OK TR, I will ask you directly. Is someone with a Squier a "poser" or"newbe" ? It looks like a real Fender but it isn't.
I have a very good friend that plays guitar. His resume is very impressive. He leaves is 72 Tele that he has owned from day one and "worn" it down. He uses a RW Tele for his gig guitar so he doesn't have to drag his 72 around. Is he a "Poser"?
If we were talking about "Sparkly" green, pink or any other color bass none of what is in this thread would ever come up.
Squier isn't poser. It says Squier on the headstock. Its sold by Fender and is a Fender brand, but its not Fender. Its Squier. If your friend were to have the Squier head stock refinished with a Fender decal, then poser. I'll say newbie.
There are tons of basses today, including SX that all look like "Fender". Some day I'm hoping someone will come up with a budget bass everyone likes but isn't a freakin' j or p bass clone. I miss those old MIJ and Italian basses....
Your friend, more interesting question. I'm happy he prizes his 72 Tele and cares about it enough to protect it from all the drunks and losers. Now, if he is old, like me and he uses the RW, he is not a poser. He would never say its old, and he isn't using it because of the way it looks. He is probably using it because its the closest thing to his real one and he would rather not have his original get any more crowd or venue mojo. I still would personally prefer that he just bought a cheaper new one and used that. When you get as old as me, while you gravitate toward more worn necks, playing something new is not that different and you usually don't care about the difference.
If he is young, I'm 50/50. He owns the real thing, that is a plus. But then I would ask why do you need to have an imitation as your main stage axe? Just get another Tele, like even Bruce Springsteen has, and use that.
The interesting thing in all of this conversation is that many of the famous players use new instruments frequently or augment their playing gear with new. Bruce is a good example. He uses the old Broadcaster a lot, but also uses the new ones almost as much.
For bass players, Bill Wyman used new basses on stage all the time, but still played his old crap bass on the albums. HE had cred. The bass didn't bring him cred.
Unfortunately, in this world, people have become much more materialistic, at least in assigning a status to the person. I never buy a new car. I can afford it, and can afford a quite nice one, but I would rather spend the money on bass gear or a really great trip to London. My choice of late model Honda Accord puts me in the "dad" sort of category. I rented a suped up Mustang last year while my VW was totalled. You would have thought I was a rock star! (Wait, I am, LOL!) I had cougars all over me when I pulled up to shows in that. When I pull up in my Accord, well, I often can slip in without much fuss.
The relic thing will always be somewhat of a discussion among players because of what we all understand a worn instrument is and means.
Look, I don't mean to offend anyone. It is my opinion though. I have always liked and appreciated people who found and instrument they played well and made it their own. If a RW is yours, fine. I still don't have to like it.
And I don't hold it against anyone if all they play is a budget bass. I own both types, and play both. I remember when I couldn't afford a "real bass". That is when I bought my first Hondo Longhorn. I traded it in at We Buy Guitars in NYC in the late 1980's. I should have held on to it.
). Looks are great, but sound comes first. 
