Relics

[noelford]

Brian (and Cockroach), I did specifically say that my topic is not about relics (or the people who buy them), but about the originals the relics are based on! Please let's not turn it into another one of 'those topics'.

[RayL]

With the benefit of hindsight, all those knocks, bumps and scrapes seem inexcusable. But think back to what it was like in the sixties and seventies. Just a simple thing like a guitar stand was a rare object on a stage and without a stand, it's only too easy for a guitar leaned against an amp or a chair to get knocked over.

Even the guitar stands of that time were pretty crude. Here's a pic of my old guitar stand from the 1960s next to a present-day XCG.

guitar stands.jpg (15.51 KiB) Viewed 5833 times

Obviously only intended for a small acoustic guitar, the oldie has no neck support and is little better than the amp or chair anyway.

Three cheers then, for Duane Eddy, who has kept his 1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body looking good and playing well over so many years!

Ray

[Paul Childs]

If these relic guitars that are already battered from new receive a few more dings they will blend in but what will these guitars look like when they are really old? Probably worse than Rory Gallaher's Strat.

[51 Relic]

Never seen a Burns Relic ? however how about a nice Marvin Heavy Relic ???? and worn AC30 together with a worn tape echo that can play all the right notes and programme the feet to create the correct steps LOL

[cockroach]

Noel

Sorry if I got the wrong end of the stick!

I suppose anyone who still has a guitar from the classic era which they bought back then, and have used it since then has found that it will almost inevitably get some wear and tear or damage.

But let's face it, whilst a new Fender or Gibson was an expensive item back then (what? 300 quid or so?), they weren't worth the price of a house or an expensive car back then either, unlike these 'vintage'/'collector's items' are these days.

I read once that there were only about 2,000 1958-60 Les Paul standard sunbursts ever made by Gibson. In the mid '60's they became 'sought after', but who could afford one these days?

You can buy a new replica or perhaps maybe they make relic versions that look as if you have in fact owned it since 1966 or whatever.

I'm sure anyone with a posh valuable original model today would probably not dare to take it out and gig with it?

[JimTidmarsh]

With the benefit of hindsight, all those knocks, bumps and scrapes seem inexcusable. But think back to what it was like in the sixties and seventies. Just a simple thing like a guitar stand was a rare object on a stage and without a stand, it's only too easy for a guitar leaned against an amp or a chair to get knocked over.

Even the guitar stands of that time were pretty crude. Here's a pic of my old guitar stand from the 1960s next to a present-day XCG.

guitar stands.jpg

Obviously only intended for a small acoustic guitar, the oldie has no neck support and is little better than the amp or chair anyway.

Three cheers then, for Duane Eddy, who has kept his 1957 Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins Hollow Body looking good and playing well over so many years!

Ray

I'm still using a couple of those 1960-style small stands!!!! They've served me well for the best part of 40 years, but that's not saying my guitars haven't suffered the odd ding etc!

[AC30Alan]

I have a sunburst that I bought new in '63 but within a year the finish was worn to the wood where my right arm contacted the guitar.
This was due to a gold fleck in the band uniform jacket, and every time I moved I "sanded" some of the finish away.
I was brokenhearted and had the guitar refinished several times since. So, as you can imagine I was bewildered by the "relic" series.
A brand new shiny Strat is a thing of beauty for me, anything less is a shame!
Right now my "63 is Fiesta red... and due a new paintjob soon!
Alan Cranny

[Gatwick1946]

Well I thought I always thought that it was something along the lines of-'playing a well worn guitar gives the impression that the player has experience and skill, and they are making a statement by appearing to prefer an old, worn instrument, to a shiny new one'.

There is something akin to this where people wear uniforms at work. Newcomers stand out because they wear the regulation uniform, all bright any shiny, with the right kit all in the regulation manner. Whereas the vets wear a battered but clean, slightly alternative uniform, with discreet variations. When I served in the police in Brighton, in 1970, one or two old coppers still wore the uniform of Brighton Borough Police( three Dolphins on the helmet plate), which had merged with the East and West Sussex forces a few years before. When I retired I gave my epaulettes to the colleague who took over my post.

However a trawl through You Tube seems to indicate most of the big names play guitars in good condition, usually their signature model if they have one. The main instruments favoured by Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townsend (known to have trashed a few guitars) do not show any great wear and tear. Among those with worn guitars are;

1. Stevie Ray Vaughn

2. Rory Gallagher

3. Seasick Steve

4.Willy Nelson - possibly the most impressive example, his beat up old acoustic appears to have a big hole in it, and he manages to crack out an nifty solo when required.

After a bit of a cull last year I am down to two guitars, a mint Burns 2004 Anniversary Marvin and my battered old Guyatone LG60B, which I have had since 1963. Would I change it for the new Burns reissue? Probably?