I've always heard people complain about how easily the nitro finish on the Highways chip and wear. I have a Strat and a Tele, both get a lot of playing time. I've had them about 3 yrs and I still don't see any wear. Anybody have a different experience?

Umm....I never saw the rationale in getting a pre-relic'd guitar. That will happen naturally, anyway, so why pay the extra bucks?

I keep things clean.

Both of my Strats and my G&L have wear on them- the Clapton Strat has plenty of nicks on the body (none through to the wood though) and has started to wear out the finish on the fretboard (it is actually already worn through on the fourth fret). The CS Strat that I own (Hannah- as I call her), is ten years old and has some wear from the previous owner- I've nicked a spot on the neck from where someone kicked it off its stand, and it has a couple of small dents on the top- but I find the more I play it, the cooler it looks. It will soon start to have a cool Relic vibe...

I DO get pissed off when I scratch or dent one when I do it, but I'm over it after a couple minutes. Besides, Fenders have always looked cooler when they have been worn in....

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There is no such thing as a stupid question, but there sure are a lot of inquisitive idiots in the universe...

I lit one of my Custom Shop guitars on fire. Then I sanded it, and beat the hell out of it. Now, it is just the way I like it.

Where is this guy today?

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Waiting in the queue for Ceri's next project.

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"Another day in paradise!"

I take great pains making sure I don't get any scratches or dings on any of my guitars and I'm quite fussy who I let touch them let alone play them.Call me obsessive I don't care but I can count on one hand the people who I let play my first electric I got for Christmas in 1967 and it has yet to get a scratch or ding.That's why I see absolutely no reason for all this relicing fad that's all of a sudden "the new cool".I can see someone buffing or even light sanding the neck to give it a played in feel but to purposely dent and gouge the body I have yet to hear a logical explaination for it.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Keith Richards wanted new guitars for a tour that looked like all his old ones.

Seems fairly logical to me.

Personaly
on some. Yes.
on others. No.

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No no and no

I will treat my guitar as I treat my motorcycles.

I will give it all the care I reasonably can, but I'm sure, like my big cruiser with 66,000 miles on her, that there will come a day when she's going to take a hit from something and there will be some "mileage" that shows up... a scratch or two... a few chips in the paint.

There's something beautiful about a "road-warrior" in my eyes. I don't get it when someone has a guitar done as a relic. Battle scars should be earned or they come with no honor.

Use vs. abuse The question arises as to how bady and for how long a journeyman touring musician might have to treat these instruments in order for them to eventually come to look like these relics.? The next is that given that these are the bread and butter tools of the trade, would a person do so

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"Another day in paradise!"

I play them hard without abuse.

You might not be too far off with that, Doc!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Whoah, I'd like to see a picture of that guitar! Please post one if you can!

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Check out my guitar news blog: http://guit-news.blogspot.com/

I'd try to keep mine clean so that it will age naturally, but at the same time I'm thinking about either getting/assembling a project guitar and lightly relicing its contours. Never on my Clapton Strat though.