There are of course practical reasons to remove the finish from the back of the neck. That, along with something like rolling the edges of the fingerboard can make noticeable changes in how a bass feels. That's different from purely aesthetic changes like removing paint, causing weather checking with a freezer, or faux aging hardware, none of which are going to improve feel or playability in any noticeable way.
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My Opinion on Reliced Instruments
- Thread starter Aeronut
- Start date
Dude you could walk through Times Square on a busy Saturday afternoon and 9 times out of 10 not a single person would notice the bass and think of Flea. It's in no way similar to a jersey with a name on it.
I don't like relic instruments, but it's cool you have the option. I do think it's next-level silly to see a top tier builder finish a guitar in tobacco sunburst, then spray it pink, then spray it blue, then tear it up with a sander so it looks like you've worn through three layers of paint.
I have a photo somewhere I can't find, frustrated. In the early 2000's a San Diego area guy got a steal on a 1960-something jazz, truly like-new, spent decades in a case. The seller inherited it and thought it was just one more bit of junk to move on. So the guy gets this bass, and people don't believe it's real but rather a re-issue because it looks so fresh. So, alcohol and coke and hand-tools converged. Before the relic fad settled in, so I guess he was a pioneer. I'm not a vintage instrument guy, but even so it was horrific. Georgio, you out here on TB?
I don't like relic instruments, but it's cool you have the option. I do think it's next-level silly to see a top tier builder finish a guitar in tobacco sunburst, then spray it pink, then spray it blue, then tear it up with a sander so it looks like you've worn through three layers of paint.
I have a photo somewhere I can't find, frustrated. In the early 2000's a San Diego area guy got a steal on a 1960-something jazz, truly like-new, spent decades in a case. The seller inherited it and thought it was just one more bit of junk to move on. So the guy gets this bass, and people don't believe it's real but rather a re-issue because it looks so fresh. So, alcohol and coke and hand-tools converged. Before the relic fad settled in, so I guess he was a pioneer. I'm not a vintage instrument guy, but even so it was horrific. Georgio, you out here on TB?
Personally I owned one of the early road worn p basses. I loved the feel that came with it. The dried out body was ultra light and the neck was nicely broken in. Probably my favourite bass for most of my early days and I’ve had all sorts of way more expensive ones. It slowly became my main player as I sold the expensive ones.
One thing bugged me about it. The finish was just too tacky for me. Every road worn had the exact same wear marks on it. I actually spent a lot of time contemplating having the body refinished because I loved everything else. Just found it kinda dumb. I think the relicing thing is perfectly cool. The CS relic basses are just works of art, each builder trying to replicate a wear pattern and making them unique adds to the vibe making it more of a 1 of 1. There is no impression that this is supposed to look like you played it “this much” I really just think it’s a canvas for builders to make something look different while keeping the instrument itself intact.
I think the new road worns are way more tasteful with just basic checking and dings. I think to me that’s perfect for that broken in feel and look. No shiny finishes that beam the audience down when the light hits it.
Anyway. I don’t own any road worn or reliced instruments. I understand the appeal and also why people don’t like them. I am working to make my CS NOS develop its own wear but I have nothing against relicing whatsoever.
Oh and my 1950 J45 has been reliced for 75 years in a multi generational collab.
One thing bugged me about it. The finish was just too tacky for me. Every road worn had the exact same wear marks on it. I actually spent a lot of time contemplating having the body refinished because I loved everything else. Just found it kinda dumb. I think the relicing thing is perfectly cool. The CS relic basses are just works of art, each builder trying to replicate a wear pattern and making them unique adds to the vibe making it more of a 1 of 1. There is no impression that this is supposed to look like you played it “this much” I really just think it’s a canvas for builders to make something look different while keeping the instrument itself intact.
I think the new road worns are way more tasteful with just basic checking and dings. I think to me that’s perfect for that broken in feel and look. No shiny finishes that beam the audience down when the light hits it.
