Getting a "light relic" look on a guitar...

[markom89]

how can I do this?
I've seen some partscasters on here that people have really gone to work on and the result wasn't really the most authentic looking.
I'm hoping someone has the secret to how to make a guitar look lighty reliced. Not really shiney, worn out in some areas, some small dings, and *possibly* some light checking.
How, good people, can I do this without ending up with a really messed up looking guitar? I'm looking to do this to either a strat or tele that I'm gonna' put together.
I've already searched ALL the threads on this, and couldn't find out that dealt w/ just lighter amounts of relicing.
Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Marko M.

This kind of thing:

 

[waxnsteel]

Man, that looks fake to me (not that I'm a relic guy). If you only want lite, why not just treat it like ****, and never put it in a case or on a stand, always tuck your shirt in and wear a nasty buckle, don't think twice about laying it down on pavement, play it hard, never clean it...

 

[doublee]

+1, just play it alot for 10 years.

 

[Birddog]

I'll second that. Just play it a lot, and gig with it at small, trashy dives...Don't wipe it down. Don't pay attention closely while you're soloing and regularly clock the lead-singer's elbow and/or his vintage Tele with it on small stages (trust me on this one)...Don't fend off the drunk who's lurching toward you with a full beer and an empty head. Drop, don't slide gently, your guitar into the backseat of your car at the end of the night. Store your amps on it, in fact. Use it for a door mat and scrape your shoes off on it on the way in the house.

You'll get there.

Oh, and remember to change strings frequently. You don't want it SOUNDING bad.

Seriously though...why "gently relic" a guitar? Play it if you like it. Why the hurry on the wear? It will come soon enough.

 

[rickc007]

a lot of relicing is done with 0000 steel wool
this will dull the finish. Do it lightly, and if you
don't like it, you can always buff it out

the checking is done with those air cleaner
aerosol cans, heat the body up with a hair dryer
when it's nice and hot, hold the air can upside down,
shake it and spray it. The quick temp change makes
it check

the dings are done with anything, take a set of car
keys, smack it against the body. Bang it against
something. Lightly press some pointy object.
Some relicers use file for some of those scrape marks

Saw all of the above performed by a Fender Custom
Shop Masterbuilder at a clinic.

 

[doublee]

a lot of relicing is done with 0000 steel wool
this will dull the finish. Do it lightly, and if you
don't like it, you can always buff it out

the checking is done with those air cleaner
aerosol cans, heat the body up with a hair dryer
when it's nice and hot, hold the air can upside down,
shake it and spray it. The quick temp change makes
it check

the dings are done with anything, take a set of car
keys, smack it against the body. Bang it against
something. Lightly press some pointy object.
Some relicers use file for some of those scrape marks

Saw all of the above performed by a Fender Custom
Shop Masterbuilder at a clinic.

Pay extra for that?

 

[JackButler]

denim or old jeans work better for taking the sheen off opposed to steel wool.

 

[Speed_Racer71]

a lot of relicing is done with 0000 steel wool
this will dull the finish. Do it lightly, and if you
don't like it, you can always buff it out

the checking is done with those air cleaner
aerosol cans, heat the body up with a hair dryer
when it's nice and hot, hold the air can upside down,
shake it and spray it. The quick temp change makes
it check

the dings are done with anything, take a set of car
keys, smack it against the body. Bang it against
something. Lightly press some pointy object.
Some relicers use file for some of those scrape marks

Saw all of the above performed by a Fender Custom
Shop Masterbuilder at a clinic.

and then charge you a buttload for it..but it has that cool custom shop logo on it though so that makes it worth more ..right

 

[rdnzl]

Just play it and quit being silly.

 

[Sunstone Recordings]

yeah, the steel wool works well and so does the aerosol can method. Just treat it like a beater.

As a side note, I'm shocked to see that the poles on the p'ups aren't beveled... as it's supposed to be an early 60s model, yes?

 

[DGDGBD]

Strap it to the roof of your car and go for a drive on the interstate behind a gravel truck.