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Relic Guitars Are a Scam: Why Paying for Fake Wear Makes No Sense
Introduction
This is a very touchy subject to talk about! Relic Guitars! We aren’t talking about old guitars that have been naturally worn, but discussing buying a guitar that has been relic’d on purpose. Paying a builder to relic the guitar to make it look older and more worn! Whether it’s from the Fender Custom Shop or Gibson with their Murphy Lab relic’ing process, the debate is on. If you take a look online at any thread, post, or forum, you’ll find people arguing about relic’ing and whether you should relic guitars at all. So we thought we’d put together our two cents on the subject and share what we think!
We’re going to go over some reasons you might want to relic guitars, and some reasons you might not want to. These are our personal opinions and thoughts on this very controversial topic – so don’t start shouting at us if you disagree! But if you do disagree, then let us know. We always love to get people’s thoughts on relic’ing, because everyone has a slightly different opinion.
So why don’t we start with the one that a lot of you are going to disagree with? Why Relic Guitars Are a Good Idea!
Why are Relic guitars are good idea?
One reason we do like Relic Guitars is that you don’t tend to baby them as much! If you’ve bought a guitar that already has some wear on it – a few dings and dents – then you’ll find that you aren’t as careful with it. We’ve all been there: you buy a guitar and find yourself being overly protective of it. This disappears with Relic Guitars! If you ding it or bump it against something, it doesn’t really matter. Now of course, you’re still careful and don’t go full “The Who” on your gear, but it allows you to relax and enjoy the guitar for what it is, instead of trying to keep it as a museum piece.
Another reason you might want to get a relic’d guitar is if it’s a signature model. Say you purchased a Gibson Custom Shop “Greeny” Les Paul or a John Mayer Fender Custom Shop Strat. You’d want it to have the same wear as the actual version because you want it to match as closely as possible. Does it improve the playing? Not at all – but it does make it look more like the real thing! If you’re buying a signature guitar, then that’s what you’re after.
We think the final reason Relic Guitars are a good idea is because of the worn-in feel. Playing a guitar naturally wears the neck and body, making it feel better and easier to play. The fretboard rolls from years of playing, and the back of the neck feels smoother. Doing this naturally can take a long time, but a good relic’ing job can recreate that feel and make the guitar nicer to play (if that’s something you like). We’re sure a lot of guitarists – modern metal guitarists maybe – don’t like that worn-in feel. Personal preference!
Why are Relic guitars are terrible idea?
This is a huge point and one of the main reasons we think puts people off relic’ing – the cost! Go see how much a Custom Shop Gibson or Fender is, and then see how much extra it adds when you add relic’ing! Of course, we understand that it takes time and skill to make it look good. However, a Murphy Lab Relic job on a Gibson can add £3k+ onto a Les Paul!
This one sounds simple (and a bit sarcastic), but if you have a fully nitro-finished guitar (which most high-end and Custom Shop guitars will come with), then it really won’t take much to start seeing wear at all. If you’re playing it for an hour or two every day and doing a regular amount of gigs, then you’ll find that wear comes very quickly! Now, it won’t go full Jeff Beck on you overnight, but you will notice checking, dents, dings, and the finish starting to wear off. It doesn’t take long for it to wear at all. The more you play it, the more it will wear!
It also comes with a high risk of damaging the wood and/or instrument!"
More on Relic Guitars!
Also worth noting is that a poly finish – normally found on lower-spec guitars – won’t relic or wear easily. It’s designed for this purpose! The way companies get around this is by relic’ing the paintwork and then giving it a light satin poly finish (we believe this is what Squier did on its Road Worn guitars). You might also think, “I’ll strip the poly finish and refinish it in nitro.” This won’t be easy either! Poly is very tough and hard, and it will take a lot of work. It also comes with a high risk of damaging the wood and/or instrument!
We think everyone can agree that sometimes relic’ing can look well done. However, it can also look terrible! It can be overdone or feel and look unnatural. Most of the time when we see a relic job, it looks bad! Even the high-end manufacturers don’t always do a good job. So you have to be careful who does the relic work and where you get it done!
Conclusion
So there are our thoughts on Relic Guitars! We gave a few reasons why we think they can be both good and bad ideas. As we’ve said throughout this article, it all comes down to personal preference and what you like. Do you like Relic Guitars? Or are you on the side of perfect condition or natural wear? Drop us an Instagram comment or email and let us know what you prefer! Maybe we’ll collect the results and see what’s genuinely favoured. We think people will always disagree on this subject!
At the end of the day, we can sum it up like this: your money, your choice! If you’re buying the guitar and you want it relic’d, then get it! If you don’t? Then don’t! However, we need to stop arguing and hating on people for their personal choices on this subject. Opinions? They’re fine – but hate isn’t!
Personally, we’re in the middle. Some relic jobs look great, and some don’t. Natural relic will always look good – and natural – for obvious reasons!
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