Relicing- Faking experience/credibility?

[ofajen]

All I know is I'd just as soon that my Ripper didn't have so much fret wear. But I've been playing only rounds for over 30 years and it happens. Still tolerable though.

Otto

 

[Pudge Fish]

You do you.
Something something 'n play yer [bass] guitar.

*not a relic fan, but a fan of free will

 

[BassUrges]

My basses are festooned with pinups, because I like drawing pinups, and I like the exasperated look on my wife's face when I show her my latest pick guard or neckplate or whatever.

In the spirit of not deceiving anyone, I will disclose that I have not...jammed...with any ladies who resemble my drawings, never mind all of them.

Hopefully nobody thinks I'm s poser now.

 

[fhm555]

So it's not just me! A couple months ago, I put together a bluegrass duo with a guitarist. I wanted to somewhat mimic an upright/ABG sound, so I put flats on my Ibanez EDA905 because it has piezo pickups in the saddles. Anyone familiar with the EDA series knows the body shape is quite nontraditional (I think it resembles a Cheeto), and adding to the weirdness is the fact that a previous owner painted a space scene on the front. I think it looks cool, but it's definitely the most out-there instrument in my collection.

The guitarist said he likes the tone I'm getting and has no problem with me using such an oddball bass, perhaps because his main genre is jazz and he's not familiar with the prejudices of hardcore traditionalist folkies. Because I used to play traditional folk and spent a lot of time around people who denounced electric instruments as inauthentic, I find it a bit unsettling to use the Ibanez in a bluegrass setting even though I'm very happy with the sound and ergonomics. As far as I'm concerned, Ibanez hit a home run with that design; the body is comfortable and its extra long upper horn means no neck dive, even though the bass weighs just under eight pounds. It's shame they discontinued the EDA series after such a short run.

Like you, I started looking at semi-hollow basses, but I asked myself if I really needed to buy a new bass when the Ibanez was doing a perfectly good job. Then I remembered that somewhere in my basement was a Les Paul-shaped Davison body with a center block and two humbucker cavities. A little more hunting turned up an Ibanez EDB605 neck whose body had been destroyed by a previous owner. My basement is truly a treasure trove of guitar and bass parts. I probably should write up an inventory list because I tend to forget what's down there.

I took the body, neck, and a bagful of parts to my local luthier and explained that I wanted him to put a new top on the body, make an ABG-style bridge and saddle, install a piezo pickup under the saddle, and mate the neck to the body. Since he's used to my Frankenstein project requests, he said no problem. He made the new top out of a nice piece of cherry that had been hiding behind a bench in his shop and he's now in the process of cutting a channel for the binding. I think it's going to look pretty nice when done. The luthier warned me that it's not really going to sound acoustic-y (is that a word?), but in my eyes it looks more bluegrass-appropriate than the space Cheeto.

More on-topic, I'm not into relics (I've put a lot of time compulsively patching up dings in every used instrument I've bought; thank goodness nail polish comes in so many colors!), but continue to be amazed that people still feel the need to rant about them every few months. I suspect the thing that irritates the anti-relicers most is their perception that pro-relicers are trying to lead others into believing they're old road warriors with road-worn instrument to match. Since no one really knows if this perception is accurate (and even if it is, so what?), what's the point in fighting about it?

Would this be your space cheeto? I promise I'm not stalking, I googled ibanez EDA905 images and this one from a closed Reverb listing came up near the top of the list.

 

[hondo4life]

If I ever wear through the finish on one of my instruments, I will refinish it. I don't want anyone to see a well worn instrument and expect it to be well played.

 

[BBox Bass]

If that's not my bass, it's a perfect copy. I bought it on Ebay 2 years ago, so either it's gone through a few hands over the years or someone had it listed on both Reverb and Ebay simultaneously. The photo and floor are definitely not mine, so I won't accuse you of stalking! The luthier who's doing my new project painted a sun over the cross design. He did it in the same style as the planets, so the sun looks like it was painted by whoever did the rest of it. I'm lucky to have him only 2 miles from my house.

Would this be your space cheeto? I promise I'm not stalking, I googled ibanez EDA905 images and this one from a closed Reverb listing came up near the top of the list.

 

[CatSquare]

Relicing is like lying, only ten times worse and will get you punished ten times harder by The Devil when you arrive in Hell because of it.

 

[BAG]

MY Jazz Bass has it's share of scars, but it has been in use for 43 years. My P looks new, eventually it will show some age. I'd love to buy an import Dirnt(looks like the old James Gang bass) but I just can't abide artificial wear, maybe they should offer "New" as an option on new basses. ;

I remember an interview with Dave Gilmour where he was talking about how Fender finally convinced him to allow them to do a signature copy of his black Strat. He said he would only do it if they also made new un-relic-ed (is that a word??) ones available in the same numbers as well. While talking about the guitars he was playing one of the new signature relics and said "i'm not sure which guitar is mine now" so they obviously did a very convincing job on copying everything about his guitar.

