My Opinion on Reliced Instruments

[Bass4ThePublic]

Yeah, my instruments reflect my playing level, not my income level. I COULD afford an Alembic bass, or a prewar Martin D-28, or a custom this or that, but I'd feel like a doofus bringing it to play my rudimentary cowboy chords.

You only live once, dude. I say buy the alembic. Remember, music is not a meritocracy.

 

[maturanesa]

I’ve seen some pretty cool art on pickguards - truly unique and interesting, and easily reversed if you have the art on a spare. Of course, changing guards, knobs, jingle bobs hanging from the headstock, scarfs, etc. I’ve seen all kinds of cool stuff. Nothing wrong with putting fake wear on, if that’s your thing; but I agree it’s far from unique at this point.

I’m always reminded of a friend’s dad who was a boot and saddle maker I worked for during summers as a kid: He had contracts with some swanky buyers in Aspen, Jackson Hole, and other places where “Cowboy” was the kitsch. He would pull out this mini-Rangers bat that he had driven nails, staples, and all kinds of crap into - looked like a torture device. Every time he’d whack my hard work with it, he’d laugh, “there’s another 5 bucks…”. Never saddles, chaps, anything real cattlemen and cowboys used; just fashion stuff. Lost him in a car accident 10 years ago, but I think of Buddy all the time when I see stuff with fake wear. That was the 90s, so the trend of buying stuff that was already torn up was pretty new, I think - at least it was in rural Texas!

Cool. I think any kind of art you do in your bass is going to give a particular music genre vibe. The goog thing about a relic is the fact that the instrument remains neutral. For example you paint your pickguard too fancy and it cringes for jazz, or metal. Putting stickers too.

 

[NocoLaw]

Fair point! I once had my wife paint tentacles on a pickguard for a sweet blue bass and called it the Krakken! I loved it for my funky jammy project; but absolutely, I would never have taken it to a country/americana/blues-rock gig!

 

[NocoLaw]

You only live once, dude. I say buy the alembic. Remember, music is not a meritocracy.

Amen! There’s a coolness to someone killing it on a Squier; but I feel zero qualms about expensive instruments with lower skill level. It’s just as logical, if not more, to reward yourself for the work, wisdom, etc. it took you to be able to afford an Alembic by buying one, if that’s what sparks joy - YOLO, and you can’t take it with you!!!

 

[Pep]

Here’s my only relic’d bass. It a Vintage (brand) VJ74 Pro Shop Custom. One of the best playing and sounding basses I own.

 

[SJan3]

Maybe the best feeling neck I've ever got my hands on was a relic Nash P bass copy. I love the feel of the necks on relic instruments, nice and broken in. To me it's the polar opposite of those sticky from the factory glossy MIM Fender necks I can't stand.

Almost no company makes a heavy relic body that actually looks legit though, and I tend to think that the look is overkill. I'd like to see more light relics. A broken in neck, and the body doesn't look like someone went after it with an orbital sander and a pickaxe.

My NASH is a light relic. Looks legit to me.

 

[DuluthDank]

My NASH is a light relic. Looks legit to me. View attachment 7355635View attachment 7355636View attachment 7355637View attachment 7355638

That looks like exactly my kind of bass!

 

[SJan3]

That looks like exactly my kind of bass!

Humbucker music sells lightly reliced NASH basses. They have a 7 day return policy if not satisfied.

 

[Yahboy]

After over a decade of having the same stable of gear, this year I changed over instruments. In fact, I sold and replaced all but one guitar that I started the year with. When making this transition I came to appreciate reliced guitars and basses. Among my previous guitars was a 50 year old Les Paul that looked great, played very well, and sounded amazing for rock. In spite of this, I just never bonded with something about it. I had never paid too much attention to it but even after all those years the finish was still pretty much like new with a bit of checking. I owned it for over two decades and played it live during my formative days as a musician, but I parted with it without blinking twice.

As part of my instrument turnover I decided to parts build a replica of a 1952-ish Telecaster. It sounds and feels amazing. I feel inspiration playing it that I never felt playing the LP or another Telecaster. It's just got a feel to it that I found missing from guitars that had shiny finishes on them. So when I went to buy a Jazz bass I was looking at Road Worn models for this reason.

Although I like the Flea Jazz Bass (the Shell Pink is nice), I don't like Flea and couldn't bring myself to have to think about him when I looked at it. I found another Road Worn and Bam!, I got that same inspirational feeling playing it that I did with the replica Tele I built. It was then that I started seeing the shade thrown at reliced instruments and I think that's misplaced.

I don't enjoy playing reliced instruments because I'm trying to convince anyone I'm something that I'm not. I love the look and feel of them. If their vintage counterparts were affordable by anyone that isn't a dentist or hedge fund manager, then I'd grab one of those. I'm just not convinced that the price reflects anything unattainable in modern times. For example, I played a $40k 1950s LP a few weeks ago. It looked great but I know LPs, there was nothing about the tone or playability that I couldn't reproduce in a modern instrument. The only difference was the aesthetics. It had "something" about the vibe that reflected in the feel of playing it.

