Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Is anybody getting bored of "reliced" instruments?


prowla
 Share

Recommended Posts

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1487056811' post='3236536']
I've played on a few recently & the necks have been incredible - the comfiest I've ever played. The other benefit is it stops you being precious about little knocks & dings - those of us in heavier bands know how easy it is for other people to scratch your gear when playing!
[/quote]

This would be the main benefit IMO. The aging on the back of the neck is the most important thing. I generally only buy secondhand as I prefer not having to worry too much about the instrument, and I do worry about it with pristine brand new instruments. That said, I'd much prefer a "light relic" with a thin skin to a heavy relic - just enough to be secondhand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1487056811' post='3236536']
The fortunate thing about the free market is if you don't like something you don't have to buy it. I'm not really sure what the point of this thread is, how can you be bored of something completely unrelated to you? Unless you mean you have one & don't like it any more?
[/quote]
I also have an opinion on antique painted MDF and shell suits, neither of which I own!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What if someone buys a guitar/bass from previous owners who have naturally worn it in over years. Is that posing? I think we need to know what's allowed here, in case the instrument police come calling. Perhaps a COA stating where each ding and knock happened. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Tee' timestamp='1487061872' post='3236566']
What if someone buys a guitar/bass from previous owners who have naturally worn it in over years. Is that posing? I think we need to know what's allowed here, in case the instrument police come calling. Perhaps a COA stating where each ding and knock happened. ;)
[/quote]

Who said you could come in here and complicate this enjoyable negativity with your logic and intelligent dilemma? That's the trouble with this country; there's too much intelligent thought going on!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I quite like the roadworn/light relic ones. They're not over the top and remind me of those 'lived in' jeans you can buy. The full on impossible extreme relics are akin to stonewash.I just don't get the impossible levels of wear.
I have a ten year old Precision that's got loads of chips, dinks and scratches. I wanted to re-finish it as I'm not a fan of sunburst but the thought of a pristine body with everything else looking a bit tired and emotional is a quandary. Do I get it re-done and then have the actuel wear replicated?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='ChunkyMunky' timestamp='1487022206' post='3236376']
Each to their own but definitely not a fan of it. A lot of it seems unnatural and aimed incorrectly for starters.

On the upper horn, how is that even possible to do that naturally?

[/quote]

This guy managed it.
http://iconicaxes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/rory-gallaghers-1961-fender-stratocaster.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nancy Johnsons comment is interesting.....

"R[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]elicing, for me, only looks decent on Fender-style basses"[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Thats true in my opinion but i dont know why??? Other basses just looked knackered when they're a bit beaten up. I wonder what it is that makes it seem ok if it looks like a Fender?[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]I quite like the roadworn look personally - i have a Nate Precision which is mildly "used" looking but feels really nicely worn in and i'm not fussed about taking a lump out of it at a gig. Actually, all my basses have lumps out of them and i purposely avoid new basses because that first ding is so painful. And i've always hankered after a wrecked looking Sandberg.....[/font][/color]

Edited by Mudpup
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I love my Roadworn P :)
In fact as a few others have said I personally prefer the feel of a played in bass. As well as not having to worry about putting dinks into your new pride and joy.
I do like a new bass as well but I feel it takes me time to give the bass a soul :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As the owner of a couple of genuinely scuffed guitars which I've owned for donkey's years and which have earned their mojo (some of it by me, some of it by the previous owners...) I'm not particularly attracted to relics - it wouldn't put me off an otherwise good guitar, but its not something i'd seek out either.

My 47-year-old Fender has done a lot of gigs with me over the last 20+ years, and has buckle rash thru to the wood, plus lots of dings and worn areas, but its still not half as battered as my brother's brand new heavy relic Custom Shop stuff...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's odd. I'm super careful with my Jazz (flawless), although partly because I may sell it so don't want any dings, but ta the same time I know I will never truly love it until it has a few marks. The neck just looks too clean! I have 35 year old Stingray that even now is only lightly marked (owned from new) - a few dents to the bottom where I used to prop it up on a concrete floor without a stand, light scratches to the finish and no buckle rash (those oversize, long sleeve tee-shirts we wore in the 90s did have a function after all!). However, I'm not overly careful with it and would never think twice about gigging wherever. I've even had the same cut-to-length leather strap since 1991. It's like an old pair of shoes. I'd be quite happy buying a bass with a load of wear to it (there's a J/P hybrid in the classifieds with no paint to the bottom of the body and that wouldn't bother me at all if I had the money) but not a new bass with fake wear. That's like buying pre-ripped jeans. The Nate Mendel seems particularly pointless - just an annoying amount of fake damage that you only notice if you look a bit? I'd still have one, but I'd want the body sprayed black!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could only buy a relic instrument if the wear doesn't have a gloss or poly coat over the top of it! It's artificially worn to a point and no more is permissible!!

I don't like a lot of the relic jobs out there, even sandberg. The whole one colour over another thing baffles me too but if other people like it it's their choice. I don't think I've ever seen anyone else with a relic instrument on my local love circuit apart from my guitarist who just bought a Vintage brand strat for peanuts to knock about with.

My jazz is mid nineties and has many many dings and chips out of the paint and the neck is starting to darken in some areas and fade in others. On stage you wouldn't notice any of it though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@kodiakblair - I hope it is no slouch, and agree it will look fresh as a daisy in a couple of decades and better than me!

@Grangur - yep are completely correct! if is a good bi of wood it will have its mojo already, I think they givehe slab a bit of a vibration treatment to accelerate the settlling in process but point well made

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like a few here, I've got the Fender Roadworn stuff, Precision and Jazz in sunburst, and the Flea bass.

I do actually like the look of them, but for me what they do really well is (as has already been mentioned) feel like they've been played in. The necks are really comfy (to me anyway). I also like the nitro finishes on them. Also like Highfox mentions, if it does happen to get a 'new' knock or two, you ain't crying into your post gig kebab.

I own a genuine '78 Precision (had for donkeys) and a genuine '75 Jazz too, also both great instruments in their own right and feel played in due to their actual age.

For me, like I've tried to articulate, it's mainly about the [b]feel [/b]of playing a worn instrument. Does it really matter if that feel has been achieved via wear that has been done over many years, or 'accelerated' in a factory? I say not, YMMV!

Just to add - I've also had a Sandberg VM hardcore aged, and to me that was the 'fakest' of the lot. A great bass?, certainly. But the relicing on those is purely about the look, they still feel like you're playing a brand new instrument. If I was getting another Sandberg, I'd be avoiding the relic models.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i have a fake relic and I've done some of it myself. I rounded the neck edges and sanded the back down a bit and its a lot more comfortable to play. I refuse to baby a bass, it s a tool and I'm not going to wrap it in cotton wool. As long as I don't damage its working parts I really dont see why its a problem to have it look a certain way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='Musicman20' timestamp='1487072431' post='3236701']
I wasn't that bothered either way until I bought the Flea Jazz Bass. Even my Dad, who doesn't play, thought it looked really unique.
[/quote]

But IIRC the "wear" pattern is exactly the same on all the Flea Jazz Basses which doesn't makes them unique at all ;-)

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.   Restore formatting

  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

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...