Basic strat relicing tips

[UberMetalDood]

I've got a brand new olympic white American standard strat with rosewood fretboard and I want to make it look aged and used.

1. Turn the olympic white to that vintage white with kind of a yellowish tint.

2. Turn the shiny finish on body and neck into a dull patina.

2. Sand the neck to look used and the body to look a little abused. What type/grain sandpaper?

3. I want to age the plastic parts. I carried the knobs in my pocket with some change for a couple of days and now they look used, but I need to get that tarnished plastic color that looks a little darker in the grooves and stuff. How do you do that with the pickguard?


This stock photo is what my guitar looks like:

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

I say play the snot out of it for the next 15-20 years and you will have yourself a damn nice relic.

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

0000 wire wool should turn the gloss to a matt finish

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

0000 wire wool should turn the gloss to a matt finish

Won't that make the surface scratchy? Is there a kind of cloth that would have a similar effect and leave the surface smooth?

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Won't that make the surface scratchy? Is there a kind of cloth that would have a similar effect and leave the surface smooth?

It would leave faint scratches but what old guitar doesn't have scratches? :naughty: you could progressively use higher grade sandpaper to get the scratches out

 

[St_Genesius]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Also known as polishing to a shine.

It would leave faint scratches but what old guitar doesn't have scratches? :naughty: you could progressively use higher grade sandpaper to get the scratches out

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Won't that make the surface scratchy? Is there a kind of cloth that would have a similar effect and leave the surface smooth?

0000 steel wool will make the neck feel like glass. It is used for polishing.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Leave the guitar in direct sunlight as often as possible. UV rays will darken most finishes. . .

I say play the snot out of it for the next 15-20 years and you will have yourself a damn nice relic.

Unfortunately, poly doesn't really seem to relic in the same way that Nitro does.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

It would leave faint scratches but what old guitar doesn't have scratches? :naughty: you could progressively use higher grade sandpaper to get the scratches out

Yeah I know but I was told it's better to rub it down to a dull patina rather than scratch the surface. I'll try the steel wool though since it seems like the fastest way to get the job done.

Leave the guitar in direct sunlight as often as possible. UV rays will darken most finishes. . .

Unfortunately, poly doesn't really seem to relic in the same way that Nitro does.

Will sunlight tint the finish on the neck?

 

[dominus]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Leave the guitar in direct sunlight as often as possible. UV rays will darken most finishes. . .

I wonder what a tanning booth would do. (Maybe you should grab a Squier body and neck to test first. )

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Will sunlight tint the finish on the neck?

I've kept the poly finished neck on my Godin in a very bright room in direct sun for a couple years, it's taken on a much darker, more yellowish hue. I bet that this would make the body of the guitar look more yellowed as well . . .

 

[j9fd3s]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

I've got a brand new olympic white American standard strat with rosewood fretboard and I want to make it look aged and used.

1. Turn the olympic white to that vintage white with kind of a yellowish tint.

2. Turn the shiny finish on body and neck into a dull patina.

2. Sand the neck to look used and the body to look a little abused. What type/grain sandpaper?

3. I want to age the plastic parts. I carried the knobs in my pocket with some change for a couple of days and now they look used, but I need to get that tarnished plastic color that looks a little darker in the grooves and stuff. How do you do that with the pickguard?

1. i bought the same thing in 2007, and its actually yellowed quite a bit
2. 000 steel wool, or some worn out 2000 grit sand paper?
2. the neck finish needs something more like 600 grit sand paper, i tried a bunch of stuff on mine (it was WHITE, and the rosewood is GREY), the thing that worked the best was the Re ranch tinted clear.

3. go do something and then play the guitar, and skip the washing hands step. play hard, play a lot.

 

[CTN]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

I was thinking it'd be sweet if you could take out all the plastic parts, and smoke them. not like..rolling and lighting up, but like smoked meats etc...Not sure if the smoke would even penetrate the molecular structure of plastic, but if it did, I would bet you would get a nice tan colour. obviously, you'd probably need to cold smoke it, cuz if it was hot smoked, you might melt your parts.

As for the body/neck, before you do any sanding and all that, remove all the electronics and mounting plates, and throw the body around a bit (not too hard) so it gets dinged up real good. slightly less on the neck. bump the headstock a few times to get some chips off.

EDIT:

see here, maybe some ideas you could try. http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/custom-shop/10580-diy-plastic-ageing-tea-stain.html

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Unfortunately, poly doesn't really seem to relic in the same way that Nitro does.

Was more be a smart aleck than serious :cool2: Though you are right.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Trade it for a Road Worn.

It's a fair and even trade, and those Road Worns feel great.

Relicing is not an amateur's game. Every amateur relic I have ever seen has looked bad. Experienced professionals can make them look great. I would not recommend relicing if you haven't done it before - you will likely ruin your nice American Strat.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Trade it for a Road Worn.

It's a fair and even trade, and those Road Worns feel great.

Relicing is not an amateur's game. Every amateur relic I have ever seen has looked bad. Experienced professionals can make them look great. I would not recommend relicing if you haven't done it before - you will likely ruin your nice American Strat.

Roadworns only have 21 frets and they're made in Mexico. Besides, it would take the fun out of my little project. If anything, I'll sell it and use the money to buy a nice Fender custom shop relic.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Teach it to smoke cigarettes.

 

[jake_xms3_punk]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Also known as polishing to a shine.

not unless you wet sand and buff.

0000 steel wool will make the neck feel like glass. It is used for polishing.

no, not at all, I use 0000 wire wool on all my gloss guitar necks to make them a satin finish. you're just basically sanding away the shine.

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

Leave the guitar in direct sunlight as often as possible. UV rays will darken most finishes. . .

Only up to a point ; remember that UV also can have a bleaching effect. Exactly where that point is though is an unknown.

 

[WhoFan]

Re: Basic strat relicing tips

my 1999 MIM white strat has yellowed a fair bit but not huge either... i left it on a stand in my room for years... just started putting it in a case again after a mis-shap and it flew across my room and took some dents.... i was proud it didn't even have a scratch in 12 years up to that point... LOL... but the neck is much more yellow then the 1994 MIM Strat i have and never use... it's been it it's case for years and never see's action.. no idea why i've kept that one... when the 99 was newer it's neck was as plain and the finnish was as clear as the 94 still is...

American Standards are not the best guitars to relic as that finnish is made to last and is thick... i know they claim the newer American Standards are thinner finnishes then the past but they are still thicker then say the thin Nitro on the Road Worn series meant to relic more on it's own...

my 1988 American Standard is a true relic... years of abuse and use... it's shoreline gold finnish has turned green, lots of finnish cracks and chips missing... someone refretted it without a refinnish on the neck and neck finnish is flaking off in large thick chunks... it's 23 years old and heavily used but i'd say it's a closet Classic shape, not a true Relic...