Fender Road Worn Guitars - First Impression

[audiodrome]

I realize this isn't about "vintage" guitars per say but it is at least related so I figured I would pass on my thoughts and observations. I just spend an hour this afternoon at Guitar Center playing the '50s Blond Tele, the '60s Olympic White Strat and the '60s Sunburst Strat and my first impression is that they have a lot going for them but they're nowhere near perfect.

First off, they all played great, right off the rack - very impressive, but all of the necks were too thick and chunky for my taste - more like a Les Paul neck They sounded as good as you would expect (through a Vibro Champ XD)- that classic Fender sound!

Now as far as the relicing goes, I gave them a real close inspection. I own two vintage Fenders so I know what normal play-wear looks like. I thought the front part of the body on all three guitars looked pretty good (the Tele looked the best). The dings and checking were pretty believable. The aged hardware also looked REALLY good. The early '60's relic pickguards were some of the best I've ever seen - almost perfect! The graduated browning/yellowing and wear was right on the money.

Where they really botched it was where the paint is worn down to the bare wood. It looks as if someone took a belt sander and carefully planned each move. It looked way too calculated and contrived. There was no realistic randomness to the wear at all. It looked even worse on the back side - really cheesy! The worst part of all was the wear on the Tele's maple fingerboard and the backsides of the Strat necks. It was the same thing. Someone just took a belt sander and carefully sanded nice, neat symmetric wear marks that could never have been created by natural play-wear. It was almost as if they used a ruler or a straight-edge!

I suppose you could "fix" up the wear on the bodies and the necks and you'd have yourself a nice looking relic. Personally, I think they should sell these guitars for around $699 and then I'd be sold, but maybe I'm being a little harsh. The more I think about it, the GUITAR craftmanship itself is well worth the $1000; it's just that the relicing looks kind of cheesy. That's my two-cents...

[johnnyb]

i was in guitar center today as well. i noticed that all the "relicing" was the same on every guitar. almost as if a machine did it. it did look cool but also a little cheesy. the finger board wear was a little unrealistic as well. played o.k. though. i guess it would be a good buy if one giged a little and wanted to have a seasoned pro look.

[lndspdr]

[straycat113]

I have to say being a Fender player for 30 years I hate those guitars. This is a big topic on the Fender forum and as johnnyB stated the relicing is done in the same exact parts on every guitar.So if you have more than one it would look ridicules. It is funny that I had put up a post stating that if a relative of yours passed away and left you there ax and it turned out to be a 54 Strat what condition would you hope the guitar was in,and everyone said mint. So much for the relicing.

[MATT]

[sneakypete]

you know, the relic thing comes up on every site I visit and it always turns out bad...nothing seems to bring out the worst in memers like a relic thread...hope it doesn`t happen here...and they always end the same...some like em some don`t. Not sure why it matters to anybody else what guitar somebody chooses to play but there you are.

[jeng3000]

I remember when Fender started selling these relics. I didn't understand it. Everyone in the stores mumbled under their breath how "dumb" of an idea it was.

Now you go to the store and everyone who works there is talking about how awesome the relics look.

Even Vintage Guitar magazine and all the higher end mags now have advertisements for companies that "relic" guitars.

I don't get it. All of a sudden it's "cool".


Now, I will say this though: I did try that blonde Tele you mentioned and I LOVED it. They sound amazing on a Vox AC15 overdriven to get a great Tele garage rock sound. And I actually like the thick vintage neck. It almost puts you in that classic rock and honkytonk style of playing Telecasters. Less power chords and more REAL chords and fingerpickin' blues.

I'd buy one if they weren't so expensive for a MIM.

But still, I don't get the "relic" concept. I think it's predicated on the idea that if your guitar looks all beaten and stuff, then somehow it suggests to others that you have "been around the block" guitar-wise and are "experienced".

I dunno. Makes sense if you're 50 maybe. But if you're 20 and you're playing a relic, my first thought is "kid, put your Dad's guitar down!"

[Phizix]

I have always hated the idea of a pre-stressed "relic" guitar. If you are a doctor or lawyer and want to hang it on your wall and pretend you played guitar at some point, that's fine...To me its like buying worn out jeans with holes in them for the sake of "fashion".

However, if the guitar plays amazingly then I could care less what it looks like...

If you actually play guitars the "relic thing" seems like a dumb idea... at least to me...

Put your own scratches and dents on the darn thing...Like a real man

[Phizix]

dp... still don't like "relics"