Heritage showcasing hand relic’d guitars

[Vanschoyck]

https://bandlabtechnologies.com/press/9050-heritage-guitars-launches-the-artisan-aged-collection/

[DavesNotHere]

I was just checking them out about 30 minutes ago at NAMM. Pete said they came to him and asked for 25 guitars so they could be reliced and to test the waters. Right now it's a no-cost option. It's not my thing, but they are very well done. Certainly does not look like someone took a belt sander to them. It's very tastefully done.

[Steiner]

A Great way to pass off finish troubles...

[tsp17]

On 7/20/2019 at 1:52 PM, Steiner said:

A Great way to pass off finish troubles...

Always been my thinking too, but if the result is good and folks like it, then happy days for all.  

[TalismanRich]

I don't think the objective is to pawn off badly finished guitars, but rather to cash in on the current relic craze.   It seems everyone has to have one in the line these days.

That said,  I'm not a fan.  A month or so ago, I was talking about this with a friend, and I told him it was like ordering a new car, but before you take delivery,  have the dealer crunch a few fenders,  put a rip or two in the seats, wear out the tires and substitute a rusted out muffler, so it sound like the car you bought for $500 when you were in high school.  

[Gitfiddler]

40 minutes ago, TalismanRich said:

I don't think the objective is to pawn off badly finished guitars, but rather to cash in on the current relic craze.   It seems everyone has to have one in the line these days.

That said,  I'm not a fan.  A month or so ago, I was talking about this with a friend, and I told him it was like ordering a new car, but before you take delivery,  have the dealer crunch a few fenders,  put a rip or two in the seats, wear out the tires and substitute a rusted out muffler, so it sound like the car you bought for $500 when you were in high school.  

I agree 100%. 

I understand the marketing behind making brand new guitars appear to be old, but can't get ready for it as a consumer of fairly expensive instruments.  If its going to be damaged, I'll be the one doing it...for free. 

In my view the only advantage to owning a guitar that has been factory relic'd, is that there's no worrying about getting it dinged, scratched or scraped during ownership. 

 

[Spectrum13]

1 hour ago, Gitfiddler said:

 

I understand the marketing behind making brand new guitars appear to be old, but can't get ready for it as a consumer of fairly expensive instruments.  If its going to be damaged, I'll be the one doing it...for free. 

In my view the only advantage to owning a guitar that has been factory relic'd, is that there's no worrying about getting it dinged, scratched or scraped during ownership. 

 

Did this start with stonewashed jeans? Are baseball mitts broken it too these days?

[bolero]

I'm not into it: but there are a lot of people that are

worth a shot I guess

[houndhome]

When I last went into my nearest large store I could not find a custom Fender Strat or Tele in NOS condition,

they were all relic'd.Each to his own but in my view total Lunacy and sought out only by posers who want people

to believe they are something that they are not.(and yes,if I wanted a relic'd guitar I can manage it quite well by

myself !!!)

[chico]

15 hours ago, tsp17 said:

Always been my thinking too, but if the result is good and folks like it, then happy days for all.  

Through the years Fender was great at re finishing strats/teles in solid colors after a less than perfect sunburst job

[Blacker80]

Like you guys, I like an expensive guitar to look nice.  However, I'm obviously in the minority by saying I don't mind a light relic that gives it a broke in feel.  I'm very open to it and look forward to trying one at PSP.  The checking reminds me of my 1967 330 - looks great!

[y2kc]

I like when you read the description of a used reliced guitar and it says mint condition.Really?

Not my thing. I have several guitars including Heritage that have real world wear and I like them that way.

Yes this is an excellent way to pass off guitars with defects. I would do it too.

y2kc

[rwinking]

Personally I prefer buying a lightly used guitar and then “hand relic’ng“ it by playing the hell out of it over a few years. Every ding and paint fade/scratch have meaning to me. 

[houndhome]

When it comes to selling a relic'd guitar secondhand if it is the same condition as when it

left the factory,can one describe it as being in "mint" condition ?  !!!

[JeffB]

I dont get the "relic" thing. Never have. Does not compute. Never looks right and often looks quite shabby.

