Natural Relic

richardhomer

I’m a real wuss with this stuff - I treat guitars very carefully and hate dings. My Relic Strat has gained no additional ones since I bought it two years ago.

i feel slightly embarrassed admitting this....

Garthy

My mint, as new Jackson without a single blemish came second to a kid with a nerf gun having a tantrum at Christmas, chipping the headstock. It was bought new in 1995 and until that moment was flawless. Irritated doesn’t come close, I was so pissed off that I really struggle to describe how I felt actually. 

usedtobe

I don’t play out. I prefer my stuff to be in good condition. Even so, shit happens.. 

zepp76

I like the fact my 70's Trib came with dings and chips to the dark back, it meant I didn't have to be precious with it when I got it. The gold top is pretty immaculate though and I welcome a bit of wear given time.

vasselmeyer

It's the first one that hurts. My nitro Tele was flawless until I dropped a Marshall Guv'nor on it leaving a decent ding in the front. After that, I started treating it like a guitar rather than a precious object.

duotone

thegummy said:

Personally I would much prefer if my guitars stay free from any serious dings or other damage as long as possible (and find it bizarre that people pay extra to get it all messed up on purpose) .

I also think its a bit strange, especially when a distressed guitar costs more money than its pristine counterpart.

I think that part of it for me feels like I'm 'cheating' if I haven't done the distressing/wear myself...I know writing it down now seems stupid. 

Saying that even though Im not really a big fan of his playimg, I really love the Rory Gallagher Stratocaster!

sawyer

This is why I sold my 10top PRS Custom 22. It was more a trophy than a guitar. Didn't dare play it hard and spent most of its time with me in its case. I did put a small barely noticable dint in the front where a cable swung round and hit it. Spent ages  filling it with nail varnish. Sold it! Don't miss it! Love digging into me lightly battered Standard and Juniors:)

Bridgehouse

Interesting that your view on dings could affect guitar choice - I’m hearing a “wouldnt buy PRS in case it looked rubbish when dinged up” vibe...?

poopot

I can’t grasp the fact that folk would not gig/play their guitar for fear of it getting battered!...

its like buying a car and then not driving it just in case the tyres get dirty!...

guitars (whatever brand/make) are built to have the living shit played out of them... end of... look after them yes... but don’t obsess over them and keep them locked away!... play the crap out of it... if it gets battered and you don’t like the look get it refinished and start the cycle over

gordiji

Whether a guitar, car or clothing i couldn't care less if scratches & dings occur, it's inevitable & almost makes me feel happier when 'pristine' is lost.

That said i would never buy a new relic and abhor the dea of it. The manufacturers must be pissing themselves with what they can get away with. Each to their own.

Bridgehouse

Do you think there’s a mental barrier you need to cross that gets you out of “it has to stay perfect - it was like that when new goddamit!” And into “it’s a tool - a bloody good tool but still a tool so bring on the dings!” 

I wonder how much our “it’s got to be pristine” society has conditioned us...?

WezV

It’s partly the constant focus on resale values.

a dink on a PRS will affect value more than a similar mark on a Fender.

if you buy a guitar to play and keep, resale value is meaninglessness and battle scars are easy to live with

TA22GT

WezV said:

It’s partly the constant focus on resale values.

a dink on a PRS will affect value more than a similar mark on a Fender.

if you buy a guitar to play and keep, resale value is meaninglessness and battle scars are easy to live with

I have to agree.

I never buy anything in my life with a view to resale. Anything.

poopot

Bridgehouse said:

Do you think there’s a mental barrier you need to cross that gets you out of “it has to stay perfect - it was like that when new goddamit!” And into “it’s a tool - a bloody good tool but still a tool so bring on the dings!” 

I wonder how much our “it’s got to be pristine” society has conditioned us...?

Is there a barrier? Or is it gigging guitarist versus enthusiastic guitarist/home player ?

you met Bill at the southern jam, did you see his monstrosity of a bass he had with him? Started life as a Warwick (and lovely it was) he played that so much he buggered the neck on it... it now has an awful looking chavel neck on it... still plays and sounds fantastic just looks like shite!...

had he been an “enthusiastic bedroom player” it probably would still look the same as it did the day it left the factory...


also, my main strat started out looking lovely and before it had a refin looked like this:




Genuinly finished a gig one night with a daphne blue arm!!!!!

Bridgehouse

@poopot - I’m not in the pristine camp - the 74 Precision I have is beaten up good and proper and it’s all the better for it. I was just trying to understand the “not gigging it or playing it for fear of marking it” thing..

PhilKing

I really don't care either way. My very first brand new guitar was a Gibson Les Paul 55 Special reissue back in 1972, which I traded in my 67 Strat and paid the rest off on HP (anyone remember Lombards?).  Third gig, in a pub with a stage so small that you had to turn sideways to get a 4 piece band on, I caught the headstock on a cymbal and in my haste to move away, caught the front on a mike stand.  That stopped me being precious about guitars.  

Having said that, I want them clean and well looked after, but for me, haw they play is the most important.  I have some great guitars that look a bit rough, but I would never get rid of them.

There are two that I had to do something with.  One was a 1959 LP DC Junior that had been resprayed custard yellow.  I gave it to @WezV, who stripped it and restored it to the original cherry.  I was lucky enough to have picked up an original Gibson LP Junior decal, which looks spot on (the typeface on the junior is finer than most newer decals).

The other is with @WezV now and is a 1955 Les Paul Custom that has ahd a hard life and was resprayed over the binding and then had binding painted on!  It is being restored to the original look, but will not be put back to 1955 condition.  It will be subtly reliced and aged.

poopot

Bridgehouse said:

@poopot - I’m not in the pristine camp - the 74 Precision I have is beaten up good and proper and it’s all the better for it. I was just trying to understand the “not gigging it or playing it for fear of marking it” thing..

Totally with you!...

here’s the “warvel” monstrosity





Been told we’re not allowed to take this piss out of it so fill ya boots!

Bridgehouse

In some ways that warvel ain’t so bad.. I’ve seen worse!! Wouldn’t have been my first choice of neck - then again I’ve never got on with Warwicks so I’m not sure it would make it any worse

poopot

Bridgehouse said:

In some ways that warvel ain’t so bad.. I’ve seen worse!! Wouldn’t have been my first choice of neck - then again I’ve never got on with Warwicks so I’m not sure it would make it any worse

Iirc, with that it was a case of “sorry, but your neck is buggered, I do however have one that’ll fit it”... said the man in the shop with the big glass window.... 

Bridgehouse

poopot said:

Bridgehouse said:

In some ways that warvel ain’t so bad.. I’ve seen worse!! Wouldn’t have been my first choice of neck - then again I’ve never got on with Warwicks so I’m not sure it would make it any worse

Iirc, with that it was a case of “sorry, but your neck is buggered, I do however have one that’ll fit it”... said the man in the shop with the big glass window.... 

He’d been looking for an opportunity to offload that neck for years - and the fact he probably got cash for it as well would have been a massive bonus... 

It looks like it came off a charvel fusion.. the body wasn’t much better...