Jump to content

The Guitar Pron Thread

Celery Man

By Celery Man
in Music

 Share

Recommended Posts

dcbc

dcbc 14465

Posted
Posted (edited)

I bought this partscaster several years ago.  It was cheap.  The ad said the neck was an old one from the 80s and some guy that played guitar for Zappa in the 80s had toured with it.  Body was a newer old Squier Strat.  Pickups were American Standard.  Everything else was ebay parts.  Whatever on the famous neck.  Price was low.  Got the guitar and the neck was like slipping into an old pair of shoes.  The back of the headstock makes me smile.  That's not relic.  That's just old and used.

UVER-q2SFw2-kEQSWmHPYSuxrK3dekblAaDofWWM

 

 

Edited by dcbc
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 24.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Deej

    3149

  • Chad Fuck

    2039

  • tbone_

    1786

  • jimmyjazz

    1539

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

Superhero
Superhero

NGD!  

NoRagrets
NoRagrets

Welcome home, my love. New Tele American Pro II (stupid fucking name, fender)

Goredho
Goredho

My daughter got her bumblebee telecaster today.  She was stoked, and so was I.

Posted Images

Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17658

Posted
Posted

How do you feel about “distressed” jeans?

/csb alert: When I was about 10, my Dad took the fam on a road trip down I-35. Somewhere along the way, Dad decided he needed a new pair of jeans so we stopped at the Bealls in Hancock Center just west of I-35 in Austin. Acid washed and distressed (relic’d, if you will), were a thing then. The young male sales clerk (also a thing then) showed these to my Dad who was dismayed the clerk would show him “used”jeans when he wanted new. They went back and forth, with my Dad getting more peeved while the patient clerk was trying to explain that these were, in fact, brand new jeans, culminating in this exchange:

“But sir, as I’ve been trying to explain, these ARE new jeans.”

(In raised voice so the whole store could hear) “Don’t tell me these are new jeans when I can clearly see THESE SON OF A BITCHES HAVE BEEN WASHED!!”

(Calmly) “I understand. These are not the jeans you’re looking for.”

I wanted to crawl under a rock, but he got his new jeans.

This is something like I feel about relic’d guitars. I know we had a while long discussion on it at the last place. It can be done well. But mostly, they look awful.

But there is nothing so comfortable as a broken in pair if jeans or a well worn guitar neck.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
noharleyyet

noharleyyet 2838

Posted
Posted (edited)
13 hours ago, Deej said:

He shaved the neck down on #1 so much, it's almost down to the truss rod, according to him.

Played a 'real' relic LP like that at GC. The G to A portion of the neck was raw wood with a discernible bow...had a cigarette patina and smell. Thru a Marshal stack in the glass vault it played like buttah...it was priced very affordable, like 1500 or so....so should've....sorry for rambling.

Edited by noharleyyet
Link to comment
Share on other sites
DougO

DougO 5243

Posted
Posted

I remember the first time I saw a Fender factory faked worn guitar. It was so fucking stupid. There were fork holes all over it, where you could clearly see four equally spaced divots repeated all over the guitar. Everybody laughed at it.

Fakers have gotten much better these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tbone_

tbone_ 14106

Posted
Posted

Good lord on those Les Pauls.

 

I love them but it's crazy what people will spend, when the reality is a shitty player like me will sound just as shitty on a $32k guitar and a good player will sound just as good on a way cheaper one.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Celery Man

Celery Man 20929

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Fiancée was like “what about these for wedding colors?” and I was like “i like that you’ve chosen this Tahitian Coral and actually that gives me an idea..” and then she rolled her eyes and groaned.

And spit on about 4K guitars being the troublemakers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
AnotherUTFan

AnotherUTFan 9727

Posted
Posted

I've said it a hundred times, from my experience SRV'S lasting biggest legacy on Austin is the reliced guitar. Half the guitar players I see when I'm in ATX have reliced guitars, I rarely see them anyplace else; and if I do its usually some journeyman old guy and am fairly certain he put it there himself through honest work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17658

Posted
Posted
21 minutes ago, AnotherUTFan said:

I've said it a hundred times, from my experience SRV'S lasting biggest legacy on Austin is the reliced guitar. Half the guitar players I see when I'm in ATX have reliced guitars, I rarely see them anyplace else; and if I do its usually some journeyman old guy and am fairly certain he put it there himself through honest work.

