Drag it to work... done.

[Rock Bodom]

There's a trick to it. If you're gonna drag it to work, you have to hit the Freeway traffic at the right time for different levels of relic'ing

I'd avoid the freeway altogether. Only street worn relics look legit.

And the next level is Side road dragged relics. They are the boutique.

Fancy city slickers...we off road drag our relics in my neck of the woods for a fraction of the cost. The dried mud adds tone for days.

 

[Mailman1971]

There's a trick to it. If you're gonna drag it to work, you have to hit the Freeway traffic at the right time for different levels of relic'ing

I'd avoid the freeway altogether. Only street worn relics look legit.

And the next level is Side road dragged relics. They are the boutique.

Fancy city slickers...we off road drag our relics in my neck of the woods for a fraction of the cost. The dried mud adds tone for days.

My Grandpa told me they used to drag them uphill for a mile....BOTH WAYS!
Man times were tough back then.

 

[V-Type]

My Relicing secret is guitar as a floor mat under the dog door.
Half way through the day flip it over then pour semi hot cup of coffee all over ,let dry overnight,scratch with A screwdriver too taste.

 

[LowDesertSludge]

How many hours of playing would it take to naturally get there is beyond me. Maybe play in chain mail armor to speed up the "natural worn" finish.

 

[Mailman1971]

How many hours of playing would it take to naturally get there is beyond me. Maybe play in chain mail armor to speed up the "natural worn" finish.

Right?!?!?!?

 

[Anonymous]

What can I say, I dig 'em. I think MJT did a really great job on my Joe Holmes inspired Strat. Now I want a 3 single relic - A Wildwood 10 fiesta red relic to be exact! The only thing I don't dig with good relics is when they gouge out the maple boards. Whose fingers would actually do that??

Steve

Maybe too Red?

Yeah, I dig the lighter Fiesta Red, but who cares, that looks great!

Steve

 

[Glynchfan1]

I'm not a relic fan, but that's a beautiful piece.

 

[Snowblind56]

How many hours of playing would it take to naturally get there is beyond me. Maybe play in chain mail armor to speed up the "natural worn" finish.

Seriously, tucked in shirt with a massive belt buckle will give some wicked buckle rash. Wear a studded wrist band on your pickhand will thrash the body. Don't forget to have it drop off your strap onto a concrete floor.

 

[Mailman1971]

How many hours of playing would it take to naturally get there is beyond me. Maybe play in chain mail armor to speed up the "natural worn" finish.

Seriously, tucked in shirt with a massive belt buckle will give some wicked buckle rash. Wear a studded wrist band on your pickhand will thrash the body. Don't forget to have it drop off your strap onto a concrete floor.

I tried the belt buckle approach. My belt buckle just puts slight scratches in the clear that are easily buffed out.

 

[LowDesertSludge]

^^
Jacked!

 

[jerrydyer]

yeah, Im actually pissed off that Friedman is doing relic'd guitars. And I dont even build guitars. How screwed up up is that?
Its almost like the instant gratification, Ritalin generation, has infiltrated our world.

 

[Shark Diver]

yeah, Im actually pissed off that Friedman is doing relic'd guitars. And I dont even build guitars. How screwed up up is that?
Its almost like the instant gratification, Ritalin generation, has infiltrated our world.

Why be pissed off? People obviously want them. We get orders all the time, and that's what people order. We have made non relics, and they will be more a part of our line, but most custom orders are for relics.

I think it's funny that it is so divisive. It's almost as bad as tubes vs digital. I like the distressed look on most things - except cars. I don't think I will ever get use to that.

 

[peterc52]

Here's my new MJT tele

 

[TheLong]

Not a fan myself, but I like the fact that beating up my strat doesn't hurt it's value anymore. That's pretty cool.

 

[Shawn Lutz]

some are decent most are not.

I have guitars I owned since the 80's, gigged, used and abused and they don't look like relics. I never left them at a bottom of a pond for a week or dragged them behind the bus LOL.

I'm going to try to relic a sun burst strat body I have lightly. Only real relicing I saw was a real 70's SB big head stock strat my buddy had. He bought it new and was his only electric. The forearm area wore down to the wood and bottom part where it rested on his leg when playing sitting down. What is weird is the paint/dye colors would come off on his pants and arms but on the guitar it still look clear-coated, that is what I'm gonna try to do as its the only real legit one I ever saw.

 

[Alex Stanley]

As long as it's done well, I don't see a problem with it.

And as long as you clear over the pencil marks to outline the faux buckle rash and charge $7-9K for it, everything is cool as a cucumber.

 

[Bob Savage]

I actually like some relics, it's just mostly when it looks like natural wear.

 

[Racerxrated]

some are decent most are not.

I have guitars I owned since the 80's, gigged, used and abused and they don't look like relics. I never left them at a bottom of a pond for a week or dragged them behind the bus LOL.

I'm going to try to relic a sun burst strat body I have lightly. Only real relicing I saw was a real 70's SB big head stock strat my buddy had. He bought it new and was his only electric. The forearm area wore down to the wood and bottom part where it rested on his leg when playing sitting down. What is weird is the paint/dye colors would come off on his pants and arms but on the guitar it still look clear-coated, that is what I'm gonna try to do as its the only real legit one I ever saw.

Had a Hamer USA Centaura that I bought new back in 90, gigged pretty heavily from 91-93 and then weekends for the next 20 years. The clear wore off in the same spot(forearm), buckle rash, clear cracked, a few small chunks out of the body here and there. Too many drunks crashing into my mic stand and into the guitar.. Not to mention the mic almost taking my front teeth out. If I would have known that people would pay big cash for faked beat to shit guitars I wouldn't have sold it for 300 3 years ago....

 

[Mailman1971]

I had a guitar back in the 90's. Couldnt sell it. It was beat to hell and back.
Oh it was reliced all right......
Maybe I should of just listed it as being 'reliced' and doubled my money.

 

[jerrydyer]

yeah, Im actually pissed off that Friedman is doing relic'd guitars. And I dont even build guitars. How screwed up up is that?
Its almost like the instant gratification, Ritalin generation, has infiltrated our world.

Why be pissed off? People obviously want them. We get orders all the time, and that's what people order. We have made non relics, and they will be more a part of our line, but most custom orders are for relics.

I think it's funny that it is so divisive. It's almost as bad as tubes vs digital. I like the distressed look on most things - except cars. I don't think I will ever get use to that.

My point is I dont see the connection from being an amp builder/modder/ etc to doing relic'd guitars. Im not even sure why it bothers me. If you have success in the amp world, suddenly your qualified to build a guitar properly? Is he doing them himself or is a known builder doing them? that the sort of thing I have a hard time with. And then even more so, the young guys who cant play a lick go and buy simply out of name association or because they like one of the many star guitar players Daves knows. It's not Daves fault people do that and if he makes money at it so be it but, It just bugs me. So then what, Metro relics guitars, Splawn, FJA, I dont know. Maybe i just dont get it. I love quality built, word of mouth supported products. I guess the root of my dislike is diversification and its obvious in this day and age, it has to be done to survie.