I agree with the more pro looking instrument's comment. Its a simple fact that when you walk into a venue, meet a promoter you've only ever had email or maybe a phone conversation with. That promoter will add your appearance, gear and conduct to the view his already formed of you by whatever presspack/recording or demo you gave to them. Some of the best repeat bookings i've had are from venues where i've been hard and demanding to the promoter. I.E expecting fair pay, somewhere secure to put my guitars, space on the stage solely for my amp and it cant be moved until its cooled down. If those last two aren't given i wont soundcheck, my gear stays in the van till 20 minutes before i'm due onstage. I then make it clear that sound is the soundmans job, i will enquire of the audience if its any good and place blame if its not.

Promoters expect a bit of arsiness, as long as you dont strop like maddona and perform like sprinsteen. They also expect you to use good reliable quality gear. Next time you gig a sizable venue take a encore strat copy and a marshall mg15, see if any of your demands are met.

Gigging is just like any other business, if your too nice or soft people walk all over you. If your a bit hard and businesslike you tend to get what you want within reason, and a bit of respect too.

As always there are places that are just an exception to the rule. Charity gigs being the main one, but some places have inexperienced promoters who genuinely need help. Some are just idiots that dont last more than six months.

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No no and no

Can you show us some pictures of the relicing that you have done?

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Sounds like the kind of FUN we, of "tinted" necks, have down here in the swamps of Southwest Florida... Come on down to L.J.'s "Honky tonk" Lounge and I'll gladly buy you a drink, of the beer or whiskey persuation! And behold someone who is putting a nice relic job on his 44 year old face! (me)
P.S.
I"d rather relic my own guitar, car, face and loose women - myself...

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I love the smell of hot vacuum tubes in the morning...

I do see why the relic guitars are so pricy, the amount of work put into them and all.
but i'd much rather "relic" my own guitar myself. not some "pre-fab"

In my opinion buying and using a relic guitar seems a bit of a waste.
But having your favourite guitar for years... every ding and scratch, adds character. Shows that theres a story behind your guitar.

Even then... If i had a guitar long enough to "relic" it, i wouldnt sell it for any amount of money in the world. its unique. original and i would never find another one like it..

Unfortunally, the guitars and the computer that the pictures were on, were lost in Hurricane Katrina. I lost 8 guitars in that storm and a 1987 Marshall JCM Half Stack with a few other pieces of equipment. The only thing I was left with was 3 guitars, the bottom half of the stack and my POD xt live, which was upstairs. Talk about devistating to come home to see the bottom half of your home destroyed, along with your equipment. Next to my family that is my love. I have yet to rebuild my collection, but am slowly doing so. I am going to do a relic guitar soon and will post from beginning to end.

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Music makes the world go round....so lets keep the world moving.

MySpace:
www.myspace.com/strat_jammin_dude

When different opinions raise-which is what Forums are for- it doesn't prevent anyone from politness.
But this kind of basic reaction, common to small potatoes, doesn't affect me at all.
If you don't catch humor, just blame your genitors.
We made some money, not that much, but still, over the years and ALL has been given to Charity Funds.
I've never been a Pro (but yes, definitely in my job ) in guitar playing and never wished to be.
I just did it for fun (and fun we had) and can still buy myself any guitar I wish whenever I wish, as Madoff was not a friend of mine.

Alain.
The truth of the matter is that, If most of us could afford to gig custom shop guitars then relic's would be the guitar of choice. They are simply a better looking stage guitar than a NOS for most forms of rock n roll. Sure if your in a lounge jazz quintet then its NOS all the way to match your tuxedo.

I myself can not afford to gig a £2k+ instrument, whether it be relic'd, CC or NOS. A guitar of such finesse is simply not suited to the majority of my gigging repetoire anyway. A typical crash bang wallop jackson is more suited, whilst the majority of my high gain sounds come from the amp.
My strats are all home guitars, purely for my enjoyment. If i were to go with a time machine guitar then i think i would steer towards a nice closet classic. I saw a closeup of knopflers red 62 strat yesterday. The crazing in the finish of that guitar horrified me. What i've always thought to be a pristine vintage instrument looks like its been shattered.

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No no and no

Like most of the others who have posted here, i wouldn't by a guitar that has been beaten up on purpose and then charged at a higher price. Vintage guitars however that have natural wear and damage from over the years look great though!

I'm not stubborn in anyway; I know and appreciate vintage guitars.
Here is my pristine 1962 Stratocaster of which I am the first and only owner since 1962:

PS I don't gig with it....
PSS Nikininja : I fully understand that in some venues you have to be VERY low profile with your gear.

Alain that is exactly a piece of art. It looks completely original with next to no wear. Have you taken it to Corona so the whippersnapper's can see how it used to be done?

Who needs renaissance paintings when you can have a 62 hanging on your wall

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No no and no

Nikininja
I do play her at home of course as one thing guitars don't like (specially acoustic ones) is to remain unplayed.
So I have some sort of EXCEL chart reminding me when to tune them, change strings, what gauge etc...all at least once a year.So at least two per week...

So your getting a bulk price on strings then.

Alain, you never cease to amaze me. How do you ever leave your house. Never mind the plethoria of tasty guitars, i've seen a pick of your rack effects.
I'd have to pack a sleeping bag and some rations, i'd be lost for months.

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No no and no

Well no, I buy ELIXIR Guitar Strings, not cheap, but they last much longer in my position.
Regarding my guitars , I've a comprehensive insurance, but it means a VERY sophisticated alarm real time system.
Regarding the rack, well several units are outdated; you can get the same through software but not as reliable on stage; but I don't bring my rack on stage
Most useful ones are for keyboard playing save for the Mesa Boogie Triaxis PreAmp and the 2:90 Amp

Well, i picked one up at long and mcquade and buddy started freaking out...telling me to put it back because it was a "relic" edition. If you ask me, i would have added more to the value for scratching it?

I would much rather have a pristine strat that i can personally beat the crap out of over the next 20 years.

I have an 82 smith strat ive had since i was a kid and its chipped, dented...worn and she is gorgeous...TONS of character that only the player can add really! battle scars. did it all myself over 15 years

Just bought an american deluxe, and she will eventually meet the same fate as the 82

no, a beat up guitar is meant to be a badge of honor not something that can be bought in a store just my opinion