This is really what it comes down to.  There is a poser element to the relic.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BoomMF

BoomMF 1398

Posted
Posted

I just don't see the difference - or a distinction without a difference.  Whether your roadie is a bumblefuck and can't be careful or you treat your instrument like a precious artifact (which I do), those nicks and bruises are little different than a factory fresh finish - it's arbitrary.  For art, it's the end that matters and less-so the journey (you guitar falling off its stand isn't much of a story, or it's a story that holds as much value as that ding getting there by some craftsman skilled at making dings).  And you could play 80 years and no amount of "honest work" is going to wear a modern finish.  The only thing that holds true is what the guitar looks like, and in the case of a pre-worn neck, how it plays. "Honest work" doesn't contribute a thing where art is concerned.  The only "relic'd" guitars that have value for their relic beyond appearance are guitars owned or played by famous or important musicians at famous or important gigs.  Joe Blow's 40 years of "honest work" adds little to no value where art is concerned.  And where art is concerned, pristine and relic'd are the exact same thing.

But, on the other hand, Rat Rods do nothing for me.  I'm complicated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Deej

Deej 76751

Posted
Posted

I have one relic'd guitar. Traded gear I wasn't using for it and cash. The guitar was well set up, played great, and had a really comfortable neck. I'm happy with it, and I don't represent it as something it's not. I actually like the look of it, but I wouldn't shell out a few grand or more for a relic. This is a $300 MIM Strat that someone with a bit of skill, stripped, painted with nitro , and aged, and I paid nothing for. I'm cool with that. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17658

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, Deej said:

I have one relic'd guitar. Traded gear I wasn't using for it and cash. The guitar was well set up, played great, and had a really comfortable neck. I'm happy with it, and I don't represent it as something it's not. I actually like the look of it, but I wouldn't shell out a few grand or more for a relic. This is a $300 MIM Strat that someone with a bit of skill, stripped, painted with nitro , and aged, and I paid nothing for. I'm cool with that. 

And you should be.  I'm not saying I dislike relics - the LPs I posted above are just that.  I'm just saying there's a vibe that goes with a worn in guitar that isn't the same as a relic'd guitar.  

But enough talk.  Show us the relic'd guitar!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
BoomMF

BoomMF 1398

Posted
Posted (edited)

What about a 2018 model 60s era reissue amp with period correct grille cloth and offset nameplate?  Does it feel fake as well?  Is that too different a scenario?  (I'm open to the idea that's it's too different.)  It's going to perform as a 2018 amp but LOOK like a cold war battlehorse...

Edited by BoomMF
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Chad Fuck

Chad Fuck 17658

Posted
Posted

To me, vintage is vintage, and RI is RI.  They are different animals.  Personally, I really like being able to get vintage styling with modern reliability/quality control, with both amps and guitars.

Relicing is a bit of a different category, because we're talking about the appearance of wear that comes with age, where that age and wear is artificial on its' face.  Literally.  I recognize there's a desire in the market to have "vintage enough" without the true vintage price point, which is somewhat where relic'ing falls.  But that's just like, my opinion, man.

Also, as a point of order, poly does not age like nitro - but it still ages.  Have a look at 70s Fenders if you will.  Put one up against a RI and you'll notice an immediate difference.  

Further, this is all apart from the discussion on the outcome of "art."  Great songs can get made on beaters, some great guitars don't make songs at all.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mojo Hand

Mojo Hand 4580

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, BoomMF said:

I just don't see the difference - or a distinction without a difference.  Whether your roadie is a bumblefuck and can't be careful or you treat your instrument like a precious artifact (which I do), those nicks and bruises are little different than a factory fresh finish - it's arbitrary.  For art, it's the end that matters and less-so the journey (you guitar falling off its stand isn't much of a story, or it's a story that holds as much value as that ding getting there by some craftsman skilled at making dings).  And you could play 80 years and no amount of "honest work" is going to wear a modern finish.  The only thing that holds true is what the guitar looks like, and in the case of a pre-worn neck, how it plays. "Honest work" doesn't contribute a thing where art is concerned.  The only "relic'd" guitars that have value for their relic beyond appearance are guitars owned or played by famous or important musicians at famous or important gigs.  Joe Blow's 40 years of "honest work" adds little to no value where art is concerned.  And where art is concerned, pristine and relic'd are the exact same thing.

