Relic guitars...waste of money?

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Sorry Blue Haze, I think you're wrong. Even non-players know that their favouite players love their old, priceless guitars. Any fans of SRV, Rory Gallagher, Andy Summers, John Frusciante, John Mayer (need I go on?) will have noticed that well worn guitars are the choice of their idol. They won't assume that they're playing cheap old rubbish, they will assume that there must be something special about these old workhorses if such a famous (and rich!) star plays them by choice.

If mere mortals like you or me play a relic guitar at our local bar, there will be a few people in the audience who will notice our guitar and wonder if it's old and valuable, assuming that it's a decent and convincing relic (I don't mean some of the awful Squier relics you see on eBay).

However, if you like your guitars to be clean and shiny, that's fine too. :p
 
rgrafend said:
Wood is not just wood. It remembers.
Click to expand...

Very true. I think you're almost quoting Bonnie Raitt there - I'm sure I remember her saying something like "this is a tree!" about her old 60s Strat. The funny thing that it's only "good" wood that remembers - it's identifying the ones that are special that's the trick. Like you, I can't describe it, you just "know" when you play a chord or two.

I'm a bit surprised to see you contributing to this thread; I got the impression from what others have said that you like your guitars to be immaculate? Do you have some relics hiding in your collection? :p
 
stratman323 said:
If mere mortals like you or me play a relic guitar at our local bar, there will be a few people in the audience who will notice our guitar and wonder if it's old and valuable, assuming that it's a decent and convincing relic
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Erm... isnt that what I said..ie.. "Lets face it. Only guitar players in the audience know what a relic is. " Plus when the audience start eyeing your gear closely...there probebly wondering how much the local fence would give them for it! :D

Since I started gigging in the seventies I found that not only most audience members but most venue organisers had difficulty even telling a Bass from a Guitar. for example...

Him- " Here's yer money lads! who gets it? "
Me- "The Bass player"
Him -" Is that you?"
Me- "No...the guy holding the Bass"
Him-" What...the blue guitar?
Me- " Sigh!"

............................You get the picture!

Of course back then if you were in a top club act you would HAVE to turn up with spotless gear and wear a catsuit to boot! The Tales I could tell you about dodgy Concert room chairmen trying to dock you money cause you have a scruffy drumkit of a bit of fabric peeling from a cab Jeez!

Oh yeah...and the time that some Very big very drunk audience members thought my 1958 Watkins copycat was a backing tape and pushed over a lighting rig!! in outrage
" We paid t'hear ah lav band not a chooffin Karaoke singist! Crunch...!
 
Here's how not to do a relic job:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130146645463&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:UK:1

And he says it's comparable to a Custom Shop job..... Possibly, if you're sufficiently off your face, it might appear to be.... :eek: Shame to ruin a nice Springy though. :(
 
Blue Haze said:
Erm... isnt that what I said..ie.. "Lets face it. Only guitar players in the audience know what a relic is. "
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Not really. Non musicians will look at my white Strat and assume it's old and therefore valuable. It's not just guitarists.
 
It's all about personal taste and Mojo.

Without choices in anything, the world would be dull.


I say Spuds, you say Fries ........type of thing :)
 

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