I don't hate pre-aging/Relics...

[Cuzzie]

Sandberg all the way - you can go from no ageing at all then light through to full on battering.
Plus their instruments are top notch

 

[tb4sbp]

I am not a big fan of relics
Shame though as the Fender Road Worn series get a lot of love

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I know many people like "reliced" look. That's okay with me. But to me, every time I see one, I think, "he should have taken better care of that instrument."

I bought a reliced Sandberg TT4 a few years ago for around $1700 and knocking it on anything by accident was just adding values to it and I wasn't even sad or mad of having done it. WHO WILL NOTICE IT ANYWAY...

 

[Cuzzie]

Exactly!!!!

 

[AndyPanda]

MJT for the win.....and any excuse to post these again. I need to take some pics fully assembled. I have basses with so called honest wear, some pristine and some road worns. I like the relic look and really like the necks on the Fender RW’s.
View attachment 3279373 View attachment 3279374

Love that green! But I'd need a matching E Type Jag to go with it.

 

[packhowitzer]

The ESP Vintage 4 was the only relic'd bass I ever really considered buying. And of course they aren't made anymore and I don't really see them on the used market very often. Cest la vie.

 

[IPA]

But Holy CRAP, there are a lot of really terrible home attempts at it for sale on Reverb and eBay. Many of them on poly finishes.

They are frequently hilarious. The only thing that makes a bad relic better is the paint huffer selling it, thinking it's worth a 300% markup because they went after it with a belt sander.

 

[St_G]

Yeah. The inspiration for this thread was sort of along those lines. It's not the WORST relic job I've seen, but it's PLENTY BAD. And somehow takes a $400 guitar up to a value of $650...

Custom Aged/Relic Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet w/ Bigsby - w/ Matching Relic'd Hard Case!

They are frequently hilarious. The only thing that makes a bad relic better is the paint huffer selling it, thinking it's worth a 300% markup because they went after it with a belt sander.

 

[lfmn16]

I have always felt that artificially ageing an instrument is phony/fake as hell. Always turn me off. Age by playing the crap out of it and having it along time.

I agree. And those guys with their red basses. Who the hell do they think they are fooling, that wood isn't really red, it's PAINTED!!!! Why can't they get red basses by bleeding on them over a long time like the rest of us?

Not everyone is as astute as you though.

 

[KenB]

Something I've always wondered... Why don't automobile companies (or custom modifiers) sell relicked trucks? Or Jeeps?

I see tons of SHINY Jeeps and 4x4 trucks all over the remote, rugged and brutal terrain of Ohio! What's the point?

Nothing makes you look more badass than a banged up off-roader!

Maybe there's a market there...

 

[Stevorebob]

I think they’re cool when done well. Otherwise, it’s just silly. Kinda like distressed jeans.

 

[St_G]

Google "rat-rod."

Something I've always wondered... Why don't automobile companies (or custom modifiers) sell relicked trucks? Or Jeeps?

I see tons of SHINY Jeeps and 4x4 trucks all over the remote, rugged and brutal terrain of Ohio! What's the point?

Nothing makes you look more badass than a banged up off-roader!

Maybe there's a market there...

 

[St_G]

Also, tangentially, there is NO good way to conjugate "relic" as a gerund, or even to put it into the past tense. Relicing? Looks like you're adding lice back into something... Relicked? Keep you tongue to yourself! At least until you get deloused.

 

[jaco944]

Yeah. The inspiration for this thread was sort of along those lines. It's not the WORST relic job I've seen, but it's PLENTY BAD. And somehow takes a $400 guitar up to a value of $650...

Custom Aged/Relic Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet w/ Bigsby - w/ Matching Relic'd Hard Case!

Case relic’ing.....my next business model.....think it’ll take off? Maybe reliced gig bags?

 

[Mannyinnewyork]

My ex-wife relic’d me. She did a lousy job.

 

[fhm555]

Is it real or is it relec? This is Starr Guitars. Seriously good finishing, refinishing, and relic work.

 

[Altitude]

Sandberg all the way - you can go from no ageing at all then light through to full on battering.
Plus their instruments are top notch

I've seen some very tasty relics on Sandberg basses. They seem to understand where the wear would actually occur over time.

 

[Mantis Tobaggan]

I love the relic on my CS jazz. It is like buying faded jeans. I would love to see a real 1960 jazz bass to compare.

 

[KenB]

Also, tangentially, there is NO good way to conjugate "relic" as a gerund, or even to put it into the past tense. Relicing? Looks like you're adding lice back into something... Relicked? Keep you tongue to yourself!

Standard English to add a K to verb ending in lic. Like frolic - frolicking.

 

[backin82]

Sandberg all the way - you can go from no ageing at all then light through to full on battering.
Plus their instruments are top notch

I never liked the idea of relics, and mostly didn't like the way they looked.

Until I saw Sandbergs....

Now one of my dream basses is either a Sandberg or Mike Lull PJ5 (very different looks, I know).