molan Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 I was trawling around some US bass sites & spotted quite a few Relic Series basses kicking around. Mostly Olympic White, some Sunburst & a few custom colours like this rather fetching Lake Placid Blue: Prices in the States are all over the place ranging from just under $3,000 to as high as nearly $6,000 for something like the LPB one above. The NOS models selling at about $500 less. So - I just wondered if anyone here had played one and wondered what they are like compared to a more regular US made Vintage Series model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markytbass Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Very similar to Klause Floride's bass. I think his was a different colour but I like the matching headstock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Hi Barrie...... PM me and i'll give you the low-down !! had 11 custom shop instruments Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Nimrod Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 [quote name='Marcus' post='272907' date='Aug 29 2008, 11:25 PM']Hi Barrie...... PM me and i'll give you the low-down !! had 11 custom shop instruments [/quote] You gotta share it with us ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sercet Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 This is a long story, the story of my Pino Custom Shop Precision bass. Until recently my job meant that I travelled to the US five or six times a year. As luck would have it. my December 2006 visit to Atlanta coincided with my brother's business trip to New York. This meant I had a four day holiday in New York at no cost to me. It was a great four days. Before I set off, I ordered a very nice Rickenbacker bass from a west coast dealer for delivery to my Atlanta office during my stay. So, first night in New York my brother asks "What would have to happen for you to buy a bass in New York as well as the one you have already ordered?" My reply was "no way will I buy another bass. It's greedy. selfish, expensive, it will be difficult to get them home etc." You can guess the rest. Next day we called into Guitar Center. They had some relic guitars on display. The conversation with my brother went along the lines of... "How old do you think this guitar is?" "I don't know" "It's brand new. They make them like that." "Who would buy one that's already scratched?" "I don't know, it's stupid. People pay extra for the ageing" You can guess the rest. I'd always though relics were just dumb, but when I saw the Pino high up on the wall in the bass section, I though I'd give it a try. It was the best bass I have ever played, and I've played and owned a number of £1,000+ basses. So that trip I brought home two basses. The CS was/is worth every penny. If I had to keep just three basses, this is the electric bass I would keep. Certainly worth seeking one out and giving them a try. but I wouldn't necessarily buy one without playing it....just because I like mine doesn't mean you will like yours. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirkThrust Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 [quote name='David Nimrod' post='272911' date='Aug 29 2008, 11:36 PM']You gotta share it with us ;-)[/quote] Yeah I'd be interested to hear it too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 How about this baby - not a relic but wonderfully 'knackered' : [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120297693379&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=002"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=002[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tait Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 [quote name='molan' post='273057' date='Aug 30 2008, 10:55 AM']How about this baby - not a relic but wonderfully 'knackered' : [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120297693379&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=002"]http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...A:IT&ih=002[/url][/quote] to me, thats too much relicing. i don't think that looks good at all. the one in the first post was cool looking, but theres a point when it stops looking cool, and that one reached it along time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 [quote name='molan' post='272892' date='Aug 29 2008, 11:03 PM']...Prices in the States are all over the place ranging from just under $3,000 to as high as nearly $6,000 for something like the LPB one above. The NOS models selling at about $500 less...[/quote] Maybe I'm just tight, but why waste money paying someone to do something that will happen for free over time!! In my opinion this is the ultimate con. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted August 30, 2008 Author Share Posted August 30, 2008 [quote name='chris_b' post='273270' date='Aug 30 2008, 06:22 PM']Maybe I'm just tight, but why waste money paying someone to do something that will happen for free over time!! In my opinion this is the ultimate con.[/quote] I know where you're coming from but for me to get a bass looking like it's over 40 years old would mean I'd have to buy a new one now and use it regularly until I'm 92 - I have a sneaking suspicion this is unlikely to happen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 [quote name='chris_b' post='273270' date='Aug 30 2008, 06:22 PM']Maybe I'm just tight, but why waste money paying someone to do something that will happen for free over time!! In my opinion this is the ultimate con.[/quote] Apparently (and please someone tell me if I've got this completely wrong) the problem is that the paint (polyester?) they use nowadays won't age like the old stuff. It'll just look new for many years to come. I never used to like the relic's but I'm coming around to the idea. I've even started to like Jazz basses more as well. I must be getting old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Absolutely - they used to use nitrocellulose laquer. It reacted to everything from the foam mutes under Jazz pickup covers to the scratchplate itself. Don't even put one anywhere near a foam guitar stand. Poly is much more stable and resisant to knocks, not to mention a lot safer to use as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctor_of_the_bass Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Just to add - a very good friend of mine has two Custom shop instruments, a Jaco model and a lake placid blue 60's Jazz re-issue. Quite simply two of the finest basses I've ever played - espec. the Pastorius - it sings! Like many people, I was slightly unsure of the `relic' concept but when you actually pick one up and play it, it really does make sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 [quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='273748' date='Aug 31 2008, 03:03 PM']....I was slightly unsure of the `relic' concept but when you actually pick one up and play it, it really does make sense!....[/quote] But the Relic isn't made any differently. They just charge you more to scrape the paint off again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I don't get this 'relic' business either... If the bass is going to pick up dings and finish wear, I want them to be [b]MY[/b] dings and finish wear, not someone elses and certainly not fake ones. Lets face it, it's going to look pretty lame if the wear patterns generated by your actual playing are in completely different places and look different to the faux ones already there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 (edited) [quote name='BigRedX' post='273781' date='Aug 31 2008, 04:04 PM']Lets face it, it's going to look pretty lame if the wear patterns generated by your actual playing are in completely different places and look different to the faux ones already there...[/quote] But, as pointed earlier, it would take 20+ years to generate similar wear (ie, your own wear will only appear gradually) and also who is going to say "that ding is yours but that other one surely didn't come from your right forearm placement/pick action/whatever"? That said I would rather find a genuinely battered instrument (I love old Ps) than get one "relicked" Edited August 31, 2008 by Clarky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibob Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 I think the quality of the basses has less to do with how scratched they are and more to do with the fact that the Fender custom shop is doing a good job! I've never tried one of the Time Machine series basses, but my good friend has 2 Relic strats, he absolutely swears by them, and the only reason why he doesn't use them as much anymore is they've been replaced by two '74s, a '69 and a '63 lol But yeah, I'd be interested in owning a Closet Classic, the one in between the NOS and Relic in terms of wear! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simwells Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 [quote name='BigRedX' post='273781' date='Aug 31 2008, 04:04 PM']I don't get this 'relic' business either... If the bass is going to pick up dings and finish wear, I want them to be [b]MY[/b] dings and finish wear, not someone elses and certainly not fake ones. Lets face it, it's going to look pretty lame if the wear patterns generated by your actual playing are in completely different places and look different to the faux ones already there...[/quote] Yup, exactly the same as ripped jeans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
64fender Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 You could only get away with this "ageing"fashion with Fender type basses. Just think if this effect was done to Rickenbacker's or Gibsons,it would not look "right"some how.They would look sruffy, don't you think?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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