Anyway. I don’t own any road worn or reliced instruments. I understand the appeal and also why people don’t like them. I am working to make my CS NOS develop its own wear but I have nothing against relicing whatsoever.
Oh and my 1950 J45 has been reliced for 75 years in a multi generational collab.
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A reliced neck may feel better cause it's worn in. Rounded fretboard edges, knocked down finish on the back, etc.
I only own one reliced bass (in my sig) but it was already 30 years old when it was stripped, refinished in satin nitro and reliced. I can see that the neck has genuine wear on the edges - having rolled edges myself on other basses and seen factory jobs, actual rounding from playing is always more subtle and uneven.
The nitro finish was gummy but it shined up in a week from playing it and now feels amazing. Poly just doesn't feel the same.
I hate reliced necks where the finish is taken off entirely and in a straight line. That would never happen. I've been playing this neck for 4 years and the finish has not worn off in any spot, let alone in a clean line.
On the body I fail to see how it improves the feel the than where I anchor my thumb - the satin jitro has shined up nicely. it feels good to touch the nitro on the horns but I can;t do that while I play.
As for tone, I don't think it does anything. My poly P bass sounds better because it has a better pickup and a more robust body. I think bass tone mostly comes from the thickness of the neck, the pickups and the strings. It's not an acoustic instrument!
To me relic is the feel on the neck, the look and the peace of mind. I can put this bass on the floor, lend it to people, drop it, etc. Perfect for the crummy dives I play!
The less you give thought to what any other human thinks about a reliced instrument the happier you'll be. It serves no purpose to dwell on what someone else thinks about an instrument you love, I find all reliced instruments beautiful and comforting as it allows me to completely forgo my OCD tendencies and just maximize the time I actually spend playing. Dwelling on something you have no control over serves zero purpose, haters going to hate.
I don't like reliced finishes. True or fake, I don't like the way they look. I don't like black basses with rosewood necks or white with maple. I don't like basses with no pickguard. I don't like mint pickguards on any color except green. Oh well.
I would guess most of the love for the feel of a reliced bass has to do with the neck. Finish, rolled edges, low frets. If you had that on a new poly-finished body I'm thinking most relic fans would be happy. But I am just guessing.
I would guess most of the love for the feel of a reliced bass has to do with the neck. Finish, rolled edges, low frets. If you had that on a new poly-finished body I'm thinking most relic fans would be happy. But I am just guessing.
Is your Profile picture a picture of you playing a black bass with rosewood fingerboard?
This brings up one thing i loved about the original Lakland “signature” basses, the Joe Osborne and Bob Glaub models: they were very well crafted and modelled after authentically used and worn in instruments, and even the Skyline versions felt that way. No relicing necessary. Just a smooth, worn-in, ready to play neck.
My main bass for a long time was a Fender Roger Waters Pbass, and i took a scouring pad to the back of the neck a couple times, but over the years of playing it smoothed out and lost the sticky.
I also owned a brand new nitro-finished bass that i played the crap out of, and it started looking gnarly. Felt great too.
End of the day, i just want a bass that plays excellently, and if i end up with a reliced bass, that’s cool. I’d rather not, but tone and playability supercede everything else.
My main bass for a long time was a Fender Roger Waters Pbass, and i took a scouring pad to the back of the neck a couple times, but over the years of playing it smoothed out and lost the sticky.
I also owned a brand new nitro-finished bass that i played the crap out of, and it started looking gnarly. Felt great too.
End of the day, i just want a bass that plays excellently, and if i end up with a reliced bass, that’s cool. I’d rather not, but tone and playability supercede everything else.
Wow, I hope Georgio is in a better place today.
About the Flea bass, it's not what others would know, it's what I know. Like the Jersey, it's about owning something that represents someone else, not me.
I buy tall shirts so I don't "accidentally relic" my basses - for some reason buckle rash seems more of an issue (I really don't like buckle rash) than wear in other places. I wouldn't mind if one of my basses had visible wear, but the finishes I put on them (thin but tough poly urethane) just don't wear. If I hit something, I can get a tiny ding, but the finish does not de-laminate - the finish stays with the wood, so you don't see the dings unless you look really closely, with the light at the right angle.
