As a junkie for all things old, battered, and aged... I think they look sweet. Texas Specials... Cool color choices... like CAR and Inca Silver. Now if only they could work on the terrible looking wear on the maple boards! I'd be interested in trying one out at some point.

Well they've been going since what 1995, so they've already had 15 years in production. And before a load of people jump in saying 'blah blah blah their stupid'. If they hadn't sold Fender wouldn't still be offering em, never mind expanding the range.

I don't see em dissapearing soon.

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No no and no

I agree... they seem to be here to stay. The line has been expanding... they issued the Road Worn FSR Deluxe Tele's and now this new series. A Road Worn Highway 1 series seems a logical line but who knows, I'm not in marketing.

I think they are cool. I particularly like the 60's road worn strat, and would like it more if they came in more colors. I'm just not interested in the 3 tone sunburst or the white, since I already have a sunburst strat, and don't care for the white. Lake Placid Blue would be cool, maybe shoreline gold, and sherwood green?

I think they are great, just wish the HSS came in more colors. I dont play red guitars and I already have a Inca Strat.

Buy a new one and play the snot out of it. It will get road worn all by itself.

I can see the idea, but short of a full custom shop relic treatment, I don't think there's any way to really replicate the random pattern of wear, scratches, dings, bumps and bruises a guitar gets from just plain old use. Even the relics don't really replicate that randomness in wear and tear from a well used instrument.

It's hard to replicate that nick on the lower bout where my guitar lost a fight with a mic stand or where I wasn't paying attention when I set it in the guitar stand and missed thus causing a bump in the headstock where it hit the floor.

I guess pick wear patterns would be fairly easy to replicate and some wear on the paint where one's arm rubs but you and I don't necessarily hold a guitar the same way and where my arm would cause wear isn't necessarily where yours would.

At any rate, in a real road worn guitar, there is a story behind the wear, from a cigarette burn to the bumps with mic stands and music stands, the dumb a** in the bar who knocked it over, the belt buckle rash and those scratches and bumps that you just have no Earthly idea how they got there are all part of the charm of a real road worn guitar.

I don't want to knock them and like has been said, a lot of people buy them so there has to be some attraction somewhere. As for me, I'd rather just let them break in through normal use. My number 1 guitar, a 11 year old Martin HD-28V is well on its way to being a road worn classic.
Jeff

One can only HOPE that that is their next move!
Then I have to start all over again!!
I already own the entire color spectrum of the H.O. Stratocaster HSS series!

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I refuse to have a battle of the wits with an unarmed man!

I like that they're expanding the range and that these new models have a 9.5" board, but I wish they came in a few other colours (why no black 60's model).

May have to put together a partsocaster once these start getting parted out:

Black 50's RW body with the hardware and neck from a 60's RW Players...

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How did it sound to you?

like jeff said... but a new one and play the kak out of it... in 40 years... itll have all those scuffs if it isnt written off

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blues - its a religion...

If you buy a modern Strat that doesn't have a nitro finish then in 40 years it won't look like a 40 year old strat does today...modern finishes are just too hard-wearing.

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How did it sound to you?

I don't know - - I've had some that were played quite a bit that ended up looking very road worn and not artificially after just 30 years of steady use.

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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!

Ultimately if you are paying $800+ for a guitar I think most people would prefer a non-reliced guitar, and let it get old and reliced in your own way. And that being said, I just don't mess with my guitar to have a lot of boo-boos on it. Since it cost so much I'll try to minimize the wear and tear.

One of my fears is those small Fender guitar stands. I like them because they are small and fit into my guitar effects bag, but sitting the guitar on it makes it top heavy, increasing the chance of falling over. Also smoking is really a bad habit; I'll never have a cigarette burn on my guitars 'cause I don't smoke.

I feel like an insurance actuary with this view on things. But its my thing, and it's done me well in my life. Don't start talking about cars...

I voted that it is a fad.

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2007 Classic Player Baja Telecaster
1991 Strat Ultra
1990 Gibson ES-347
1986 Yamaha SBG2100
1980 Gibson L6-S
1971 Stratocaster
Fender Stage Lead Combo
Marshall MOSFET 100 watt Amp

I think the road worn have been successful more because of getting a nitro finish and compromising with the wear. If they would only come out with a nos road worn, that would be great.

How often do you see a custom shop with a poly finish?

I dont think it is a passing fad, although I hope they get someone down to Ensenada to train these guys soon, the relics on the road worns look totally unreal and the fret boards relic is nothing like how a vintage fretboard would wear. Despite all the inaccuracies and cookie cutter looks to the RW series, they do play extremely well.

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Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

I think that has a lot to do with it... perhaps also the reason the Highway One Series is so popular. I also like the idea of a NOS nitro finished series but it seems a) Too similar to the Highway One series b) Like it might hurt sales of The Reg American Std series.