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"Relics"

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#22
I like relice'd and I like non relic'd instruments. Natural is cooler but a 60s Precision is going to cost more than a new reissue relic'd to look like a 60s. Would I buy the average beat up bass? Sure. A poorly relic'd bass? likely no. One IC has worked over? In a heartbeat.
 
#24
I tape sandpaper to my right forearm when I play. Is that natural wear or "relic-ing"?:hmm:

I agree that most crappy eBay relics are terrible (they generally look like someone spent 30 seconds sanding them with a belt sander) and the real high end Nash and Fender Custom Shop relics are over priced IMO (an exact replica Jaco-type bass may be an exception if that is what you are into).

Having said that, I had ibanezcollector relic an inexpensive Squier VM fretless for me and the entire process was fun. Including the new bass, his work, shipping, etc. it was still under what a Fender MIM would sell for. We worked together to ensure the wear patterns matched that of my 1974 P so it would "feel" worked in by me.

Would I gig it more than my Sadowskys? Not a chance (although it does get many more comments!).

It was a fun project and the bass is a cool conversation piece. To each their own.
 
#25
"Ban them", no. Just think "relic" is a silly and oft-misused term. And I'm talking more about some dude selling a mystery bass on ebay, that thinks "relic" will make people buy it without looking at what they are really getting.
 
#28
I just had my friend make me a reliced P Bass... we went over everything and it was built just as I wanted. He's getting very good responses to his work. I also own a modded MIM Jazz that's 10 years old... After playing my new P I'm not sure I can even pick up the Jazz unless I have to. And theres no way that my MIM will ever wear like an old bass will because of the finish. I like the old feel and I wont be able to achieve that with new instruments, at least to my knowledge. and my bass looks bad ass!!
 
#29
This is more of a philosophical argument than a pragmatic one. Of course "buyer beware". I guess I just don't get the whole "relic" thing. Yeah, beat-up old basses look cool, so do new ones, so do old ones that aren't beat up. I just think this trend of adding the word "relic" to almost anything, is kinda strange.
 
#30
I'll agree and say that alot of ebay relics are usually done by people who have no idea what they're doing and look pretty bad.

Now I will say that I think what Ibanezcollector and a few others are doing is awesome. You can have all the looks of a beat up old fender, with some custom options, in a brand new, well playing instrument for about 1/4 of the price of what real vintage Fenders are going for.

That and you dont have to worry about it being an investment when you take it to gigs, and its ready to play right out of the box.

Granted you could just naturally "relic" an instrument on your own, but most new instruments are painted with poly, which wont age as nicely.

Thats my $0.02
 
#33
I agonised over this b4 I purchased my Customshop 64 J - reliced or NOS? In the end I got an NOS as I didn't like the look of the reliced Fenders. On the other hand, I would buy a "aged" Sandberg in a heartbeat. The look of these Reliced baases really appeals to me.

What I am trying to say is that the Reliced look is very subjective - the asthetics of one reliced instrument will appeal to one guy and not another.

Relicing a bass is supposed to be done to trying and mimic a bass that has been play a heap over lots of years - Relicing is NOT beating the bass up just so it looks like it's had a hard life and been mistreated.
 
#34
Rocksolid said:
Relicing a bass is supposed to be done to trying and mimic a bass that has been play a heap over lots of years - Relicing is NOT beating the bass up just so it looks like it's had a hard life and been mistreated.
Click to expand...

you nailed it on the head.. Professionals try to mimic wear strategically where amatuers just beat it and use sandpaper..

I know I dont personally use sandpaper and im sure Nash, the custom shop, braveheart and others dont as well.. Sandpaper wasnt used on the ones we are trying to mimic so why use it.

On Ebay there are a ton of hacks trying to cash out and truthfully some do, and I often shake my head as to what some of the buyers thought processes were.

Poly is a no no as far as authenticity goes, and 90% on the bay are Poly
 
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