A relic Is a fashion thing - if it's your aesthetic, OK. If it makes you want to play your instrument enough that you practice more, I'm all for it. Honestly, if you show up to a gig, I don't care what your instrument (guitar or bass) looks like, or what it says on the headstock. If you can play, we're good.
A relic Is a fashion thing - if it's your aesthetic, OK. If it makes you want to play your instrument enough that you practice more, I'm all for it. Honestly, if you show up to a gig, I don't care what your instrument (guitar or bass) looks like, or what it says on the headstock. If you can play, we're good.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
And here I am taking pride in the fact that my main bass is thirteen years old and even after hundreds of gigs is still ding-free (knock on wood - though not hard enough to damage the wood!). 
I don't think that the majority of relic jobs have anything to do with replicating another specific instrument - they're merely "replicating" wear and tear. I personally find that bizarre but I'm not going to get worked up over it.
If I found a relic'd bass that sounded and played great I wouldn't let the relic aspect deter me from buying it.
I don't think that the majority of relic jobs have anything to do with replicating another specific instrument - they're merely "replicating" wear and tear. I personally find that bizarre but I'm not going to get worked up over it.
If I found a relic'd bass that sounded and played great I wouldn't let the relic aspect deter me from buying it.
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Agree 100% on the jersey. Less so on the sig bass. I see it as a tool and I don’t mind using other people’s tools.
One thing I learned, subjectively of course, is that flea is a shoddy human. I did not know that or the story about the ‘61 J. That’s unfortunate if true and likewise would bother me (bother might already be creeping in).
Relicing a bit fake for my taste, but....
The RW and Flea basses are great players with great necks, vintage hardware, pickups and boards. Best value for money in the Fender range?
I got over my discomfort with the relic nitro finish on the Flea bass by stripping it back to natural. It's "my" finish now.
The RW and Flea basses are great players with great necks, vintage hardware, pickups and boards. Best value for money in the Fender range?
I got over my discomfort with the relic nitro finish on the Flea bass by stripping it back to natural. It's "my" finish now.
They're a big part of the business and lots of cats like them, but I don't like them at all, so as usual, I may be swimming uphill.
I own a Sandberg Oliver Reidel signature bass that is reliced except on the back of the neck. Where it really counts! That's OK though, it feels nice. As far as a neck with the nitro worn off - meh, give me a nice smooth roasted maple neck and I'm good.
This might get me in hot water but I chuckle a bit at people who like relics because they don't have to worry about dinging up their bass. I mean, if you like the relic look why is denting it traumatic? You should welcome that first scratch. Why pay someone else to do it?
This might get me in hot water but I chuckle a bit at people who like relics because they don't have to worry about dinging up their bass. I mean, if you like the relic look why is denting it traumatic? You should welcome that first scratch. Why pay someone else to do it?
Same here, that's why I bought the Sandberg Oliver Reidel. I compared it with a non-reliced Sandberg with nearly identical specs and preferred the Reidel. I'd rather it was unblemished but hey, you take 'em as you find 'em!
Funny note, when the JMJ mustang first came out, i asked Justin if he could get one without the dents and such, and he said he couldn't. I'd have been all over a new one free of blemishes, but so it goes....
My personal take...
I scratch my head just as much by folks who lose their minds over every scratch and ding, who rush to restore those blemishes back to "pristine " condition, as I do those who intentionally scratch and ding new instruments to appear old and worn.
Maybe the combination of hard poly finishes and fanatical care of instruments have drivin those who like the worn look to have to artificially relic to achieve the effect.
Artificially aged things certainly isn't just a guitar thing.
My mom, in the 70s, went all in on "antiquing " furniture with special painting.
And the car guys spend money creating fake rust!
To each, his own.....
I rest my case.
