Why the relic fad should just die.
January 10, 2009 by Chris
Filed under Featured, Thoughts From Backstage
I am completely over this fascination with relic or road worn guitars. I don't mind them as a tribute to an iconic guitar owned by a famous guitarist (for example the Rory Gallagher Strat), but as a marketing gimmick? Fender at NAMM is launching the new entry level Relic series titled Road Worn. Here is what they have to say:
Some things just get cooler with age. It’s especially true of electric guitars and basses—they develop an unmistakable mojo that makes them look cooler, sound better and feel even more comfortable than when they were brand new. Hence the winter 2009 arrival of Fender’s new Road Worn series—Stratocaster, Telecaster, Precision Bass and Jazz Bass guitars that, while new, are designed to look like they’ve borne the wear, tear, blood, sweat and beers of thousands of miles on the road.
Now here is what I have to say:
This is the most meaningless way to make yourself feel important and "legitimate" as a guitarist as you can go. There is no character in these guitars, they all look the same. Part of the joy of having a beat up guitar is getting it to look that way. If you buy it like that from the factory, you don't live and grow with the guitar you just bought over time. It's like adopting a 10 year old with scars. You don't get the funny story about the kid falling out of the tree or scraping their knee learning how to skateboard, you just get a banged up kid.
My two main guitars are full of stories. They have been on the road. They have lived. One has a giant crack on the neck's finish from me throwing it into my amp and the end of the gig. That was the same gig I had a fat chick pour a beer on my head because I turned down her "invitation" to "party". My other main guitar has a matte finish on it that has been rubbed off by my right arm from too many hot night in hot bars in country New South Wales, Australia. Not to mention the countless dings and scratches that have happened from onstage (and offstage) mishaps.
What happened to these guitars was natural, an evolutionary process of myself as a guitarist and a performer, and the bonding between a man and his musical instrument. The guitar wears in to your playing, your body, your touch. This cannot be done from a factory. This can not be achieved without putting in the effort, the energy, the time, blood sweat and tears, the passion, everything it takes to be a real musician.
These guitars have no soul.
Seriously, if you are going out to buy a brand new PRS for example, and you get to the shop and they try to sell you at full price one with dints and rubbed off paint at full price, what would you think? Would you buy it?
I know I wouldn't. So why should trashing the guitar deliberately be any different? In my mind it isn't.
Image: Stephen Poff
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The “Relic” fad is wankery of the lowest order. And to further erode my faith in the essential non-idiocy of my fellow man, it’s obviously making money for Fender, because they’ve brought it downmarket with the “Road Worn” trademark.
On another level, I suppose it’s a credit to Leo Fender’s vision that the Strat and the Tele have been around for 40-odd years and have generated so many famously well-worn instruments to emulate. It’s just sad that people can’t be bothered to take the time to wear out their own axes.
There is one real benefit to the rest of us, though: It’s a great way to flag the posers and marks. I may be a mediocre guitarist with a fan base of exactly ZERO, but I can count myself an evolutionary step ahead of anyone who buys a “relic” guitar.
“It’s like adopting a 10 year old with scars. You don’t get the funny story about the kid falling out of the tree or scraping their knee learning how to skateboard, you just get a banged up kid.”
Haha that’s the best way I’ve heard it put yet.
Seriously, I’m becoming slightly disappointed in Fender. They’re putting all this time and money into making and advertising beat up Strats that sell for 2-3x the price that the same Strat in mint condition would. That time and money could be better spent making a new and improved Strat, Tele, Jag, Stang, Jazzmaster…
…though I’ve said this on another forum; it’s the consumers who pay outrageous amounts of money for someone to beat the shit out of their guitar that make that business profitable, so I guess we’ve only got ourselves to blame. Well, not me personally, but you know what I mean…
P.S., I see you’re also using Revolutions Church theme, like I am on my site… I’ve spent quite a bit of time getting familiar with it so that I don’t have to pay for tech support… it looks like you have also, so if you have any questions about the admin type stuff, feel free to send em my way. I may do the same to you one of these days
You’re right. As long as people keep buying them, Fender, and other manufacturer’s, will keep making them.
On the theme… I’ve got it nailed and I love it. I’ve got a slew of sights that need to be built that would all benefit from using it, but then I’ll end up with a bunch of sites that all look the same. I could get away with one of them as it will be a sister site to GTB, but the other is pushing it. Know of any other really good magazine style themes?
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Besides, why would you want to miss out on the early days of having a shining new guitar?
And I can’t even imagine how awful these “pre-aged” guitars will look once they have some real wear & tear.
I like relics, but then again, not having any history as to why your guitar is “aged” is kind of lame. I bought a 1998 Les Paul Standard for only $200 because it was all beat up looking which was awesome because I wasn’t worried about scratching or denting a $1,300 guitar. And just think, people pay extra for guitars being beat all up whereas I got a HUGE discount because it was beat…
Who knows…
Great post by the way.
Yeah, but if the relic thing goes away, what am I gonna blog about?
))
At least that guitar has a story. It may not be your own, but it is a story none the less.
And thanks for the compliment!
I’m sure we are both old and grumpy enough to find something!!!
Great storis, folks. Actually, I was about to be guilty of buying a relic ‘69. When they first came out, I laughed my butt off at them, and wondered who would be looney enough to buy one, but after I went through too many guitars in an embarrassingly short period of time, I realized finally what I wanted and didn’t want. I don’t gig out anymore, and missed that feeling of an old, beat up axe (like my first one, a Kramer V). Man, thank you folks, because I will get the 69 NOS I saw used instead.
To relic-cravers: Honestly, even if it looks cool, the sound might be lousy; you’ll haqve to go through as many of them as you would a normal axe, so give it some thought.
Well I respect your opinion if that’s what works for you…that’s a totally legitimate point of view.I,however love these guitars.I’ve owned and played Strats in all the price ranges.What I love most about these is that they come closest to the feel of original 50s and 60s Strats that I have played.More than most custom shop relics too,which I mostly find stiffer feeling.The main feature they possess that I love is the thinskin 100% nitro lacquer applied straight to the wood.That is unlike most Strats made today that are sprayed in polyester.Even the (supposed) U.S. reissues use a poly undercoat with nitro spayed on top.I’m not saying poly sounds bad but to my taste,a thin nitro finish gives the woodiest tone…just like how the original ones were made and sounded.For some strange reason,I really believe the relic job changes the tone.I’ve compared many N.O.S. vs. Relic custom shop models(which are both the same model except for the added wear)and I’ve always prefered the sound and vibe of the relic.Many people have told me the same…the could hear a difference.The difference with these compared to all my other strats is really obvious…acoustically and amplified.I’ve been giggig with them steadily for about 2 months and they are quickly starting to acquire my own relicing and vibe.This is due to the fragile nitro which wears fast.The factory relic job to me is only the ‘opening up’ of the guitar’s relicing.As it is played,it is quickly developing its own story.Within a year,you won’t be able to tell it was already reliced by the factory or not.Of course,a beat up guitar may not be for everyone but I personnaly love that feel and vibe.With my added sweat and playing wear,they are quickly becoming the best Strats I have ever owned.
Great response Sonny. I love it when someone comes on with experiences and shares it. Thanks for the input. I agree some relics are beautiful and do indeed serve the purpose of giving you a “worn in” feel from a new guitar. I just really hate how now almost every company is doing it for purely aesthetic reasons and that people are picking them up to make themselves feel “cool”.
If you find a guitar that sounds right for you, feels right for you, then who cares if it is a relic or not? If I found one that felt right for me I would pick it up instantly.