I tend to be laid back about peoples taste but I really don't see the attraction to a guitar, especially an expensive one, made to look old and beat up at the factory. To me it's kinda faking the age and use. My wife reminded me that we used to buy brand new jeans that looked old for fashion. Is that what the fuss about road worn guitars is? I just don't get it.

_________________
TOO MANY GUITARS, TOO LITTLE TIME!

Current Stable:
Fender Stratocaster MIM 07
Squire II Stratocaster MIK 89?
ESP LTD MH-100QM
Jackson KE3 Kelly MIJ

Maybe along the same lines as buying jeans that already have holes, or are "stone-washed" to look like an old worn-in pair. I can see the comfort factor of the stone-washed, but the holes?

It's funny, maybe contradicting, but I refused to buy jeans that were already "worn" for my kids, yet I like the "Road Worn" guitars. With the "worn" guitars, the comfort factor is probably part of it too, and the guitar will still last for a lifetime, unlike the jeans.

I think that it's fair to say that most anyone would love to have a guitar from the '50's or '60's that is really worn, and since most can't afford the real deal, the road worn is as close as many will ever get. A retro sort of thing, vibe and all that.

Check out some Custom Shop relics sometime, very cool IMO, and look like an actual older instrument. The Road Worn is a less expensive alternative.

Of course some will cry "foul!", but to each his own.

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

I guess I can see the point in comfort if they have that natural feel to them but I would be one of those that cry foul I guess. When I see a guitar with actual wear I can imagine the things that guitar has been through. All the playing and love that has been soaked up buy it. When I see a new worn or relic I just imagine some guy in the factory taking a sander to a brand new guitar. Makes me cringe!

_________________
TOO MANY GUITARS, TOO LITTLE TIME!

Current Stable:
Fender Stratocaster MIM 07
Squire II Stratocaster MIK 89?
ESP LTD MH-100QM
Jackson KE3 Kelly MIJ

Really must be a Freudian thing, as you pointed out, unless you know that it's factory wear vs actual player wear, you have no problem.

I guess that the guitar players that like to sand the back of the neck should be flogged because they didn't "earn" the worn, comfortable neck? (JK)

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Actually, the back of the neck is perfectly acceptable. That's a comfort thing and helps with playing. Nothing worse than your hand stuttering the back of a neck. once again, that sanding should be done by the player/owner to suite their comfort.

_________________
TOO MANY GUITARS, TOO LITTLE TIME!

Current Stable:
Fender Stratocaster MIM 07
Squire II Stratocaster MIK 89?
ESP LTD MH-100QM
Jackson KE3 Kelly MIJ

I guess its all in what you like. I like the looks but I don't own one. I did buy one when they first came out but sold it when I got my first Custom Shop guitar.

There have been a few threads here about the Road Worn guitars, complete with many points of view, from love to hate and everything in between. If you are interested, try the search feature at the top of the page for the topic "Road Worn".

I bought a Road Worn '60s myself. Everyone that has seen it has ooo'd and aaah'd, complimenting the look, and asks first how old it is, not whether or not it is like that from the factory. The first time that I saw a Custom Shop Relic hanging on the wall at IRC, I thought that it was the real deal, and was pleased that the price didn't match. Still expensive though.

I don't get why anyone cares about the difference. It's worn, why in the world would it matter how it got that way? Example, you find an old guitar in the pawn shop, you buy it and really dig it. Then someone admits that they sanded it to make it look old. And suddenly you don't like it as much?

I am reminded of the time when I had to trick my kids into trying sardines. Their mother had convinced them how horrible sardines were, she didn't like them at all. So, I told my kids that I had chocolate sardines, and asked if they would try them. They eagerly agreed, and took a bite. At first their smiles turned to a yucky look, followed by: "heeeey, these aren't choco.......wow, these taste great!" And they've been lovin' 'em ever since.

But, I do understand that some people don't like the RW, and I am not mad at them.

I guess that a picture would be appropriate.

Ooooooh! Aaaaahhh!

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer in everyone's personal tastes and don't think that I am disrespectful of their right. I just think it is strange that relic and road worn guitars seem to have become a trend and I am trying to understand the reasoning behind it. I will say one thing, a road worn guitar from the factory will have more accurate wear patterns than most home jobs.

_________________
TOO MANY GUITARS, TOO LITTLE TIME!

Current Stable:
Fender Stratocaster MIM 07
Squire II Stratocaster MIK 89?
ESP LTD MH-100QM
Jackson KE3 Kelly MIJ

True.

I tried it, and it is difficult to get a realistic look, especially with a poly finish. Although not terrible for my first try, not quite as good as those from the Fender factory. Although, I must say that I like the way my neck looks, it looks better than the RW`50's IMO. The guitar was very nearly pristine when I started. Since the wear patterns are very consistent from one guitar to the next on the RW, I guess that it's done by machine.

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

so let me get this right. the white one is a factory road worn and the black is your handiwork? I ask because the black one seems to be more natural looking. I think the pick guard on the white looks a little fake.

_________________
TOO MANY GUITARS, TOO LITTLE TIME!

Current Stable:
Fender Stratocaster MIM 07
Squire II Stratocaster MIK 89?
ESP LTD MH-100QM
Jackson KE3 Kelly MIJ

i never got road worn either yes its a way to get a guitar that looks like its from the 50s or 60s but having to explain that your guitar is not vintage its just road worn and then having to explain road worn is just when a guitar is put into a machine and worn down, the idea of road worn loses its cool factor

personally i would rather wear a guitar down myself seeing the wear on an instrument and knowing it was me playing is pretty cool and keeps me playing

Yes.



Heck yeah! Nothing better than "earning" it yourself. But some of us amateurs will be dead long before we can wear through a modern poly finish on a guitar. We can't wait!

_________________
---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Not dissing the white one but I think that pick guard you did looks more authentic. My other other hobby is scale modeling and weathering, wear marks are all part of it. from a detail stand point Your job passes the "eyeball" test. Great job. It looks like a guitar that has seen the inside of many bars and been loved a lot.

_________________
TOO MANY GUITARS, TOO LITTLE TIME!

Current Stable:
Fender Stratocaster MIM 07
Squire II Stratocaster MIK 89?
ESP LTD MH-100QM
Jackson KE3 Kelly MIJ

I'm just trying to play the heck out of mine hoping to someday get it authentically worn, but I fear that as Shimmi says, getting through that polyurethane is going to take quite a bit longer than if it was a nitro job.

There are probably 30 threads on this very topic. Search function is your friend.