I have played some relic'd guitars that really were quite great to play and also sounded great.

I dont feel triggered by this news. 10yrs ago I wouldve been looking around for signs of the 4th horseman.

[deytookerjaabs]

Hey guys, let's revolutionize our facilities and procedures to adapt to post modern 6 sigma standards for superior attention to detail and absolute perfection. 

 

 

And when we're done with that let's beat the piss out of the guitars!!

 

...makes sense. 

[zguitar71]

Nah, I’ll do it on my own. It only took about 3 years to get through to the wood on the top and the neck, it spread from there. Just play them all the time and it will look old. The finish is thin, as it should be, so it really doesn’t take long. 

[rockabilly69]

16 minutes ago, zguitar71 said:

Nah, I’ll do it on my own. It only took about 3 years to get through to the wood on the top and the neck, it spread from there. Just play them all the time and it will look old. The finish is thin, as it should be, so it really doesn’t take long. 

It's funny how guitars wear with different players. I play my guitars non-stop (at least 5 gigs a week), but they will never age like that. I use my fingers to play (rarely use picks), and my guitars have pickguards, so no wear below the strings, but my guitars do have wear on where my arm contacts the wood, not to that extreme though. Nice looking Goldie!

 

[rockabilly69]

2 hours ago, deytookerjaabs said:

Hey guys, let's revolutionize our facilities and procedures to adapt to post modern 6 sigma standards for superior attention to detail and absolute perfection. 

 

 

And when we're done with that let's beat the piss out of the guitars!!

 

...makes sense. 

the golden era H150s came with relic'ing on the fretboard and nut free of charge:)

[Gitfiddler]

This is my kind of relic'ing...

[davesultra]

Don’t care for the whole relic thing. I didn’t mind the ‘ol Gibson VOS thing though. That was more like a “not shiny thing” as opposed to a “beat-up looking thing”.

[deytookerjaabs]

46 minutes ago, rockabilly69 said:

the golden era H150s came with relic'ing on the fretboard and nut free of charge:)

Ahem, cough cough...

 

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

 

 

Two guitars I bought/ordered brand new. Forget the ding under the finish or the Orange Peel back or the "fretwork"...they couldn't even SEAT the damn frets properly. Both companies with reputations for great quality. One uber modern/lean, one old school. 

 

I think the mature choice for me would be to join their forums and then spend years decrying their poor quality in post after post because of two guitars I received, right??? Maybe someone selling refrets/pleks could join me?   

 

Or, I just move on and realize my examples aren't possibly indicative as the brands as a whole, but that would be too reasonable a thing to do, right?

 

Meanwhile...6 "Golden Era" Heritages, all used, with no indication of work/refrets all just needing minor adjustment with smokin' low action...never even leveled one of'em, which is rare for me. Yet some say they're all trash and can't move on...oh well. 

[rockabilly69]

I would have never excepted those guitars that you are displaying if I ordered them as new, and Exhibit B is an obvious refret (no nibs). The new group is trying for higher quality standard, what is your problem with that, or is this a case of get off of my lawn? 

[deytookerjaabs]

7 hours ago, rockabilly69 said:

I would have never excepted those guitars that you are displaying if I ordered them as new, and Exhibit B is an obvious refret (no nibs). The new group is trying for higher quality standard, what is your problem with that, or is this a case of get off of my lawn? 

 

They both got sent back, actually the first one came with the ding the first time....then the replacement had the unseated Frets and that ordeal was the biggest PITA you could imagine but it all got resolved in the end. 

 

Eh, getting a turd is like paying to see the Stones in '71 and standing stageside in the front right where ya can't hear Mick Jagger and Keith is a bit out of tune.....does that make them some lame band who doesn't care about their fans and is worthless to see for all time...or was it just a bad day? 

[Vanschoyck]

On 7/22/2019 at 10:41 AM, deytookerjaabs said:

let's beat the piss out of the guitars

They've updated their web site with some example photos.  It's pretty subtle I'd say, more like a VOS treatment.  Count me neutral on the thing.  I was hoping for a new arch top model, specifically a single pickup H575!  That would open up my bank.