a stage where the relics are copying each other rather than simulating vintage age and wear.
Right. But everyone knows that almost everyone rocking a 'relic' faked it - you can't fool people into thinking you own a 60's Fender any more. At which point, the goal of relicing is to look 'like a relic guitar'. Since people seem to want dirty fretboards and bodies with no paint, maybe that's what these builders are aiming for?

It's a bit like those ripped jeans that were fashionable a few years ago. They didn't have to simulate authentic wear. They were their own thing (Feel free to use this analogy as a sign the relic fad will die out).

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by Jazz Master » Fri Jun 24, 2022 5:31 am

I blame the relic guitar faze on SRV
His playing & tone was so fantastic & everyone saw that beat down early Strat & had to have one like it
IIRC the relic craze started around 1991 = 30+ years now

My oldest son found a Telecaster in the river with worm holes etc.
The neck & electronics are trash but always thought I could build it back together & make a Relic Tele
The body is sound & has dried in my basement for 2-3 years now, The neck looks great but is twisted up beyond repair
FUTURE PROJECT
Saw this neck the other day & thought Hmmm?
Image

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sal paradise
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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by sal paradise » Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:09 am

Surely Jimi Hendrix & Rory Gallagher started the relic party years before SRV?
I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by Powdered Toast Man » Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:14 am

superficial wrote:
Fri Jun 24, 2022 4:43 am
We seem to have reached a stage where the relics are copying each other rather than simulating vintage age and wear.
Right. But everyone knows that almost everyone rocking a 'relic' faked it - you can't fool people into thinking you own a 60's Fender any more. At which point, the goal of relicing is to look 'like a relic guitar'. Since people seem to want dirty fretboards and bodies with no paint, maybe that's what these builders are aiming for?

It's a bit like those ripped jeans that were fashionable a few years ago. They didn't have to simulate authentic wear. They were their own thing (Feel free to use this analogy as a sign the relic fad will die out).
And that's fine. But like many things in life, there's some people who are good at it, and some people who aren't good at it. Is anyone going to believe that you're playing a $30,000 guitar at a bar gig? No. But there's good aging jobs where if you suspend your disbelief they look pretty plausible.

And then there's the "relicing" that you can tell is phony from across the room. Not because it IS a relic, but because it looks so fake it's laughable. I mean, I always cringe at the guitars that look like they lost a fight with an orbital sander.

The funny thing is genuine aging and wear is still possible. My buddy has a CS 57 Strat that when he originally purchased it was pristine (closet classic). After over a decade of playing the crap out of it at jams and gigs it looks like any other CS relic. Finish is heavy checked, wear on the arm contour, discolouration, chips, etc. So the average cork sniffing board dweller probably looks at his guitar and thinks he's a poser.

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by JackFawkes » Fri Jun 24, 2022 9:36 am

Jazz Master wrote:
Fri Jun 24, 2022 5:31 am
My oldest son found a Telecaster in the river with worm holes etc.
The neck & electronics are trash but always thought I could build it back together & make a Relic Tele
The body is sound & has dried in my basement for 2-3 years now, The neck looks great but is twisted up beyond repair
FUTURE PROJECT
Whoa! Any pictures?

Jack

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by wooderson » Fri Jun 24, 2022 1:04 pm

sal paradise wrote:
Fri Jun 24, 2022 6:09 am
Surely Jimi Hendrix & Rory Gallagher started the relic party years before SRV?
Gallagher perhaps literally.
"The guitar was extensively modified by Gallagher. The tuning pegs and the nut were replaced,[28] the latter interchanged a number of times. The pickguard was also changed during Gallagher's time with Taste. Only the middle pick-up is original. The final modification was the wiring: Gallagher disconnected the bottom tone pot and rewired it so he had just a master tone control along with the master volume control. He installed a 5-way selector switch in place of the vintage 3-way one.[28]

Most of the paint was removed from the guitar in 1967 or 1968 during the Taste period, as evidenced from contemporary photographs. Although the Strat was left abandoned in a rainy ditch for days after being stolen from the back of a tour van in Dublin, this is not believed to have caused any ill effect.[citation needed] A borrowed Telecaster was also stolen at the same time but never recovered. When the Strat was recovered two weeks later, Gallagher swore he would never sell it or paint it. The paint removal and appearance of extensive road wear was in keeping with Gallaghers public persona and image."

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by snarf » Tue Jun 28, 2022 8:57 am

One of my favorites

Image

Danocasters are supposed to have subtle relic'ing so I'm just in awe that someone would do this to one.

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by marqueemoon » Wed Jul 27, 2022 11:58 am


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sal paradise
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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by sal paradise » Wed Jul 27, 2022 12:13 pm

I have nothing to offer anybody, except my own confusion?

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by bessieboporbach » Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:10 pm

Listing claims it is a custom build, and yet mysteriously it looks EXACTLY like a Classic Vibe JM that has had the Squier badge sanded off...

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by graceless » Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:21 pm

Yeesh

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by marqueemoon » Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:26 pm

bessieboporbach wrote:
Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:10 pm
Listing claims it is a custom build, and yet mysteriously it looks EXACTLY like a Classic Vibe JM that has had the Squier badge sanded off...
Looks like utter shit whatever it is.

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by wooderson » Wed Jul 27, 2022 3:32 pm

That looks like a pool that needed chlorine about a month ago.

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Re: Rotten Relics

Post by sugarandopium » Wed Aug 10, 2022 5:29 am

This one deserves a post here.
It’s a 65 which makes it even more disturbing


https://www.ebay.com/itm/265788976525?m ... media=COPY

From the description:
In addition to the scratches caused by the performance of the age, it seems that relic processing such as the body side is also done.
This gives it a dignified look that is unique to vintage.
It looks like a vintage with an aura

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