So, I don't view relicing as f-ing up a perfectly good guitar. I look at it as part of the process of building affordable replicas of great instruments. That wear and tear is as much a part of the playing experience to me as the materials. If I'm correct, that's kind where this all started. Famous guitar players wanted replicas of their favorite instruments that they could take on the road.

They're replicas not relics in my opinion. That's all.

Relic able let me worry free about scratch and ding with the bass guitar on any surface.....

 

[SJan3]

Relic able let me worry free about scratch and ding with the bass guitar on any surface.....

True but I'm still very careful with the neck.

 

[NocoLaw]

…“I have to be careful with a clean instrument, so I buy one that is already torn up,” is really funny!

That’s like saying, “I buy dirty underwear; that way I don’t have to worry if I shart in my britches!!!”

 

[bucephylus]

My $0.019 on “Reliced” instruments:

As a fashion statement, the “look” does zero for me. Furthermore, if I am purchasing a used instrument, I will prefer a cleaner example.

There are two aspects IMO regarding wear on an instrument:

1) I’m OK / fond of wear that I have put on an instrument. There are a couple of quite worn / beat up instruments in my stable, which started life as NOS, and now proudly wear their battle scars. I suppose in that sense, I am possesive about my “relic” factors. I have certainly played worn instruments, whose wear was created by other players; for which the wear was an endearing part of the instrument. But, if purchasing, I wouldn’t choose those via some kind of internet graphics alone.

2) Factory “relics” fall into two categories. The Fender CS relic jobs seem to have some real vibe thing happening with the factory relic process. I’ve played a few of those, which I liked in spite of the false sense of wear; and I’m NOT a fan of the Fender CS. Then, there are instruments, where the artificial “relics” job just amounts to damaging the bass for some kind of appearance sake; and those are of zero interest.

For the TL;DR crowd: Caveat Emptor; try before you buy.

 

[roccobass]

To each their own, is what I feel. However, regarding the relic’s, always in the back of my mind, it’s always going to be a replica. Not saying like it’s a bad thing, just speaking my opinion on what it is.

In some ways, that’s good. Being a replica, I wouldn’t be stressing about it at break time as much if someone ran up and grabbed it off stage and spedout the back door or if someone stole it from your car. It’s not like they’re running off with a bonifide ‘66 Jazz. The positive is that you get the “look” without the “worry”.

I’m sure the relic will sound great and ultimately I guess that’s what matters.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

Maybe the best feeling neck I've ever got my hands on was a relic Nash P bass copy. I love the feel of the necks on relic instruments, nice and broken in. To me it's the polar opposite of those sticky from the factory glossy MIM Fender necks I can't stand.

Almost no company makes a heavy relic body that actually looks legit though, and I tend to think that the look is overkill. I'd like to see more light relics. A broken in neck, and the body doesn't look like someone went after it with an orbital sander and a pickaxe.

I have to admit I haven’t played a MIM Fender besides my own in years but mine all have factory satin finished necks which was something I preferred over the American versions when I got them.

The shell game of FMIC specs is hard to follow. I have no idea the particulars of current models.,

 

[TN WOODMAN]

Inb4 locked.
Got this relic Fiesta Red Jazz Bass in the mail yesterday. Sounds good, plays great. If you find a finish that inspires you to play, buy the instrument. Reliced or not.


Now, one thing I can’t stand as a luthier is folks who come in the shop with $5,000+ relics or masterbuilts having issues related to technique. Sigh. Music is not a meritocracy. Play what you like.View attachment 7352234

That red looks more Dakota than Fiesta but could be the lighting.

 

[TN WOODMAN]

My NASH is a light relic. Looks legit to me. View attachment 7355635View attachment 7355636View attachment 7355637View attachment 7355638

That has to be THE lightest relic Nash I’ve ever seen & I love it. More of a NOS vibe.

 

[SJan3]

That has to be THE lightest relic Nash I’ve ever seen & I love it. More of a NOS vibe.

Thank you! I didn't want something that looked like it was dragged from a pickup truck. Just natural wear but not abused. The light relic from NASH was the answer and I'm very happy with it.

 

[CletusMarley]

I just added some relic to my CV Tele bass this morning. When will I learn not to lean guitars against amps

 

[chris_b]

I prefer my basses to be clean, shiny and unmarked.

It's a fact of life that over the years a few "accidents" will befall even the most cosseted bass, but I don't see the point in paying for someone else to do that for me.

 

[brianrost]

I couldn’t make it through all 5 pages on a subject that’s been discussed over and over many times here at TB.

I just have one question…exactly what is it about the relic work that makes it a better instrument?

Is the instrument more comfortable to play because of finish wear in particular locations? How does corroded hardware improve things? Does the corrosion ever make it harder for the tuners and bridge saddle adjustments to do their job?