There are 300 year old Stradivarius violins that are in fine condition and are still in service. A vintage strat that looks as if it has been tossed through an airplane propeller is really disapointing to me... Always hate seeing rock stars smash instruments too. Just sayin...

I agree the whole fake worn thing isn't for me. But there are companies who make some incredible stuff you couldn't tell isn't 50 years old. I have no respect for stars destroying equipment especially since hardly any of us can afford to buy even used stuff. I'm a huge WHO fan but cringe when I see clips of them breaking all their stuff. Pete said he regrets doing some of it now and the guitars he chose to smash were shot anyway. I doubt it.

Yeah, thanks Rich, having made that statement I would like to add that I have distressed a couple of things over the years... I just don't like it as a trend I guess. Maybe I'm a hypocrite. I guess I probably am. I've just lost my taste for it though. The whole trend has just started to bum me out as I have grown older. It's just so damn contrived... such a trite thing to do... I dunno... Not judging anyone. It's your guitar. Do whatever makes you love it, and play the hell out of it.

White poly finishes definitely yellow with age, if you're not in a hurry. I bought this new in '88.

It has been looked after well but has spent very little time in it's case.
Stripped down, you can see how the poly has aged in 20+ years.


These finishes will develop their own vintage look, no need to try and imitate the aging of earlier instruments.
....Mark.

I've got a white '93 American Standard that looks alot like that guitar,Boxbang.....it has yellowed,and has some small cracks in the finish in places.

Mark..

I see the example on your white strat, but that looks like environmental staining - like nicotine or something. Or maybe some sort of light bleaching. Significant that under the pickguard it's as white as ever - presumably because it's covered.

I guess this means that what some people call "ageing" isn't exactly that. If so, the covered areas of the guitar would have "aged" as well..

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Fender Highway & Classic 60s Strats, Fender Toronado, Telecaster, Gretsch Projet, Charvel 3, PRS SE Soapbar II & Custom 24, Burns Batwing and many others!

Yeah adey, it's no doubt environmental. Possibly from smoky jams, but mainly UV light. It's not a film though, I've cleaned it a thousand times. Inside the cutaways there are some really dark patches that seem to come from the wood underneath.
Whatever the cause of this aging, it is what it is. My point was that these finishes age differently to older guitars.
Mark.

The white one I have is being used by my son gigging in smoky bars,and I figured nicotine had a yellowing effect on it,after cleaning off some of the grime when doing some repair work on it,I could tell it was quite a bit different under the pickguard.
Comparing it to a photo made around 15 years ago,you could see a big difference in the color from when it was newer.

Lads here's my 2 cents for what it's worth.

Looking old does not mean a guitar IS old, you aren't fooling anyone (especially if you are 20 something and playing in a church praise band or a dinky little Pub band).
Playing an old looking guitar does not mean that you play it any better.
Playing an old looking guitar does not increase your credibility as a guitar player.
It's about the music you make, not the way your guitar looks. Poseurs are more about image than content, don't be "that guy" (or girl).

I wouldn't pay the extra coin for a guitar that has been purposely and falsely aged. They don't feel any better and they don't sound any better. To my way of thinking there just isn't any point to it.

But that being said, to each his own. Spend your money as you see fit, and play what makes you happy.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"

You knew this trend for relic guitars was over (uncool) as soon as Fender came out with them! ...My 1982 '57 Reissue Strat has some wear but every bit of it was done by playing the dang thing...that is the only real way to get it, because it is the feel not the look of the wear that really matters.



T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.