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

[retslock]

It’s that weird dichotomy on this. Some people love a relic IF it had been done by playing it for years.

So if you took 2 basses side by side with no knowledge on how they got their worn look, but they looked pretty much identical give or take, and they both sounded and played great as well.

1 was a relic finish, 1 was a years of playing finish, and it was really difficult to tell apart.
Would you turn your like into dislike once you found out which one was a relic finish?

I have to say, personally I like a wide range of finishes from solid colours, to relics to exotic woods.
I just like wood and basses I guess.

Firstly, I don’t love a beat up bass because of it’s finish whether old or fake. It’s just something that happens to old basses naturally. A bass is a bass and though I would not go looking for one, if I needed a bass and the phoney relic sounded and played best I’d probably buy it. My most likely course of action then because I also love wood, would be to strip the phoneyness off it so I could see all of the wood.
I did that to my SR655 that only comes in the fake “antique” finish in Australia. It looks much better now. I’m not trying to tell anybody how to finish their bass, I just don’t get the phoney ageing.

 

[alembicguy]

You mean that isn’t your given or family name.
All these years I been fooled.....!

All these years. That's cute.

 

[ultra60]

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.
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Interesting note. SW had two Jaco relics side by side to compare. The relic marks were identical. I always thought someone took some tools to those but apparently it must be done by computer.

I have a Vintage 4. Based on pics I've seen, I'd say they were all done by computer as well. The relic jobs are identical. The only thing I found strange was they applied the poly over all the wear spots. Does not matter to me. These are great basses.

 

[jaco944]

just don't put a fake burn mark on the headstock is all I ask

The fender burns are terrible, I smoke and fixed it right up.

 

[jaco944]

This is a weird trend. I’ve got nothing against playing a beat up bass - I have one - but it got that way ‘cos it’s old. I don’t get trying to make a new bass look old....weird. I don’t get in a knot about it. I just don’t get why.

For me I could never afford a vintage bass and loved the necks on the Fender RW’s, I didn’t especially care for the uniformity of the relic so had it refinished as my dream vintage bass if I could find it and afford it.

 

[Cuzzie]

I think this is an important point above

 

[sailri]

Just as silly as "new" jeans made to look "worn" complete with holes pre ripped into them.

FAKE MOJO

This is a very weak piece of logic. Most denim sold is relicked. That means your pants too. Unless you’re admitting to paying more for that expensive Selvage Raw Denim only.

 

[sailri]

This is a weird trend. I’ve got nothing against playing a beat up bass - I have one - but it got that way ‘cos it’s old. I don’t get trying to make a new bass look old....weird. I don’t get in a knot about it. I just don’t get why.

The “why” is easy. Lots of bass players think this is beautiful.
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And they want on just like it.

Or I’m lying and saying that this is not a 1962 Fender and it’s really a 2017 custom Shop relic of one.

If you like the looks, as is, and without feeling the need to refinish this to brand new, and you want it, then you want it Gas. Vintage. Love it.

Maybe half of the relic haters hate the idea but don’t go into the Pre-CBS threads and hate on the real vintage instruments.

If you can’t see the difference at least admit it.

If you hate how all basses with wear look, admit it. And I mean all.

I rarely see that mentioned in these threads.

We like or love Pre CBS Fenders. We appreciate them with wear and without. AND we like the look of fakes too because we can admit that we can’t tell them apart 100% of the time.

 

[sailri]

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

Care to share what are the last two jeans you bought?

 

[jaco944]

The “why” is easy. Lots of bass players think this is beautiful.
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And they want on just like it.

Or I’m lying and saying that this is not a 1962 Fender and it’s really a 2017 custom Shop relic of one.

If you like the looks, as is, and without feeling the need to refinish this to brand new, and you want it, then you want it Gas. Vintage. Love it.

Maybe half of the relic haters hate the idea but don’t go into the Pre-CBS threads and hate on the real vintage instruments.