But, on the other hand, Rat Rods do nothing for me.  I'm complicated.

Unless it's in a glass case on your wall, it's not just art.  If you're carrying it, it's communicating something about you.  I could recreate military medals or a Hells Angels cut and call it art, but I'd be communicating something if I wore them out in the world, and it wouldn't be good   The entire reason relic'd guitars look cool is because they reflect the passage of time and heavy usage.  They are specifically designed to reflect pick marks, fretboard finger grease, and scrapes and nicks from the road.  It's not random aging of wood and finish; it's designed to give the impression of heavy playing.   And that means something, even if wear is not a perfect reflection of how much you actual played it. 

It's true that you can baby a guitar and keep it clean despite heavy use, but that doesn't mean the converse is true -- that even random wear picked up over the years is meaningless.  It still tells a story.  That's exactly why people fake it with relics, to get that story. 

That's cool if it's your thing.  There's an element of fantasy to all of it.  I've sought out guitars that look like those my guitar heros played.  For me, though, a relic'd guitar represents more than I want to communicate to the world. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Deej

Deej 76751

Posted
Posted
And you should be.  I'm not saying I dislike relics - the LPs I posted above are just that.  I'm just saying there's a vibe that goes with a worn in guitar that isn't the same as a relic'd guitar.  
But enough talk.  Show us the relic'd guitar!
I've shown it before, but hey, new site. Posterity and all...




40255d77f0ad9cff7faba1bc0a28bb39.jpgf158eb867421721a13c6c63bc9889b40.jpg7b2164550fb9ca8f664e71dff30e3cfb.jpgf5a2165f509d1b7654af7574213764e1.jpga24139cc231a5b98c574605644b9afc5.jpg4f770405fa26e4133d115afe68df835a.jpgd87784bc146462ef087d071ee271220e.jpg2f505f926afc0f49e29eb56c6c229d03.jpg
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
BoomMF

BoomMF 1398

Posted
Posted (edited)
21 minutes ago, Mojo Hand said:

Unless it's in a glass case on your wall, it's not just art.  If you're carrying it, it's communicating something about you.  I could recreate military medals or a Hells Angels cut and call it art, but I'd be communicating something if I wore them out in the world, and it wouldn't be good   The entire reason relic'd guitars look cool is because they reflect the passage of time and heavy usage.  They are specifically designed to reflect pick marks, fretboard finger grease, and scrapes and nicks from the road.  It's not random aging of wood and finish; it's designed to give the impression of heavy playing.   And that means something, even if wear is not a perfect reflection of how much you actual played it. 

It's true that you can baby a guitar and keep it clean despite heavy use, but that doesn't mean the converse is true -- that even random wear picked up over the years is meaningless.  It still tells a story.  That's exactly why people fake it with relics, to get that story. 

That's cool if it's your thing.  There's an element of fantasy to all of it.  I've sought out guitars that look like those my guitar heros played.  For me, though, a relic'd guitar represents more than I want to communicate to the world. 

That's a strong point, of course.  But I will check out of this threadjack by saying that I think photostatic copies of important pieces of art or photographs engender the same emotional reactions as their original handpainted counterparts.  It's the art that matters.

Edited by BoomMF
Link to comment
Share on other sites
AnotherUTFan

AnotherUTFan 9727

Posted
Posted
This is really what it comes down to.  There is a poser element to the relic.  
 

It's "poseur" and your point stands Mr Fuck.

