It seems every few years, words pop up in our lexicon and become buzz words, a decade ago it was "hero", a word way overused. Then, with buying used, it was "Relic'd", AKA; abused. It used to be if something wasnt taken care of well, it would cost you less. The Fender came along with that damn Relic pieces. Now on craigslist or somewhere similiar, someone can put up a badly maintained instrument, lable it Relic, and ask the same(Sometimes more), than if it was inexcellent condition.

Now its "vintage". Everything over 25 years(but getting lower and lower)old is called Vintage, and priced as a premium. I wish there was some criteria to call something vintage instead of just age.

Not all old things are vintage, some are just old.

So true!

I've been trying to figure out if I'm vintage or Relic'd or just old!

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2000 American Deluxe Stratocaster
2011 Gibson Les Paul Trad Pro 50's
2007 Epi Les Paul Custom
90's ESP Eclipse
JH-1B Jimi Hendrix Crybaby
Analogman KOT
Korg Pitchblack
Boss NS-2 PH-2
Blues Deluxe Reissue
1999 & 2007 Marshall TSL 100 w/1960BV cab

Vintage is something that hasn't happened in 50 years. The best guitars were made in the 50's and 60's. Even in the 70's,(when I started as a full time musician), the 50's and 60's guitars were sought after. Sure, when they figured out how to assembly line guitars, there was some good ones, but back then you could try 20 stratocasters to find a good one. Sporadically, there are some sought after guitars, but not like the price of true vintage. I had a 1968 Les Paul custom and a 1970 Les Paul. The value of the 1968 was 10 times the value of the 1970. I sold them both and that bore true. I will never buy a worn out guitar,new already, as I will restore it to new if I found one.

I'm getting OLD!
I've seen and played lots of Strats that are "vintage",real,original,honest to goodness playing wear,and most look so good to me...and most are nowhere near the beaten to hell,relic'd,modern jobs.....I've seen some relic jobs that look like the guitar was beaten with hammers and chains,and urinated on,nothing I would buy,but to each his own.

Rebel, are you talking about the relic jobs done on Fender Custom Shop guitars or relics done by others?

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

Thank god someone finally had the courage to speak on this rarely-discussed subject.

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Jim Bordner
Gravity Music - www.gravitymusic.com
Composer, producer, Egnater Artist

I liken the Relics, to buying a brand new pick up and then taking it mudding! WTF For? Just doesn't make sense to me.

I played a relic just for giggles the other week and I was NOT impressed...the body was ok, felt good, but the neck was just so obviously relic'd and not played into that condition and played like crap...relic's are for posers...IMHO.

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

This isn't a very complex phenomena...

In around the 80's people began promoting the collecting of modern 50s and 60s era, guitars, because all of the truly Vintage (Pre-war) stuff was getting scarce and electrics were a new area for exploitation.

When the 59 Les Paul's dried up, the focus shifted to Fenders (primarily) and a few other brands. Relics showed up when rich rock stars began having their iconic instruments copied scratch-for-scratch by their sponsors. (Gibson even produced the Slash Les Paul model, despite the fact that Slashes main LP's were all custom made by an independent luthier in LA.) Once the public found out about that kind of service, the whole "Custom Shop" thing took off and with it the relicing craze.

As far as I'm concerned, this is all about people wanting to own Eric Clapton's "Blackie" and since only Clapton can have that, people are settling for a carbon copy of the real thing, scratches, cigarette burns and all. Why? Because it's a way of acquiring status.

If you check the stats (Like in "Vintage Guitar"), prices for "Vintage" guitars are dropping faster and faster, as the bubble bursts and guitars seek their true market value. Very few of those $40K Strats and $200K 59 LP's will be worth what the owners paid for em, anytime in the future.

If you don't understand how this all works, get and read a copy of Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of electric Sheep". (The film is called "Blade Runner".)

Hey.... If reliced guitars are worth so much more than a stock/new one, how come when I try to sell my beat up guitars, I'm always offered less than I paid for em?

I don't get it myself. Why someone would pay for something already beatup is a mystery. i try to keep my equipment as nice as possible for as long as possible. Those battle scars should be earned with use, not pre-bought abuse. Same thing goes for the folks that buy jeans already beatup and ripped and pay 200 bucks a pair. Nothing like wearing out a good pair of jeans on your own! Funny nobody wants a relic'd vehicle!

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"Where would rock and roll be without feedback?"

Haven't seen many relic'd amps either......



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

No, the phenomenon has spread to that piece of gear, too:

http://gretschpages.com/forum/other-guitars/fender-limited-1955-relic-tele-pro-twed-junior-amp/9861/page1/

A few years ago, Dunlop started offering an Eric Sardinas "Preachin' Pipe" slide...it purported to be shaped exactly like his worn-out brass slide.

What's next? Relic'd capos? Relic'd stompboxes? Relic'd earplugs (with pre-attached ear wax)?

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Actually some people do. Down South, here in Alabama some people purposely make their car look all muddy so it looks like they've been " muddin' " even when they haven't. Also look up the term "Rat-Rod".

All these relic'd stuff is for posers to make it look like they paid their dues. Most Pro's I know use new equipment and have 20 or more guitars on stage. I wouldn't mind somebody handing me an New American Standard Stratocaster all set up with new strings after I broke a string.

You do know the first ones were made because Keith Richards asked for them, right?

A relic is a stage prop, no different than a fancy strap or a hat or that stupid leather vest your lead singer insists on wearing instead of a shirt. Hating them is a waste of mental energy.

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Jim Bordner
Gravity Music - www.gravitymusic.com
Composer, producer, Egnater Artist

To be clear; its not the Relic's, or "vintage" items that bother me, its what they've done to the market place. Like the example i gave of 10 years ago buying a Les Paul or Strat with paint worn off, checked finish, rusty hardware would mean you being able to purchase it cheaper. Now, they call it relic and charge you more.
Or a 1982 Kramer, being "vintage", IMO, it isnt vintage, its old.