If you can’t see the difference at least admit it.

If you hate how all basses with wear look, admit it. And I mean all.

I rarely see that mentioned in these threads.

We like or love Pre CBS Fenders. We appreciate them with wear and without. AND we like the look of fakes too because we can admit that we can’t tell them apart 100% of the time.

Love that, can’t tell and don’t care.

 

[4001]

This is a very weak piece of logic. Most denim sold is relicked. That means your pants too. Unless you’re admitting to paying more for that expensive Selvage Raw Denim only.
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I bought a new pair of Levi's that weren't "worn" at all and yes, MOST new jeans are "worn" but ther pair I got are brand spankin' new.

I'll wear them out myself... over time.

 

[4001]

Basses that are genuine road worn ones have real stories connected to the dings...
Pre-reliced' basses have stories like, "that ding was from my screwdriver and that one over there was from a little too much from the sander and that one there is a cigarette burn that I made with a soldering iron."

Hey, if you like it, fine. I just think it is silly.

 

[sailri]

I bought a new pair of Levi's that weren't "worn" at all and yes, MOST new jeans are "worn" but ther pair I got are brand spankin' new.

I'll wear them out myself... over time.

Which model

Basses that are genuine road worn ones have real stories connected to the dings...
Pre-reliced' basses have stories like, "that ding was from my screwdriver and that one over there was from a little too much from the sander and that one there is a cigarette burn that I made with a soldering iron."

Hey, if you like it, fine. I just think it is silly.

No silly is you telling us that after you look at 1000 photos of either true vintage instruments or expensive custom shop relics you can tell the difference 100% of the the time because the stories tell you. Gruhn should hire you. Think of the savings in labor costs because you can tell if a pot was resoldered without looking just because the stories told you.

 

[JRA]

But Holy CRAP, there are a lot of really terrible home attempts

a relic job, done correctly, takes years. and those are almost always free!

 

[2saddleslab]

Basses that are genuine road worn ones have real stories connected to the dings...
Pre-reliced' basses have stories like, "that ding was from my screwdriver and that one over there was from a little too much from the sander and that one there is a cigarette burn that I made with a soldering iron."

Hey, if you like it, fine. I just think it is silly.

Yes, it means so much more when you accidently bang your bass against a kick drum. Now you have a memory to cherish for a lifetime. Something you'll have to remember to tell the kids. Yeah, good times.......

 

[sailri]

I bought a new pair of Levi's that weren't "worn" at all and yes, MOST new jeans are "worn" but ther pair I got are brand spankin' new.

I'll wear them out myself... over time.

I’m not even talking worn Levi’s. I’m talking color. Of new ones. Most are not even deep (synthetic dye) indigo color. Because after they make them they fade the colors to the preferred shade of blue.

 

[4sight]

I'm not a fan, but on a nitro finish it can be done tastefully. I agree that the poly ones look ridiculous. Poly doesn't really wear through like nitro does. Chip, dent, crack and sometime shear off in big chunks, yes.

 

[KenB]

But frolic has dutch and germanic roots. Relic comes from old French and middle English. The rules wouldn't necessarily be the same.

Can you give me an example of a verb in English that ends in C that doesn’t require a K when adding a suffix?

Picknicking, panicking, panicked, trafficking. Even in D&D: a wizard who uses magic is a magicker.

So relicking. Even if it looks creepy.

I don’t think the entomology matters.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

I just leave my practice bass on a stand in the kids playroom. Job done!

Found Master Splinter in my Gretsch the other day. That bass is well on its way....

 

[gln1955]

Can you give me an example of a verb in English that ends in C that doesn’t require a K when adding a suffix?

Picknicking, panicking, panicked, trafficking. Even in D&D: a wizard who uses magic is a magicker.

So relicking. Even if it looks creepy.

I don’t think the entomology matters.

The etymology of entomology is entomon (greek for insect) and ology (greek for study of).