Normal Finish Vs Artisan Aged

[29er]

Hello! Just joined the group and this is my first post. Quick back story on myself: I'm a 61 year old former crappy blues rock player who is now a crappy acoustic finger style blues player. Back in the day I owned 2 Heritage H-535's and I now find myself desiring a new H-530. I see that retail pricing on the normal vs. artisan aged finish is the same. This doesn't bother me in the least but I'm curious why this is because most (all?) makers charge a premium for a relic finish. Does anyone have any insight on this? I'll be shopping for my H-530 as soon as my Guild Orpheum dread finds a new home. Thanks for any help! 

[MartyGrass]

Heritage does a pretty thorough job of relicking the finish.  The paradox is that if there are few finish checks the guitar is discounted.  Go figure.

[davesultra]

Phony relic jobs just don't look right on a Heritage guitar. That's just my opinion YMMV.

[29er]

47 minutes ago, MartyGrass said:

Heritage does a pretty thorough job of relicking the finish.  The paradox is that if there are few finish checks the guitar is discounted.  Go figure.

I have not seen one in the flesh but hope to soon. I'm on the fence on the whole relic world but I hate the fake & overdone stuff. I'll know when I lay eyes upon Heritage's version when I see/touch/feel it for myself. My question is why there is no upcharge. Maybe they do it in a way that takes no extra labor?

[MartyGrass]

23 minutes ago, davesultra said:

Phony relic jobs just don't look right on a Heritage guitar. That's just my opinion YMMV.

Dave, you may be on the wrong side of the Michigan but you're on the right side of this discussion. 

Here is my new car getting relicked.

 

 

 

 

[davesultra]

15 hours ago, MartyGrass said:

Dave, you may be on the wrong side of the Michigan but you're on the right side of this discussion. 

Here is my new car getting relicked.

 

 

 

 

Ha!!!

Wow, now I know how to get big bucks for that old broken down Mazda sitting in my driveway! 
For Sale: Nicely “reliced” ‘07 Mazda 6. $3k obo

[GuitarsGuitarsGuitars]

15 hours ago, MartyGrass said:

Dave, you may be on the wrong side of the Michigan but you're on the right side of this discussion. 

Here is my new car getting relicked.

 

Couldn't agree more.

 

You seem to know an awful lot about Heritage guitars ... As a newbie - may I ask - 

Would you know if the 2017 H-150's have long neck tenons?

I asked in that thread as well... not sure if anyone will notice.

[davesultra]

IIRC- They’ve been doing long tenons since the early 2010s’.

[rwinking]

I do find it odd to relic a Heritage in order to make it look like a guitar from the 50s  or 60s when Heritage did not exist. Maybe I could handle a relic'd H-140 or 170 that looks like an 80s vintage.

[GuitarsGuitarsGuitars]

21 minutes ago, davesultra said:

IIRC- They’ve been doing long tenons since the early 2010s’.

Grazi.  Better late than never to join the Heritage team I guess....

That 2017 H-150 is EVERY SINGLE BIT as nice as ANY CS Gibbon... And I've had dozens...

My friends think I'm losing it .... but You guys believe me ... right?

I'd post a pic but they are all deemed "too big"

[JeffB]

 "shabby chic" treatment.

Nothing in guitar land bothers me. Big neck, skinny neck, whatever, I will adapt. Switch, pick guard  or pick up placement, doesnt matter, I will work around it. Body shape, I make them all look good. String gauge, string type, scale length, pffft, what ever. I dont obsess about the concept of bad/good tone, every guitar or amp sound works somewhere in some context. Short tenon vs long tenon, hot p/ups vs PAF style, locking tuners, floyds, 2 point trems vs 6 screws, none of it even on my radar as things to obsess or worry about. I can even live with the open book headstock shape! !! !!!

but,

Relics I react to in a weird way. I dont like them, even though Ive played some really wonderful playing and sounding relic'd guitars. I just cant stand the lack of authenticity in  them. I realise that is just a personal take on them and sales pretty much show that people dont think they lack authenticity but its been a thing I havnt been able to get past  along the way, particularly when I was selling them. Really had to step outside myself a few times there.
 Relics, or shabby chic, is my old man yelling at clouds trigger, even when I was much younger!

