Many of us love old guitars because of what they are. And it seems we even love guitars that look like old guitars, because of what they pretend to be. The knocks and dings that a real old, worn guitar accumulates are mementoes of actual events. That bash there happened when it fell down the stairs at that terrible session, remember? This bit here is where my elbow’s rested the last x-hundred-and-something gigs. Flip it over and that’s where my fave belt buckle has left its unreadable signature.
An aged new guitar, however – the type we often call a relic – is an ersatz axe. And usually it’s someone else’s take on the history of dings. Nonetheless, you could take matters into your own hands, a potentially dangerous move that might involve sandpaper, steel wool, hair dryers, freezers, bunches of keys, bathroom cleaner, vinegar, gougers, files, cold tea or coffee, oxidising fluid, Tung oil, French polish, razor blades, and other fearsome tools of the trade.
In their favour, relics are good to go, anywhere you like, without the fear of damaging a valuable vintage collectable. There’s always the worry with a wallet-emptying vintage piece over the authenticity of the paint finish, the rightness of a pickguard screw, the veracity of its solder joints. A new-old guitar at least takes away any nagging doubts about originality.
FENDER FINDS A RELIC
Early in 1995 when Fender showed off a few early samples of its new guitars with aged finishes at the NAMM gear show in Anaheim, some of the repairers who wandered by must have wondered what all the fuss was about. Many of them regularly did jobs where they would refinish and restore guitars, merging visible repairs into the overall vibe of the older instrument, carefully blending the look so that the new areas sat comfortably with the original worn guitar. Some of them might even have ventured occasionally into the murky world
Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Guitarist.
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Denne historien er fra February 2020-utgaven av Guitarist.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Sonic Shaper
Electro-Harmonix revisits the effect that launched the company with the LPB-3 Linear Power Booster and EQ
Platinum Blonde
PRS has updated its Texas-voiced David Grissom signature amp with more features, lower wattage and a more approachable price tag
TAN LINES
Many of us regard straps as a bit of an afterthought, but to find one that matches the quality of a custom or vintage guitar, Rod Boyes of Pinegrove Leather can help
ELECTRIC STRINGS
Your tone starts with your strings - strike a balance between sound, tuning and durability with six of our favourites
DIFFERENT WINDS
While there's no end to repros of all the classic pickup styles, more and more pickup makers are mixing things up to move forward - Cream T is a good example
Long termers
A few months' gigging, recording and everything that goes with it - welcome to Guitarist's longterm test report
Top Guns
Chapman's new factory move coincides with a bit of a rethink. We track down the key players all around the world
the Wishlist
Dream gear to beg, borrow and steal for...
Reach For The Star
Earlier this year Guild reorganised its 70s-era Polara range. We spent some time with this mid-range 2024 model: a modern pawn-shop prize or a copy too far?
HIGH FLYER
Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX remembers the flight path - and turbulence behind Chris Buck's Electric Lightning overdrive/boost, named after a fighter jet and packing a bona fide valve
