Who likes the relic look?

[BadSanta1281]

I don't get the big controversy about this.

Do what you want with your own bass.

Don't look down your nose at what other people choose to do with theirs.

 

[CoffeeLove]

I personally love the worn-in relic look of basses. Like the Bass of Doom. Or Fender custom shop heavy relic basses. But that's just me.
Fender 1960 Precision Bass Heavy Relic - Aged Black

Not me, but glad there are lots of options out there for people that do.

 

[phillipkregg]

I'm a fan.

Here's my Fender custom shop '62 P bass in heavy relic.

 

[Pilgrim]

In this Nerf'ed up, sanitized world, it'd take me longer than I have years left on the planet to wear a bass enough to look that cool.

If yours have poly finishes, they will still take more years than you have, provided you take care of them at all.

 

[GretschWretch]

Authentic relic services available! Give me your pristine bass, a case of strings and $500 down. For a nominal weekly fee, I will play it for a number of years to give it the "worn in" look.

Or, you could leave it in a tree for ninety days.

 

[GretschWretch]

I always wear heavy denim. It has saved my bacon many times (having avoided serious injury). Each tear tells a story I'd much rather keep to myself, to avoid looking very foolish.

Any wear and tear is 'legit'; morality only enters the picture when you lie about how the wear came about.

At the University where I work, I have suffered through the "co-ed ripped jeans" phenomenon at least six times.

 

[Huw Phillips]

I do not like it personally it Nash and Sandberg etc seem to do well with it, I like new things to stay as best they can for as long as they can but ....

 

[lfmn16]

I don't get the big controversy about this.

Do what you want with your own bass.

Don't look down your nose at what other people choose to do with theirs.

+1

It's also about respecting fellow forum members enough to keep your insults to yourself about their choice of basses. I don't see how anyone doesn't understand that insulting someone's choice of instruments is disprespectful.

 

[logdrum]

I do but only if done naturally. Won't pay for it.

 

[klejst]

Real relic - love it! Paying someone thousands of dollars to run some sandpaper and a file over a bass and drop on the ground a few times...nah.

 

[Pilgrim]

At the University where I work, I have suffered through the "co-ed ripped jeans" phenomenon at least six times.

On the campuses where I worked, I appreciated that look a lot more on some students than others.

 

[2F/2F]

Sometimes yes; sometimes no.

The fake ones? Almost always no. If it's extremely tastefully done for the purpose of restoring an old instrument, then I can tolerate it.

 

[micguy]

So I'm on stage playing my dad's 61 Fender jazz that went around the world with him, do I owe the audience an explanation lest they make assumptions about the cause of the wear?

I think the obvious course of action in that case is to drink whiskey every night until you and the bass look like you belong in the same place - relic yourself to match the vibe of the instrument.

 

[Ace Of Bass]

I love them, personally...I don't mind telling people that it's a manufactured look and they don't seem to mind by and large...most of the time it's a conversation starter , and I can see both sides of it...NOS basses are a thing of beauty, but I've learned to appreciate the look of a well done Relic, and I definitely love the feel of them..what I never understood is the rather large up charge to make your bass look beat up.....

 

[chanson]

I like a good light to medium ish relicing but I dont like the whole heavy relic "dragged across an asphalt parking lot for an hour" look. It doesnt look very authentic to me personally. A light relic, just looks and more importantly feels good to me.

 

[Thumpin6string]

How do you know when you've got a "crappy relic job"?

When it looks like this.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Additionally, you're not going to get a naturally aged look from a poly finish. So, it's really only nitro and played for a super long time, better buy it when you're 20 or fake it. We can find 20 yer old poly finished basses in TB Classified now, they look pretty much like new but with some light scratches.

 

[GretschWretch]

On the campuses where I worked, I appreciated that look a lot more on some students than others.

At the one venue in my area where live music still is offered, the bartender and servers rotate through garb almost like it was uniforms. "Ripped-jeans night" is in the rotation.

 

[brian579]

I personally love the worn-in relic look of basses. Like the Bass of Doom. Or Fender custom shop heavy relic basses. But that's just me.
Fender 1960 Precision Bass Heavy Relic - Aged Black

I love real wear more than anything but well done relics are awesome too. Nothing worse than a bad relic job.

 

[Gibson Victory]

NO! Back in the day we actually used to call these things "worn out instruments ". HOWEVER, when you purchase something that is 30-40 years old, you expect certain normal wear and tear, so to speak, and that would be normal. To pay extra for this kind of thing is absolutely absurd. Must be a thing of the "instant gratification " generation or something. Since the "can of worm's" has apparently been opened here, I'm waiting for the usual PAK to say "false,false", or something like that. Have them notice that the "SS Victory" has hoisted full sails, turned into the wind, and the lower canon bay doors are open. If they are going to make a "shot across the bow", make it a darn good one!