I just don't see the difference - or a distinction without a difference.  Whether your roadie is a bumblefuck and can't be careful or you treat your instrument like a precious artifact (which I do), those nicks and bruises are little different than a factory fresh finish - it's arbitrary.  For art, it's the end that matters and less-so the journey (you guitar falling off its stand isn't much of a story, or it's a story that holds as much value as that ding getting there by some craftsman skilled at making dings).  And you could play 80 years and no amount of "honest work" is going to wear a modern finish.  The only thing that holds true is what the guitar looks like, and in the case of a pre-worn neck, how it plays. "Honest work" doesn't contribute a thing where art is concerned.  The only "relic'd" guitars that have value for their relic beyond appearance are guitars owned or played by famous or important musicians at famous or important gigs.  Joe Blow's 40 years of "honest work" adds little to no value where art is concerned.  And where art is concerned, pristine and relic'd are the exact same thing.
But, on the other hand, Rat Rods do nothing for me.  I'm complicated.
I love you Mother Fucker, but I disagree with you 100% on this.

"Honest wear" has nothing to do with value, or resale value. Would I buy a car and pay somebody to go ahead and put a few dents in it? Would I buy a new house and pay a kid to go ahead and throw a few rocks and break a couple windows?

My Les Paul has a nice ding in it eight by the front strap button. It was there when I pulled it out of the gig bag before playing at Swig bar on Geary a couple years ago. I think the metal ring from the strap hit it. I'm not happy about it, it definitely doesn't add value. It doesn't bother me though since I never plan on parting with my Les Paul and when I see it, it brings back a specific memory - I kinda lie that part actually.

I have a car I bought new years ago and took care of. One day after a long session surfing, I dropped my long board while putting it on the rack and it put a ding in the driver door. I didn't like it and intended to have it repaired, but never did and eventually I liked the ding because every time I go to get in that car, now my daughters - the black one you saw at Franklin actually, it takes me back to that day surfing La Jolla Shores.

I still haven't figured out how to embed YouTube on Tapa, but here's a video of Mike Campbell talking about his signature reissue Telecaster. He holds it and talked about all the specific dings in it; including when Bugs built a case for UT and used a screw that was too long and put a big scratch in it. So you can spend a bunch of extra dough to by a guitar that looks exactly lie Mike Campbell's, but you'll never get Mike's memories that gonwith it... and that scratch won't be because of Bugs' screw; it will be a poseur scratch.



https://youtu.be/XqkDAUi7aRM


There's no right or wrong, it's all a matter of opinion, but to me I'll never get it. It's not art to take something new and make it look old. It's either old or it isnt. If you were to buy a new guitar and modify it to look worn, that would be your art and I'd respect it as much as I respect DougO's buying cheap old guitars and painting them up - and that's hella-respect. I don't get paying a premium to have somebody else do it.
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 45879

Posted
Posted

If I were just going to hang a relic'ed guitar on my wall and take it down to play in the house, then that would be one thing.  I'd be embarrassed to play it out at a club, though.

"Hey man,  that's a cool guitar -- what year?  Late 60's?  Early 70's?"

"Nah, I got it new last year.  I paid extra to have them make it look old."

 

Just not gonna happen for me.  But if it floats your boat, OK.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Deej

Deej 76751

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, ohchaucer said:

If I ding the guitar making music, fine.  If a guitar is dinged making the guitar, then it's wall art:  a tribute to the art it's made to produce.

That said, I dig that strat, Deej, and secretly would love an SRV strat.  Because Austin.

Thanks. And like I said, it wasn't something Fender Custom shop was charging $3000 for. The guy took a older MIM Strat that was already dinged that he bought off of CL for cheap and turned it into what it is now. That I'm cool with. I also thought the color and the job he did worked well together. I also like that the nitro is starting to show my wear. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 45879

Posted
Posted

That was awesome.  I bet that guy is a great player -- he clearly feels it at a very intuitive level.  He was groovin'.  But yeah, it's like we all are at times -- "why even try???"

Don't forget Jeff Beck's comment after seeing Jimi Hendrix for the first time, opening his set with "Like A Rolling Stone":  "Well, I USED to be a guitarist."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


Football ... Basketball ... Baseball ... Other Sports ... Futbol ... 🤫995🤫 ... Gambling ... Movies & TV ... Music ... Hobbies ... Lulz ... Food & Travel ... Daily Texan ... Business and Markets ... Cloak Room ... Help ... For Sale ... Board Discussion ... Subscribe!... Donate!... Advertise... COOKIE MONSTER!

×
×
  • Create New...