guitarz.blogspot.com:
I was thinking of highlighting this once poor unsuspecting
Mexican-made Fender Telecaster as another in our very occasional "
When Relics Go Bad" series. But I have to ask, "Is it just me?" I personally think that it looks catastrophically bad. Apparently it was a professional relic job but I couldn't care less how much work went into making it look like this, to my eyes it appears to be a painfully inept piece of work. I just look at it and think, "How would a guitar sustain a distressed finish like this through natural usage? One of the first places you'd expect to see wear and tear would be in the middle of the rear of the body, an area prone to the infamous "belt buckle rash". However on this guitar that particular part of the finish is almost pristine.
You know what? I look at a creation like this and I just don't know what to think any more.
Currently listed on eBay with a Buy It Now price of US $999. And what's more, someone will probably buy it.
G L Wilson
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I agree. Don't like "relics" but if you have to have one it should at least look like natural wear not like someone who shouldn't have been allowed to play with daddy's new belt sander.
ReplyDeleteWell...it does have a certain narco-terror look about it.
ReplyDeleteI think some on might be taking the doo daaha here.... when have you ever seen a fender without strings through the body, or is that me being daft??
ReplyDeleteOh yes, they've been making them without the string-thru aspect of the design for a while now. Usually on the cheaper models. I don't doubt it's a genuine Fender - and why would anyone want to fake a Mexican-made Fender anyway?
DeleteIt's an interesting bridge, though. Usually with the barrel-type saddles, you have three of them, not six.
DeleteI guess you are either in the 'pro-relic' or the 'anti-relic' camp! But this one is a little different in that it has so obviously been subjected to such unnatural treatment, nobody would believe it was very old. With its Mexican heritage, twin back pickup, top-loader bridge and modern tuners, this is not your classic 50's model, so I reckon it should be called a 'decorative' finish instead. Relic is not for me - but I have seen a lot worse! What caught my eye straight away is the poor distressing on the fretboard which has obviously been sanded in the fret direction - really old teles have big divots in the lower areas of the lacquer following the string direction, and are not as 'pretty'.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you - doesn't look good or even close to natural really. I still don't really get the whole relic thing - just buy it and use it - guess what... it gets reliced like that! I can sort of see it with some but like Vintage make them... but they never existed 50 years ago and don't fool anyone so that completely loses me
ReplyDeleteThe neck seems to be a genuine mexican Tele neck but the body screams "Squier"! It doesn't matter really if the pickups are good. The real problem is that, while burning the finish to distress it, the body has been over heated and some cracks begin to appear. As it's not protected anymore by a coat of something, it might get worse after a few years of service. Finishes, varnish and paints are not there only to give some colour but first to PROTECT the wood and prevent it from "pumping" moisture or being used too fastly. The price is much too high for that one anyway.
ReplyDeleteWhat is this whole "Relic" thing thats going around? Is it somehow making instruments worth more than a brand new one in mint condition? I don't get it, I can go to a pawn shop and get a beat up guitar for $25
ReplyDeleteI don't like "relics" much but i like this one, at least the body. Don't look like a used guitar, but has a driftwood look i find pretty with the withish edges. The back is less nice. The scratched pick-guard and "used" fretboard are ludicrous, as it is almost aways the case.
ReplyDeleteI understand however those who don't like the very bright shinny finish of brand new guitars, or the the very white maple head of new Fenders (some have the aged-yellow as new though, like CV Squiers...). But one can remedy those "defects" with very fine steelwooll, stains and ...finesse.
One more person who is going to hop on the "WTF is it with relic'ed guitars" bandwagon. Yeah, it's an aesthetic design decision and to each their own, but it seems to me that the entire raison d'etre of relic'ing is to scam the audience into "check it out, man, I've been around". I'm amazed that some companies (wink wink Fano) have a successful business producing high quality, expensive instruments that are relic'ed from the get go.
ReplyDeleteAlso have to agree that this one is unauthentic-ally done even though the end result does look better than a lot of relics. Bottom line, however, is that a decent - but inexpensive - guitar is not more desirable just because you take a sander to the perimeter.
All that is just a matter of personal taste; I own a Tele I bought in 1974, when I don't play it, it remains in its case( that's to say away from sunlight especially ultraviolet). It's been refretted twice but still loks almost brand new because it's my personal choice to keep my guitars in good shape. When you renew a vintage instrument( And I did many) you've got 2 choices; keep it in its "vintage juice" as we say in french or fix it completly until it's in its original condition....Just a matter of taste! My taste is not yours and that's why life is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI own a CS Nocaster, which is reliced and quite a fine guitar but this example is just a TRAINWRECK. It doesn't look like the "creator" had any idea as to what they were doing and it certainly doesn't look like a guitar that's been played in, it just looks like a disaster.
ReplyDeleteI like reliced guitars - but only if they look natural. Why do people always over do relics? This thing looks more like some fisherman has sailed out to sea on it for 30 years!!!!! The best 'relics' for me are the ones that simulate normal ageing and play wear. My '78 P bass for example is black, but the top coat of clear has naturally yellowed giving a kind of dark green colour in certain light - it looks subtle which I think is the key. Also, 'Poly' finishes don't age the same as 'Nitro' finishes, so why do people insist on trying to make 'Poly' finishes look older than they are?
ReplyDelete