Geez, not another relic thread!? No no, I swear this one is different.

[KillerV]

The guitarist from a band who were at my studio over the weekend had a vintage Strat - 60's, but I'm not sure what year. He bought the guitar a while back for a good deal, mostly because the previous owner was a dumbass and had the body refinished. The neck is beautiful and well worn but the body is now spotless and looks like pretty much any other Strat body off a fairly new guitar. I really wish I could say this is the first time I saw this happen but it is, in fact, the second one I've seen this done to in the last 5 years. People, oioioi...

This got me thinking: if one happens to find oneself in the shoes of said guitarist, what does one do? Do you keep the body as it currently is, thinking the poor thing had been through enough, or do you send it to a master of the art of luthiery and have it refinished and/or relic'd to at least look the part again?

Life does present some complex questions...

 

[mschafft]

How about set up his prefs on ebay to get notified when a strat body of that decade shows up ? I don't know how the price of one such body in genuinely aged condition would compare to that of the relicing process ?

 

[Corinthian]

If it has already been refinished and it looks really bad, I'd send it to someone like Clive Brown who specialises in exactly this and have it refinished again (if necessary) and aged appropriately.

Yeah, of course all the dings and chips wouldn't be "real" but I've never bought into the "dings are badges of honour" ********, and a vintage guitar with a pristine finish is less authentic to me than one that has been made to look like what it really is.

 

[William Braddell]

I'd personally just save money and keep playing it as it is. Life is too short.

 

[MikeMcK]

Somewhere in an asylum is a TGP'er who found a a pristine '61 Strat at a garage sale... and went crazy because everyone thought it was new.

 

[K-Line]

I would give it a nice age appropriate relic job. Roy at RS does this sort of thing.

 

[AParrotLooksAt4O]

I'd personally just save money and keep playing it as it is. Life is too short.

I agree with this.

 

[fenderball]

Somewhere in an asylum is a TGP'er who found a a pristine '61 Strat at a garage sale... and went crazy because everyone thought it was new.

hey man, i know you thought that was funny....and it was! +1

 

[GreenKnight18]

Somewhere in an asylum is a TGP'er who found a a pristine '61 Strat at a garage sale... and went crazy because everyone thought it was new.

Sometimes I think TGP is a bit of an asylum, but I find your premise 100% believable.

 

[Tony P]

As long as the refinish doesn't look like crap I would just let it go and enjoy it. Now if the person that did the refinish screwed it up, I would have it done over. Does not make since to me to purposely make a guitar look old. Just my 2 cents, to each their own.

 

[buddastrat]

Yes, agree with just play it. Who cares? The body will wear fast, unless it was finished with thick poly. Even still, it doesn't matter. I'm sure the hardware is aged too, and it all blends in. Nice for each guitar to have it's own character. All this preconceived BS, about guitars telling stories or about the cosmetics. ...It's just a strat.

 

[xjojox]

Is the refinish a period-correct finish? If so, leave it alone.

 

[S1Player]

Keep it looking as new as possible.

 

[Ron Kirn]

if one happens to find oneself in the shoes of said guitarist, what does one do?

Play beautifully... strange as it seems... no one gives a cack about anything about the guitarist's guitar... If he can play...

And. . if the guy cannot play?? No one cares either, everyone just want's 'im to quit making noise.. please...

Ron Kirn

 

[Tone_Terrific]

If the mismatch is so annoying the obvious thing to do is restore the neck to like-new condition.
This is what 'normal' people do to worn down objects to have them maintain functionality and appearance.

 

[DamianL]

In this case I would forgo the use of my 'soft suede, belt-mounted, buckle rash protector'.

 

[Twangmeister]

Somewhere in an asylum is a TGP'er who found a a pristine '61 Strat at a garage sale... and went crazy because everyone thought it was new.

This, sir, is the quote of the day!

 

[Mtnbkr123]

Somewhere in an asylum is a TGP'er who found a a pristine '61 Strat at a garage sale... and went crazy because everyone thought it was new.

Bahahahahaha!

Priceless.

 

[AdrenalinJunkie]

I would give it a nice age appropriate relic job. Roy at RS does this sort of thing.

Nah, all one needs to do is watch a few youtube videos. Teenagers can now relic their own guitars, it's easy.

 

[daveanto21]

Send it to Dan Strain at Danocaster. I wouldnt touch the neck, it will just bring down the value even more.