I don't hate relic'd guitars. But if you're going to do one,
at least make it look like an old guitar.
I see some of these things and it reminds me of a kid wearing "old person" makeup and a gray wig. These things don't fool anyone.
You want to know what a 48 year old guitar, that was gigged heavily since 1965 for real, looks like? One that was played daily by teenagers, who grew older and then gave the guitar to their own kids? One that sat in Michigan winters in vans for days between gigs when the owner was in college, and was taken into warm party rooms and bars without letting the case come to room temperature, ever?
One that a certain young player took to high school gigs on a Detroit bus? That made the Sweet Sixteen backyard, garage and basement party circuit in 1966? That was in a real garage band in the real garage band era? LOL. Literally!!!
One that lived in dorm rooms, and gigged frat parties, and played in seedy bars, and got beer spilled on it, and cigarettes stuck in its headstock between the strings and the wood? One that went on strange "trips" in the 60s and played outdoor festivals, indoor shows, and many ad gigs? One that's actually painted with nitro, and not faked to look like nitro? One that lived in several kids' rooms while they were learning to play guitar? One that was not treated gently or babied ever in its existence?
One that jammed out with my brother's band, then my band, then my son's punk band...lived in my girls' rooms for a while as decor between all that...
Well, sir or madam, I happen to be very familiar with just such a guitar, the one I learned on, my brother learned on, my kids learned on, that was in my possession since my brother gave it to me in 1966. It's at my brother's house now, where this pic was taken, complete with its original 1965 case that once fell out the back of a station wagon and was undamaged! This is what a real relic looks like:
By the way, there are no finish touch ups on that guitar. The fingerboard was never oiled. The only thing on it that isn't original besides the 1970 tune o matic is the switch tip. The original crumbled to dust. It wasn't nearly as yellow as the new one. I made a mistake getting one that was supposed to look old.
You know what the problem is?
Real relics don't look like they're "supposed to", they just look like used guitars.