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Warning: relic guitar paradox!

In: Electric guitars Wednesday May 28,2008

relic fender telecaster jeff beck Again related to the relic guitar topic, an idea that came to me from reading JP’s blog (Stratoblogster):

Does the price of a relic goes down with time passing?! I mean, does a relic depreciate after 10-20 years because it gets…well…scratches?!!?

That’s one of the most funny things I have heard. Imagine people paying big money for a brand new guitar that looks old and paying less money for it after 10 years because…well…IT GOT OLD!

Look man, it has scratches, I can not pay you that much for it. Yes, but it is supposed to have scratches, it is a relic guitar! No, man, I mean, forget the factory scratches, look, it has here a scratch that does not belong to the original “set”. Doh!

Now, question: if you payed like $3000 for a new guitar that looks old, EXACTLY BECAUSE IT HAS SCRATCHES AND LOOKS BEATEN UP, wouldn’t be normal that after 20 years when it will have even more damages and to value even more?

After all, the scratches it has got over the last 20 years are the real thing, right? Or not? What do you think?

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16 Responses to “Warning: relic guitar paradox!”

Kenny
May 28th, 2008 at 10:12 am

Well Ovidiu, there are scratches and there are SCRATCHES. I don’t mean that factory created scratches are ok and ‘real world’ scratches are bad. But the kind of wear and tear you get from a guitar that has been around and been regularly gigged, but well-looked after, are different from the kind of scratches you get from mis-treating a guitar. And its the scratches that come from badly treating a guitar that cause it to lose value.

Then again, I could be talking through my you-know-where. I agree with your general point though. Paying extra for a guitar because ot ‘looks’ like it’s old is nuts.

Kenny
Ovidiu
May 28th, 2008 at 10:39 am

Agree, I speak about regularly gigged guitar scratches not about hit-the-guitar-against-the-wall damage.
Jon
May 28th, 2008 at 10:48 am

*stops smashing guitar against wall* uh oh…
Kenski
May 28th, 2008 at 11:56 am

I would probably pay extra for a guitar that was set up like some famous dude’s because I like the combo of wood type, bridge, strings, pups etc that he’s settled on (though you’d have to get the same mod’ed amp, boxes etc). Someone who’s got to be an ‘idol’ has probably been through a lot of set-ups before finding what’s right for them.

I’ve never been a fan of anything that’s not ‘really’ been there. If I want to hang Egyptian artifacts on my wall, I’ll go to Egypt and get them, I won’t run down and buy a mass-produced facimilie. To me that’s madness.
Kenny Hemphill
May 28th, 2008 at 12:04 pm

@Kenski

I take your point about the set-up, although just because it works for BB King doesn’t mean it’ll work for you or I. And I definitely agree with you on the Egyptian artefacts.
Ovidiu
May 28th, 2008 at 12:50 pm

You are right about better buying some particular model because that guy found “the sound” just that it may not always fit you

Regarding the relic, I think that in the end it is a trend and we need to treat it accordingly.
Gary - Write Scribe
May 28th, 2008 at 5:24 pm

I don’t know about paying less after wear and tear, but what about a custom shop for those who want something different from the usual “factory scratches”?
Ovidiu
May 29th, 2008 at 12:39 pm

A custom shop for aging guitars?
Kenski
May 29th, 2008 at 12:53 pm

Imagined quote from brochure:

“Each Simulated History (TM) guitar comes with a detailed description of how each scratch and dent ‘might’ have occured. These histories are individually written by a team of seasoned gigging musicians who have genuinely ‘been there’, so that you don’t have to be. Our 24 hour a day customer support helpline is able to advise owners on suitable tattoos, piercings and hair-styles to match in with your newly assumed rock persona.”
Ovidiu
May 29th, 2008 at 3:09 pm

Damn, is this from the manual of a wannabe rock star or what?!!
Gary - Write Scribe
May 29th, 2008 at 3:43 pm

“Choose your Simulated History ™ from Rainy London Pub, New York Art Paint Splash, California sun and sand wear, Stadium Rock Roadie…”
Ovidiu
May 29th, 2008 at 4:54 pm

What a lovely title…
Stratoblogster
May 29th, 2008 at 10:15 pm

My ‘72 Tele Thinline is on it’s 3rd refret and missing 20% of its neck finish. The natural ash body and maple neck color have grown very amber in tint.

However, this guitar has little resale value because it didn’t belong to and/or hasn’t been autographed by or photographed with a famous player. It also doesn’t have resale because it wasn’t intentionally and prematurely put into it’s current condition by the Custom Shop and stamped as such. Another non-collectible aspect, is that it’s not in “mint” condition either– for the clean market side.

Without official guitar-god or Fender marketing mojo stamp, it’s just a worn old guitar.

In spite of that, new relic models go for $2000 plus.

If and when Fender releases a ‘72 RI Relic, that might be the only way the value of my ‘72 might see an increase in value. Until then, I just watch and wonder about it all…
Ovidiu
May 30th, 2008 at 3:03 pm

Yeah, it’s a stupid thing. Yours is probably an “old” guitar that doesn’t have a value, because it is used and played.It is a second hand guitar. Now, let’s go and buy a new one that is made to look like it is used and played and look like a second hand guitar. Ah, yes, who care that it will cost more than $2000 or $3000?!
Ricky Sharples
June 1st, 2008 at 2:20 pm

I can imagine myself accumulating a bunch of bogusly authentic guitars and realising ten years later I’d forgotten to play any of them!
ANSON
September 12th, 2008 at 10:49 pm

I have a ‘71 strat and the finnish on the bottom back side of the neck is scalloped and missing (just wood only). Is there a method of treating this condition? I love this guitar and have had it since the early 70s,The neck is allot slower and kinda sticky. HELP

Warning: relic guitar paradox!

16 Responses to “Warning: relic guitar paradox!”

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