Relics? I don't get it

[Peter Gurton]

Is it just me or does anyone else not see the point of relic or 'road worn' guitars? you know, brand new instruments that are faked to look like they've had years of hard playing and hundreds of gigs. To me they are little more than fakes and the ultimate guitar for a poseur. But hey, that's just what I think - what do I know? I would rather play a guitar for years and put up with the inevitable marks of time.

But some people (weirdo's) think it's cool, and with that in mind I found this horrific video on YouTube. Crimson guitars in England have been asked by a customer to relic a perfectly good PRS CE.

The guy constantly apologises for what he is doing and points out that this is the first and last guitar he will relic

 

[rocguitar]

I had a hard time watching this!!

 

[watelessness]

I dont get it either.

 

[WEDGE]

I love the relics. Don't own one but I would. If PRS offered one I would be interested.

 

[helmi]

it's outrageous what people pay for a guitar to look like $hit. give me $50 bucks, a hammer, and a chisel and file. i'll make your guitar look "reliced" for a lot cheaper!

 

[AP515]

I love honest wear. That said I take care NOT to get unintentional (yet honest) wear on my PRSi. I've seen this video before and I just don't care for fake; in life, or on guitars.

 

[justmund]

This topic has been done to death, everybody is entitled to their own opinion however it always ends up at the same point. Let's not let this one go any further please.

I'm calling pie, Shepherd's Pie because I'm Australian. Happy to post a recipe if anyone likes the idea of a pie made from lamb and gravy, with mashed potato on top.

 

[Huggy Love]

This topic has been done to death, everybody is entitled to their own opinion however it always ends up at the same point. Let's not let this one go any further please.

I'm calling pie, Shepherd's Pie because I'm Australian. Happy to post a recipe if anyone likes the idea of a pie made from lamb and gravy, with mashed potato on top.

He's new so we can't bash him for not searching the subject first, I wouldn't have thought to. But you're so right, done to death, it's just that PRS guitars are founded not only on tone & quality, but for a great part on looks too. That's why this subject fans the flames so easily.

Lamb?...........That's right Australia, Lamb, good seafood.....no wonder so many of my Greek diaspora moved there.

 

[QuiltTop319]

I'm OK with it as long as the relic is caused by my playing. Not into the fake stuff.

 

[László]

I dont like em. But to each their own. Also dont like people telling me what or what not to do. No to each there own on that one. Dont like it dont read it. But mind your own because someone else might WANT to talk about it.

He did say please.

 

[CatStrangler]

I think a mildly abused fender is sexy as long as it has a nitro finish and is olympic white or sonic blue. Worn poly looks like......worn poly

 

[shupe13]

I had a Road Word Strat that looked absolutely awesome and felt great to play. Better than any Strat I had but I sold it when I got over my Strat craze.

I really wish I'd kept that one.

 

[Whitecat]

I judge each and every guitar on its sonic merits and its feel. If a great sounding and playing guitar happens to be artificially "relic'd" then *I* would be the idiot for rejecting it.

As it stands I have two 'relics' in my collection and both are superb guitars. That they are "aged" is secondary and just a finish choice by the luthiers, as it were.

 

[drgordonfreeman]

I never got relic'd guitars. I go to extreme lengths to try to prevent even the natural wears of time from affecting my guitars, and I can't even imagine paying top dollar for what is essentially a poseur guitar. That video was painful to watch. Relic'd guitars are a fad that will eventually die out. It can't happen soon enough, though.

 

[László]

Theres plenty of things Id say No, hell no, and hell f***in no to even if I was asked please.

He wasn't telling anyone what to do, he was asking. So he said, "please."

Maybe just "no, thanks" would have sufficed on this one occasion?

By the way, I happen to agree that it's sometimes an interesting topic when it comes up, as it so often does.

 

[Peter Gurton]

Apologies for being new, next time I post something I will read every post on the entire PRS forum so that I don't cause any unnecessary repetition.

BTW, the Fender relics are exceptionally good guitars and clearly there is a big market for relic guitars in general. Each to their own.

 

[django49]

Not a big fan BUT I did pick up one of the Bill Nash Les Pauls-----He does a small number of them using a real Gibson, not built from parts. I got a good price, much lower than the $4500 or so they seem to go for (seemingly pretty quickly). I have to say I am impressed with his "finished" product.

Otherwise, if I want some "honest wear" on a guitar, I lend it to Pete Townshend for a few shows.

 

[IKnowALittle]

I believe this came from "distressed" furniture. This can work because of the larger palette, and if done well is very convincing. My only problem with "reliced" guitars is that they always look fake and anyone who knows anything about geetars can spot them. I hope the guy that came up with the idea of extrapolating distressed furniture to the guitar and call it "relicing' has protected himself, 'cause it's marketing and sales gold.
I don't understand the "hate". It's just a style, a trend, like bell bottomed jeans. No need to get upset about it. Despite popular opinion, there is nothing "sacred" about PRS guitars.
Guys buy and own their guitars, they can do whatever they like to them. Doesn't affect my life and doesn't affect yours.
Relax.

 

[Mixstar]

I don't get it either. You see folks on here agonising over a ding or a scratch on a five year old guitar and then at the other end of the spectrum you have people who want their new purchase beaten to a pulp before they get it. A bit of scratching and scraping is not going to make your new PRS look like a road worn 1960's Tele or Strat, it takes play time to do that.

 

[Michael_DK]

I'm undecided.
I thought it was kind of a stupid idea when I first encountered it, but there is actually some appeal to me now.

I don't think it's any more "dishonest" than buying stonewashed jeans. I mean, really. If people like the look, it's perfectly fine to get one. It won't detract from the "real worn" guitars, although to me that seems to be what people react to.