What Does Road Worn mean?

impmann · November 2022

What does it mean...? Philosophically speaking, it means you want the look of being a gigging musician, who plays every night of the week and have done all of your life but in reality you work in an office and play covers in a pub at the weekend (occasionally).

Financially speaking, it usually means an uplift of about 20% over a non-beaten up one.

Basically - its 'relic lite'.

Funkfingers · November 2022

impmann wins!

Grangousier · November 2022

I suppose it could refer to the popular technique that people on Ebay seem to use to relic guitars: Tie it to the back bumper of your car and drag it around for a few miles.

Ironically, perhaps, of all the things I've liked in Road Worn Fenders I've encountered - the weight, the look and. feel of the lacquer and the neck, general playability - the thing I'm least interested in is the relicing, cookie-cutter or not.

(I'm not opposed to it on principle - I really enjoy seeing @GoldenEraGuitars work, for example - but Fender could have left off the admittedly quite tasteful fake wear marks and still had a fine set of guitars.)

guitarjack66 · November 2022

Why don't they just put a bag of stones in a bag and call it stone treated a la stone washed jeans? At least those jean manufacturers were honest enough to admit it. Now they just chop up your jeans with scissors,use half the amount of material and double the price. Less is more it seems.

Lewy · November 2022

guitarjack66 said:

....to disguise the now somewhat maligned label of 'Reliced?'

I don't think anyone who likes the look and feel of reliced guitars is in anyway deterred by the pant-hoots of insult, outrage and ridicule that comes from the vocal maligners of the term, or the practice itself. Nobody needs to disguise it.

It would be nice if people could express that something wasn't their cup of tea without casting aspersions on the motivations or intelligence of people who do like that thing, but it's the internet so hey ho.

carlos · November 2022

the_other_ed · November 2022

Its not what it means, but what it implies. Our wanting minds do the rest...

HarrySeven · November 2022

Aspirational Nomenclature

NOS: Your name is Gary. You are a Hedge-Fund manager. You can’t play a note. Your guitar is kept in a hermetically-sealed bank vault.

Closet Classic: Your name is Steve. You live in Milton Keynes and work in middle management. You watch American Pickers and entertain visions of striking highly advantageous deals with unsuspecting aged widows, whose long-dead spouses kept their Strat under the bed for 50 years.

DLX Closet Classic: Your name is Dan. You also work in middle management, but wish it was marketing.

Journeyman Relic: Your name is Pete. Joe Bonamassa is the One True God. You secretly wish your guitar had been found in a Mid-West backwoods pawnshop, with an attendant story of love, loss and soulful blues. However, it was actually found in a West-Mids branch of guitarguitar.

Roadworn: Your name is Andy. Please tell us more about the road upon which your guitar was worn. Was it up and down the A1, in and out of the smoky back rooms of dodgy pubs? Or was it just down the A5 to B&Q in Cannock to purchase some sandpaper?

Relic: Your name is Kev. You live in Wellington, Shropshire, but wish it was Wellington, Texas. On Thursday evenings, you don your “Bluesman” uniform* and head out to the local jam night. You will happily play “Red House” relentlessly for 2.5 hours if allowed to and can pontificate upon minor aspects of SRV’s ‘legacy’ in forensic detail.

Heavy Relic: Your name is Dave. You live in Birmingham, West Midlands, but wish it was Birmingham, Alabama. Your guitar looks fucked, but you burst into tears if you add another microscopic dent to what’s left of its finish.

*Either Plateau or pork-pie hat, white collarless shirt, neckerchief, paisley waistcoat, faded jeans with turn-ups and keychain and battered but highly-polished DMs.

Neil · November 2022

Looking at Fenders I always assume "road worn" means a quick rub over with sandpaper on the arm bout edge.

impmann · November 2022

Funkfingers said:

impmann wins!

I've just handed the prize to @HarrySeven ;

HarrySeven · November 2022

impmann said:

Funkfingers said:

impmann wins!

I've just handed the prize to @HarrySeven ;

Why, thankyew…the cheque’s in the post!

AntonioC77 · November 2022

As other members said, Road Worns are aged guitars made in Mexico.

The first Road Worn Series included 4 Stratocaster

And was discontinued in late 2020, when it was replaced by the short-lived Road Worn Vintera Strats (discontinued in 2021)

In 2022 Fender released a Limited Edition HSS Road Worn Strat:

Limited Edition Vintera '50s Stratocaster HSS Road Worn

Hattigol · November 2022

I'm sure I speak for many when I say it's great we are finally getting to have the debate about whether relics are brilliant or rubbish.

lustycourtier · November 2022

AntonioC77 said:

As other members said, Road Worns are aged guitars made in Mexico.

The first Road Worn Series included 4 Stratocaster
Road Worn '50s Stratocaster
Road Worn '60s Stratocaster
Road Worn Player Stratocaster
Road Worn Player Stratocaster HSS
And was discontinued in late 2020, when it was replaced by the short-lived Road Worn Vintera Strats (discontinued in 2021)
Vintera Road Worn '50s Stratocaster
Vintera Road Worn '60s Stratocaster
In 2022 Fender released a Limited Edition HSS Road Worn Strat:
Limited Edition Vintera '50s Stratocaster HSS Road Worn

The early teles are better than anything USA. The relic work was brilliant and subtle. They were silly light. Great necks Great electrics. Relic work got heavier and less real but still always great guitars
They were £300 10 years ago. Now change from a grand is good. I buy them every time I see them under £600 and gig a 60s strat and black 72 Tele Custom all the time. The 72 is up there with the best CS Ive played.

RaymondLin · November 2022

I keep meaning to get an early Roadworn Tele to go with my 2008 Strat, it's just never the right time! Keep buying other crap lol

maltingsaudio · November 2022

Can a Roadworn, Relic etc ever be called brand new ? “Showing no signs of wear or damage” unquote.

lustycourtier · November 2022

maltingsaudio said:

Can a Roadworn, Relic etc ever be called brand new ? “Showing no signs of wear or damage” unquote.

yes.

RaymondLin · November 2022

maltingsaudio said:

Can a Roadworn, Relic etc ever be called brand new ? “Showing no signs of wear or damage” unquote.

Yes, but if the wear is small, it would be hard to tell...but the frets should never be worn.

fretfinder · November 2022

maltingsaudio said:

Can a Roadworn, Relic etc ever be called brand new ?

Only when it’s being sold by a shop and is brand new!

lustycourtier · November 2022

RaymondLin said:

maltingsaudio said:

Can a Roadworn, Relic etc ever be called brand new ? “Showing no signs of wear or damage” unquote.

Yes, but if the wear is small, it would be hard to tell...but the frets should never be worn.

Thats the point of a relic. All the important bits for use, frets, electronics, and new, but it feels 'worn in'. Thats the bit people seem to miss when they mock relics.

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What Does Road Worn mean?

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