Ive been going on so long about the douches on ebay selling beat up guitars calling them "relic", I forgot the post I originally came on to post. I was at my luthiers shop this week picking up my brothers guitar that was getting setup, and I got to try out what is, IMO, the ultimate strat. He had a CS closet classic 1950's strat there. Although I posted that i wouldnt be interested in getting a guitar new that was already marked up, this is my exception, but not for the finish. Ive got my Reissue strat pretty much where I want it to be; bone nut,strap locks, Callaham trem, Area 58/61's, 6105 fretwire, and mini toggle to turn my bridge pup on independant of the 5 way but there are a few changes that if were possible, and cost effective to do to a MIM, I would do. I have to say, this strat is pretty much the pinnacle of my idea of the perfect strat. Its got the CS build, nitro finish, and pretty much the same mod's Ive done to mine, except it has the more playable neck. To be able to get a CS built strat, with a 1 piece quartersawn neck, with the 54 profile (and a truss rod adjustment at the nut so I dont have to always pull the neck off), but with 6105 frets and the switch to be able to play neck/bridge, and all 3 pickups (which i did but I wished I could have done it with the S! switch like Fender did). I couldnt believe it, i dont think Ive ever said out loud what I would have built custom for me if I could, but this thing completely does it. The only change i would do to it are pickups. I left extremely jealous.

I remember the first time i played a relic 62, the only relic i've ever played. I was equally as awestruck by the neck and spent days considering rubbing the finish off my baja tele and rounding the edges of the fretboard. I (like you hit upon in the other post) wasnt confident about making a good job of it so left it alone.
Them worn in necks are a wonder though.

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No no and no

It was the neck that sold me on my '66 relic... there's just something about it. Not quartersawn, but still a lovely tight grain running straight up the neck... hefty-feeling C-shape that suits my smallish hands. The whole thing feels more dense and focused (if that makes sense) than my other strat, which is a fine instrument in its own right. As I've said elsewhere here, I had plenty of reservations about the whole relic business but they all evaporated as soon as I held this guitar... I would almost have walked out with it without having played a note or plugging it in. Since I've owned it I've come to love the quirks of the '66 strats -- the chunky neck with large headstock seems to encourage more vigorous playing, and the low-output pickups feel like they give a broader spectrum to work with. I think hotter ones would have me going off like a frog in a sock, whereas these give me a better chance of channeling my energies.

Heh. Well, that made a lot of sense, I'm sure...

The closet classics aren't really relic, they have just a few small blemishes, not relic'd though. They are supposed to look like a guitar you got original, played a few times a year, then put back in the case and stored in the closet. What really got me on the 50 C.C was the mods and upgrades done to it. Except the pickups, the guitar is excatly how I would order one if I had the money to have a custom shop built to spec for me.

I own a 60s closet classic aside from finish checking I wouldn,t consider it releced at all. I love everything about mine.

Hi Guys, I know exactly what your talking about. Up until a year ago I'd never really played a strat, never owned one and the local guitar shops were dicks when I went in to try them, so all in all a poor experience. Anyway I was flicking through the ebay pages and came across a Rory Gallagher strat goin for alot less money then I'd seen one before and low and behold I put the money on it and prayed.
When the guitar arrived I nearly split the case due to not knowing how to open a Fender case!!!! Now I should mention that I didn't buy into the whole relic thing but the fact that Rory's one of my heroes and a legend here at home made me give in to the inevitable and boy was I not disappointed!!!
The guitar is an absolute dream to play! No finish on the neck to slow down hand movement, a thoroughly worn in feel overall and the best sounding pickups I've heard on a strat.
Everytime I open the case (which I now can thankfully do!) I get the smell of timber which I think is sooo cool!
Now I'm a complete strat convert and undertaking my first franken-strat project which will be to convert one into gilmours black strat for a fraction of the price!
So in essence the relicing definitely gets a thumbs up from me and people shouldn' t judge others who're into it and again a point of personal preference but i don't thnk there's anything as cool as a beat up strat!