Advice for relic-ing a guitar

[pwilson]

I'm about to relic a guitar. I have a general idea what to do, and have read the threads here on dulling the finish and aging hardware.

I would welcome any advice, suggestions, or links to good websites, from people here. Anything I should know before I pick up the sandpaper...

Thanks, Pete

[Strung Up]

Uhh . . . play it a lot?

[Old Tele man]

...give it to your kid and tell him/her "not" to drop it.

...about a month ought'a do it.

[Thwap]

Just leave it on a guitar stand, unattended.

[hw2nw]

Originally Posted by pwilson

I'm about to relic a guitar. I have a general idea what to do, and have read the threads here on dulling the finish and aging hardware.

I would welcome any advice, suggestions, or links to good websites, from people here. Anything I should know before I pick up the sandpaper...

Thanks, Pete

I have not done it but I suggest going to a guitar shop with a selection of used ones, and note where dings/scratches/wearing is. Also just download lots of pics online, you'll find some guitars from the 50's and 60's that have been played to the bone. From all the pictures you should be able to get a decent idea of where guitars begin to wear most and after how long.

[gkelm]

Saw the Fender custom shop guy do a guitar at the Dallas show. After hitting it here an there with a set of keys, he doused the guitar with naptha (lighter fluid) to break down any polishes and rubbed it down with scotchbrite type pads. He followed up with rubbing in some brown/amber analine dye. You can also hit it with blasts from a can of air...the cold should check (crack) the finish...will work better in nitro v. poly. hw2nw's ideas would be helpful...look at some nice relic jobs, and I'd say don't over-do it. All the best.
Greg

[clothwiring]

Do alot of research first so you don't make a guitar that looks silly.

Here's a guitar I used to own that was "reliced" by someone else. It looked totally wrong, but the guitar played great. A good example of what NOT to do.

[Ron4406]

gkelm has a very good point. DONT OVER DO IT! Since I do Eddie VH replicas, thats the one thing I had to watch out for when I first started. I see other VH replicas and the just flat out over scuff, sand ,mark, ect. Its gotta look like its old and has been played, not dragged from a pickup truck.
Research is the key. The net is your oyster.
Also, methods. Use some imagination and lots of test areas. I went and got a 8 foot 2X8 and cut it up into blocks to try different paints and such.
Lossa work, but fun.

[scottywompas]

I'll second the " play it " method of relicing. I'm sorry but I just don't get it. Do you want to have a guitar that so fits you and becomes a part of you that you play it all the time and it sees every gig or do you want people to think that that's what that guitar is. I'm not condoning anyone but it just seems un-natural.

Scott

[gkelm]

Originally Posted by scottywompas

I'll second the " play it " method of relicing. I'm sorry but I just don't get it. Do you want to have a guitar that so fits you and becomes a part of you that you play it all the time and it sees every gig or do you want people to think that that's what that guitar is. I'm not condoning anyone but it just seems un-natural.

Scott

Plenty of other threads on this...

[Brion]

If I wanted to relic one of my guitars I would fasten some sandpaper to the right arm of a long sleeved t-shirt in the area where it rubs the edge of the guitar (if you are right handed) and either play the guitar with that attached or simulate playing it. This would take some time, but would give a more accurate simulated playing wear. You could use scotchbrite to dull the glossyness of the finish elsewhere and add a few nicks and dings to the edges and front and back. I've given this some thought, but have never been able to bring myself to actually try it. I probably never will as I would prefer to just let time take it's course.

[pwilson]

Thanks for the suggestions:
- wrt "just play it/I just don't get it" comments - I am sympathetic to these arguments, but my interest was piqued by this interview with Bill Nash - http://www.kokomomusic.com/images/gu...tonequest.html where he says wrt relicing guitars "the less lacquer you have on a guitar the better it sounds"
- I'll post pics when I'm done, if the results are not too embarassing...

Thanks again, Pete

[JamesO]

I completely understand why some don't like relics. To me, as a builder, it is more of an exercise of scultpure and art than it is trying to make something look like something it's not. I hope that can be understood as well.

Check out issues 38 and 39 of American Lutherie. Dan Erlewine has two articles on the topic in them. You can order them from the website if you google American Lutherie.

[Riscchip]

One thing not to do, in my opinion, is the hot / cold checking method. That produces a spider web / china vase cracking pattern that looks bogus. I'm far from an expert, but real checking usually seems to have a horizontal grain to it.

[Chris Rice]

Checking is so very different from instrument to instrument that it is difficult to make sweeping statements.

My '57 Gibson L-48 has next to no checking.
My '69 Gibson Hummingbird is spider-webbed like the "fake-looking" photo.
Pictures of both:
http://www.ricecustomguitars/com/ins...s/gibsons.html


Here's a hot/cold checking we did (froze the body and took it out in the 95 degree weather).


And some relic'd necks:

John Beland's Bendercaster:
http://ricecustomguitars.com/instrum...dercaster.html


Not finished in these pics strat neck