Strats sound best when paintwork is fully intact - no Relics!

fretfinder

I know a fella who hand-makes Strats who swears that they only sound proper if they’re fully painted, with no wear and tear or bald patches on the paintwork. I guess he would claim that Eric’s, Rory’s, SRV’s and numerous other famous battered Strats would have sounded better if only they’d been refinished! I’ll have to ask him that next time I see him.  

What say you, could there be a grain of truth in that theory? 

Hattigol

Have you asked Billy Corgan about this?

hotpickups

Where do these people come from. Just ludicrous. I can't believe it really matters?

fretfinder

Hattigol said:

Have you asked Billy Corgan about this?

Haha no! But that thread reminded me of the conversation I’d had with the Strat-making fella one evening a while ago. 

Sporky

Most things are better when people stop talking about them.

fretfinder

Sporky said:

Most things are better when people stop talking about them.

Said the man who just talked about them. 

Sporky

fretfinder said:

Sporky said:

Most things are better when people stop talking about them.

Said the man who just talked about them. 

So's your face.

GSPBASSES

IAALOB

prlgmnr

But what if it was made from The Tree, specifically for Billy Corgan.

mgaw

I agree with the fella...I scratched a guitar a while back and the change to its tone was incredible...had to sell it in the end

deano

prlgmnr said:

But what if it was made from The Tree, specifically for Billy Corgan.

It would have to be painted solid white to sound the best. Lovely-jubley

Sassafras

Sounds like he makes Strats but is too half-arsed to put in the extra work for a good relic job.

Whitecat

Does that mean the moment you put a ding or a scratch in the finish you have to bin it and buy a new one?

scrumhalf

Whitecat said:

Does that mean the moment you put a ding or a scratch in the finish you have to bin it and buy a new one?

No, just paint it.

Whitecat

scrumhalf said:

Whitecat said:

Does that mean the moment you put a ding or a scratch in the finish you have to bin it and buy a new one?

No, just paint it.

Phew!! Thought this hobby might get expensive there for a minute. 

Alvin

Yes he's right , i have heard of him , he's  the bloke who lives next to the Dulux factory and makes guitars out of solid blocks of magnolia paint .   Great tones and nice colours . He even sends out colour sample for you to choose what you want .  The only problem is to take the back cover off you have to pry them open with a big screwdriver and hammer .

Alvin

  You don't want to know what the guitar builder who lives next to the Lovehoney factory makes them out of - but they do include a sustainer system .

Voxman

Had to double check the date...nope, it's not April 1st yet! 

richardhomer

Is @Fretfinder one of the forum refinishers?

Brize

I was once told by a reputable retailer that relics sounded better because the wood could breathe better with the missing paint. I kid you not. WALOB.

Philly_Q

Brize said:

I was once told by a reputable retailer that relics sounded better because the wood could breathe better with the missing paint. I kid you not. WALOB.

Everybody knows it's the opposite, you need the paint to hold the tone in.

I take the necks off Strats and paint the inside of the neck pocket, just to be sure.  If it's a '70s Strat, you only need about 30 or 40 coats and it makes the neck a nice tight fit.  And you don't need shims!