 

[bassstrangler]

How does one go about relicing a wife? This is probably one of the strangest(to be polite) things I've ever heard.

 

[BAG]

A big side bonus for me is far less worry about dings. Note: this is not a binary choice of "trash it or treasure it". I take good care of my instruments, whether they are brand new or my beloved "road warriors", however dings sometimes happen in the real world. With a relic, the first ding is already there (and then some).

A lot of us no longer have 30 or 40 years to wear an instrument properly. I think relic instruments,when done right,look great. And you can take them into any venue and not worry about them getting dinged up.

I agree with that line of thought however this thread made me laugh a few times. Unless it's serious damage how do you tell if a relic or roadworn bass (or guitar) is in mint condition?

 

[Hamish MacCleod]

How does one go about relicing a wife? This is probably one of the strangest(to be polite) things I've ever heard.

LOL... I was wondering but decided i didn't really want to know.
H

 

[RBrownBass]

Why relic the instruments but not the other stuff where "non-used" is the indicator of success and hard work in your field? Answer: relicing is the hope of mischaracterizing one's experience/awesomeness to the 99%'ers. Yeah, you can say it just looks cool, and it does, but it's really just trying to buy experience that one doesn't have.

No, it's experience that the instrument doesn't have. The owner may have plenty.

It's clear that this affects you emotionally, but I have to ask why. So... why?

 

[Salicete]

I don't relic anything I own, including guitars, but I also could not give a fat rat's ass what other people do to their own things.

 

[Matt Dean]

Whatever.

 

[Bassmunnky]

I love the new fender Flea bass ... Warts and all - even though those warts were put on there and not "earned"

Prolly gonna get it for my birthday

And don't give a rat's bass about what you think.

 

[corndog]

Wow.

Not sure what to think.

Your intentions of the post seems good though, maybe saving that wayward kid eyeing the RW Jazz from going down the road of harmless fraud and Kardashianism, and point them down the road of antillingtonism and buy a shiny Stingray5 (wow that bass player is good, he plays a 5'er).

thanks for the thread op, i arrived at the airport a little early for my flight, this thread just killed 20 minutes.

 

[SirMjac28]

 

[Ant Illington]

The bottom line is that relic is just another visual preference. If you don't like relics, don't buy one. It's childish to go full-snark on those who like something that you don't, regardless of what that something is.

OP reply: Kinda like you going full-snark on me for jotting down my philosophy (because you don't agree with it, valid as it is to me and others, including others who haven't necessarily "liked" my post) after I saw that sweet, old bass and wished that I had lived the bass life that leads to a bass that looks akin to that Stingray/Sabre.

The same childish statements you made about relics could be said about anything. Figured wood boutiques are just one example: "paying extra for flamed spalted bizarrowood is nothing more than misrepresenting yourself. You can say it just looks cool, but it's really trying to inflate your talent. Marketing people have tapped into it and sold it to you". Blah, blah, blah.

Op reply: Childish? It was quite well-reasoned, if lacking a bit in formatting due to cell phone typing, even before the edits I made in order that fewer people will jump to the conclusion that I was categorically bashing reliced instruments. Again, context. Again, it's odd that you say something is lacking reason due to the fact that you disagree with the premise itself. It's okay to disagree with a premise but it's kinda juvenile to say that my statements were childish when, indeed, they were the perfectly valid assertions. Maybe it will help that I have since clarified that I was talking about "buying reliced stuff," this was implied/inspired by above-mentioned wish. Somehow, I doubt that my explanations will ever be enough. Oh well.
.

 

[lfmn16]

However, ultimately, it's about both immediate gratification for the musician-buyer and for the subsequent defrauding of the 99%'ers who are likely to think that he is something that he is not.

If you don't want one, don't buy one. If you don't like them, feel free to shut up about it.

First, it's NOT just about looks, it's also about the FEEL of a worn in instrument. Second, those of us approaching 60 likely don't have 40 years to break in and 'naturally' relic an instrument.

I don't get why some people feel the need to be so judgmental about what other people play.

Try reading the rules. There is one that pertains to reliced instruments.

 

[ThuzzleFump]

That's why it's called "show" business. Because watching authenticity business is rather dull for most folks.

Also there's plenty of guys who relic their wives and girlfriends.

In my case, it's my wives and girlfriends who have reliced me. But they did it the old-fashioned way, with years and years of effort.