Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

It's fun for me to hear everyone's opinions on this topic, so keep them coming.

There seems to be a fair amount of "dislike" for "relic'd" guitars, and I understand the reasoning. For my personal situation, I will never be able to play one guitar enough to ever have any type of true natural or "organic" relicing. The reason I'm drawn to them is because without some of the finish on the guitar, there's the possibility it my sound different (as better is very subjective) from a brand new guitar with a full finish; or maybe not, since each guitar has its own voice anyhow.

I just look at it as another finish option. I don't play out and likely never will again, so I don't want one to "look cool" or fool anyone. It would just be for my pleasure. With that said, I'm not willing to pay the outrageous prices charged for Relic Les Paul's, which is what I'd want. So short of winning the lottery, I'll never own one.

I could drag my new GM Les Paul behind the car for a few blocks..... nah.
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

But really: Frankenguitars are the best.

Here a "proto" strat, I'm currently working on:
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Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

Jeff_H said:
I just look at it as another finish option. I don't play out and likely never will again, so I don't want one to "look cool" or fool anyone. It would just be for my pleasure. With that said, I'm not willing to pay the outrageous prices charged for Relic Les Paul's, which is what I'd want. So short of winning the lottery, I'll never own one.

I could drag my new GM Les Paul behind the car for a few blocks..... nah.
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Precisely what relics are.....just another finish option. People seem to have their own personal identity and status as a player somehow invested in how their guitar looks - when its the playing that really counts.

I'll admit that, despite liking relics generally, most of them are too overdone for my tastes. This is generally the level I'm at......knocked down finish and a bit of tarnish on the hardware.
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Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

See, I think that's a great level of relicing. It just looks gently loved on and played. Very nice. One thing though..... is that pic taken from a reflected image or is the guitar backwards. :laughing:
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

I've never bought a guitar that did'nt (at least look) new/mint. Never got the point of the whole relic'ing thing..it's stupid.
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

Some of my favorite gig guitars have literally thousands of sets on them and look like they've been through a war. A few dings or any amount of honest play wear on an axe doesn't bother me at all. A few of my more rare & expensive guitars are flawless and I intend to keep them that way. I have a pretty wide variety of great serviceable ones to gig with, so I can leave the exotics at home and keep 'em pristine.

I've seen some DIY relic jobs that were truly awful. But short of that, cosmetics haven't ever bothered me enough to keep me from buying an axe that I played and liked. I was fine with getting a factory "roadworn" Strat that'd had Fralin Vintage Hots installed. Still have it, sounds great.

If a guitar's nice and lively, plays well and sounds good, I'm not too concerned with what it looks like. In fact I have a few guitars that could be considered butt-ugly. I do draw the line at fluorescent paint jobs nowadays. Still, it wasn't always that way- some of the guitars I played & loved back in the 80s would hurt my eyes today.
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

It cracks me up to see guitars sold that have been "reliced" by somebody where it looks like they have taken a belt sander and a hammer to it. And they they charge a crazy sum for it.. For sale is my reliced Squier Bullet. Looks like its seen a lifetime of gigs.
$900. hahaha
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

I personally think guitars seem a bit weird when they are brand new and unblemished. About half of my guitars were bought new and about half are second hand. I love the way a guitar looks when it is played for 10, 20 or even more years - not beaten up with big holes and cracks, I mean loved and played. I have found that many times, when a guitar looks like it's been played constantly for the last 20 years it normally plays amazing, that's why it got so much attention. If a relic isn't too heavy and it could conceivably have happened naturally I think it's ok but I do my own relics bit by bit by playing them as much as I can. I guess I'm saying I enjoy the worn look if it's subtle.
 
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Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

Meh. Who cares what someone's guitar looks like... can they play it and does it sound good? :scratchch
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

Jeff_H said:
See, I think that's a great level of relicing. It just looks gently loved on and played. Very nice. One thing though..... is that pic taken from a reflected image or is the guitar backwards. :laughing:
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Top pic is correct... bottom is backwards.
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

I have no strong feeling one way or the other. I tend to purchase preowned for a variety of reasons, so it is not uncommon for my guitars to already have some bumps and bruises. I mainly look for instruments that inspire me in some way. That can be the look, sound, feel or any combination of things.
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

I was showing my wife some of those $4000 "relic" guitars and we were laughing. If they were even near the same price, maybe? But to put some huge premium on some fake BS to make it look old when its not? Again, I dont judge but for me? No frickin way, like trying to look like I am some road warrior, and I'm not. I got to hold a real 59 Les Paul once. I aint got 300 grand tho
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

If I spend more than five bills, I prefer the instrument to be clean. If I find an expensive instrument for less than half of what I know it's worth, I'll be more forgiving of it's condition. I won't spend anything on a brand new instrument that has been made to look like it's old.

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Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

Demanic said:
I won't spend anything on a brand new instrument that has been made to look like it's old.
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Why cut yourself off from so many great possibilities? The Fender Road Worn models were harshly criticized when introduced, but some great sounding instruments came out of them.
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

There is a reason why a worn guitar plays great

Because it plays great

Same with shoes

Good wearing shoes wear quickly
Bad wearing shoes that hurt your feet, last forever
Because you don't wear them

Worn out gear is worn out because it is great gear
Faking that is a sin
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

Maybe so. But I prefer to wear the holes in my own jeans, so to speak.

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Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

I am saying don't immediately dismiss a guitar because it is a relic.

I bought several used RW models, and most I flipped, but the two keeper strats I ended up refinishing because in both cases the previous owners had tried to "improve" upon the relicing.


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Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

I bought a '59 Historic LP that a previous owner tried to relic. Apparently, he used copius amounts of drugs...he did a piss-poor job and destroyed the value of the guitar. I tried to repair some of the damage, but I will be lucky to recoup my money.

I prefer new looking guitars. I take meticulous care of my instruments. But my 1975 D-28 shows the wear and tear of 40 years of gigs. I've owned my Music Man Sabre IIs almost as long. The guitars I've bought since 2002 show hardly any wear at all.

But I do appreciate the artistry of a professional and tasteful relic job. I probably would not seek out a relic, but if a great relic fell into my lap, sure. Why not?

I moved on to G&Ls since I sold my vintage 1960 Strat in 1990. But if I'd hung on to that guitar, it would be way to valuable to play at my local blues club. So having a guitar that looks, sounds and feels exactly like my Number One would make sense to me.

We are so lucky to live in an era where players have so many choices to fit their hands, heart, ears and aesthetic.

Bill
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

AlexR said:
How about if there was another reason other than trying to pretend.......for example - that you like the look (a finish option). Not all relic lovers are about posturing or pretense.
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How is playing on stage with a relic'd guitar not pretending and posturing? If you like the look and feel of a used guitar, great, buy a used guitar that someone actually played and put real wear on. How can you beat that for realism?
 
Re: Buying Guitars - Mint Or Relic'd Condition?

I don't mind getting a guitar with bruises if it plays/sounds great. I won't spend the $ on a fake relic job, though- not my style.
 
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