 

[29er]

Thanks for all the replies but I guess I should ask a dealer (or even call Heritage themselves) to get an answer to the question of cost. As I mentioned, I don't care either way but wonder why the retail price is the same when comparing a normal finish versus artisan aged. I WILL own a H-530 when I sell a couple of unused guitars

[skydog52]

I would grab one now. It will be an upcharge in the future. Already is on their Custom Core Models.

[rockabilly69]

I have played three of the Artisan aged guitars, two H530s, and one H150. The aging on the H150 looked good, but it was over the top on the H530s. I posted a while back about a new H530 that I played that I really liked. Well it was my friend's guitar, who likes relics, but he returned it to Guitar Center because he felt the aging was too over the top! They went especially heavy on the tuners and deep finish cracks around the neck joint.

[Gitfiddler]

To me, artificially relic'd instruments are simply a marketing scheme, aimed at a small piece of the guitar buying market.

I've never understood the attraction, but I've also never been involved in sales or marketing.  I suppose the rationale is if guitar builders can increase gross sales another 10% - 20% then why not beat up and 'age' a brand new guitar at the factory.  In other words, give the people what the people want.  As Skydog52 stated, if you want an 'artisan aged' Heritage, get one now.  The current pricing can't be sustainable, and an eventual increase seems inevitable.

Personally, I'll stick to new guitars that look, feel, smell and play like new guitars.  As they are played, dinged, scratched and enjoyed over the years is when the real relic process begins.

 

[skydog52]

1 hour ago, Gitfiddler said:

To me, artificially relic'd instruments are simply a marketing scheme, aimed at a small piece of the guitar buying market.

I've never understood the attraction, but I've also never been involved in sales or marketing.  I suppose the rationale is if guitar builders can increase gross sales another 10% - 20% then why not beat up and 'age' a brand new guitar at the factory.  In other words, give the people what the people want.  As Skydog52 stated, if you want an 'artisan aged' Heritage, get one now.  The current pricing can't be sustainable, and an eventual increase seems inevitable.

Personally, I'll stick to new guitars that look, feel, smell and play like new guitars.  As they are played, dinged, scratched and enjoyed over the years is when the real relic process begins.

 

I agree with you. I just don't get it but there are some that just love them. Selling them you you don't have to worry about jamming one because 

it adds to the relicing job.  With a fine finished product you ding it and like you said the price plummets.

[skydog52]

Just now, skydog52 said:

I agree with you. I just don't get it but there are some that just love them. Selling them you you don't have to worry about jamming one because 

it adds to the relicing job. With a fine finished product you ding it and like you said the price plummets.

 

[chico]

if i could find a used relic'd Strat, say, I'd be interested on the used side. but not new. buy new, get new.

[yoslate]

It's why they make chocolate and vanilla....

 

[houndhome]

How would you describe a used relic Strat (or any other brand),"mint,as new conditon"?

Personally I cant stand reliced guitars,I like new condition,and if they wind up with marks on them

then I did it !

[bolero]

Hendrix did some top notch relic work on some of his strats...

But otherwise I'd rather buy new, and let nature take it's course

[MartyGrass]

I prefer to relic my own the old fashioned way.  You combine your favorite musician buddies, a small basement party, and unlimited beer.  Give it about six hours.  Nature will do the rest.

[AP515]

I've never been a relic fan.  It's not about the look of the guitar.  It's about honest wear for me.  I just don't like fake honor.  Earn it.  Rory's Strat looked like it did for a reason.

[rockabilly69]

45 minutes ago, AP515 said:

I've never been a relic fan.  It's not about the look of the guitar.  It's about honest wear for me.  I just don't like fake honor.  Earn it.  Rory's Strat looked like it did for a reason.

Rory's Strat has a great story, it lay in a ditch for awhile giving it a jump start on the aging process, and along with is heavy corrosive sweat, that guitar didn't stand a chance of staying clean. I think it's funny that it has blue denim stain in the finish

 

[AP515]

18 hours ago, rockabilly69 said:

Rory's Strat has a great story, it lay in a ditch for awhile giving it a jump start on the aging process, and along with is heavy corrosive sweat, that guitar didn't stand a chance of staying clean. I think it's funny that it has blue denim stain in the finish

Yep, that is precisely my point.  A couple days in a ditch in 65, his acidic sweat from countless hours of play time, buttons on his shirt and the grind of a belt buckle and Levis.  That makes a good relic.  15 minutes on a work bench with a sander is fake honor IMO.