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Post by 1poorplayer on Jan 15, 2015 19:52:40 GMT -7
What's your opinion on buying relic Fender telecasters ?
I mean , some may look at them as a perfectly good guitar that someone put scars and blemishes in - for you , and others may feel they best replicate the tone and feel of their respective originals , from the aged hardware to the handwound pickups.
I'm taking a liking to the look of a fiesta red relic tele. I've always hated the idea of a beat up - new guitar - in the past. Still not sure. I like the idea of aged electronics and original hardware though. ??
What do you guys think ?
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Post by limenine on Jan 15, 2015 20:09:45 GMT -7
I like the look - but if I'm buying new I'd just as soon have a nice shiny new guitar and skip paying someone to beat it up for me.
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Post by Luke on Jan 15, 2015 20:26:16 GMT -7
Personally I think the reliced guitars look real nice. I wouldn't buy one though. You could take the money you would spend on the relicing and buy a nicer axe. You can always get aged pickups from some aftermarket pickup winders. I know both Klein and Duncan offer something like this. I would prefer my guitars to relic naturally. But that is me and I'm not you so get whatever your heart pleases!
Also, I think you should definitely get a fiesta red Tele. One of my favorite Fender colors. Looks especially nice with a rosewood board.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2015 20:50:46 GMT -7
Not really my thing. But, if you dig, and the guitar plays well, go for it!
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Post by deltone on Jan 15, 2015 21:11:30 GMT -7
My opinion: I bought one. I like it...a lot. No regrets.
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Post by muZician on Jan 15, 2015 23:41:46 GMT -7
the relicing process does indeed influence the sound. of course it's also a great marketing tool and it has been misused to raise prices far too much.
but check out guitar builders like Dennis Fano (Fano Guitars, he is a former Fender masterbuilder) or Dan Strain (Danocaster Guitars). they both relic guitars BUT with the goal of replicating vintage sounds. and the prices are truly OK.
myself I own some Fender CS and I like my guitars, expensive but no regrets. I own a Fano TC6: the best guitar I have ever owned. And I ordered a Danocaster Tele: looking forward to receiving it next march
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Post by j4gitr (John) on Jan 16, 2015 3:16:27 GMT -7
I don't buy in to the whole "new relic" idea. Having said that I think a guitar is a very personal thing. I don't buy them online as I want to play them to see if I connect. If you found a guitar that feels good and you connect with it then it is worthy of your consideration relic'd or not. Just my $.02.
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Post by greenblues58 on Jan 16, 2015 4:31:25 GMT -7
Can't really speak for telecasters but I have recently purchased a custom shop 56 heavy relic strat in fiesta red which is well reliced in places.
I basically went looking for a maple board 50's style strat not particularly a relic but was interested in the American vintage and NOS and light aged CS strats.
I must have tried 20 odd guitars and kept coming back to the same two after a couple of hours one second hand light relic 58 TTS and an ash white blonde 56 heavy relic.
I liked the playability of the 56 much better but the 58 was a very nice looking guitar but lacking balls.
I asked if they had any others in the 56 relic style and initially rejected the fiesta red on the colour but noticed how much more resonant it was and its light weight and the neck was a peach.
I got the sales assistant to play through a few things on the three guitars whilst I turned my back and one stood out head and shoulders tonally which is why I walked out with a deal on the fiesta red.
I have had it a couple of months now and absolutely love it though still not taken to the shade of the fiesta red it's more pank than red!
My rosewood board strat is an 82 JV 62' spec Squier and I would say tonally they are very different,which is what I was looking for,playability wise they are very similar despite the difference in neck profiles and radius(56 V shape and 9.5 ,JV is 7.25 and nice fat C shape both have 6105 frets) I wouldn't say the CS was better built but they both have that certain response and resonance that I look for when choosing a guitar.
Just shows as usual that you have to get out and play as many of a particular style of guitar you can and choose with your ears and your hands before your eyes.
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Post by zed on Jan 16, 2015 6:41:07 GMT -7
I see the niche for relic guitars,
whether it's someone wanting a stand in for a vintage piece,
or guys that always wanted a vintage guitar, but they're out of range.
That, or guys just think they look cool.
Personally, I like them shiney new, natural patina is nice too.
Nothing against relics, just not for me.
Fano charges more for a non-relic/clean finish.
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Post by doctorice on Jan 16, 2015 7:13:00 GMT -7
I have a Nash T-52, purchased second hand, that is, I think, a medium relic in Bill Nash's terms. I love the guitar. It's got a great feel, excellent Lollar pups and emits a distinct vibe that suits the rock and blues I mostly play. Key thing is, it's a great playing guitar: The relic part is cool, but I don't think it's a big part of the feel, other than the neck (finish is worn off).
I wouldn't pay more for a new relic than I would for the equivalent non-relic instrument. I'm pretty sure Nash prices all his T-52s the same; you get to choose the level of wear.
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Post by BritInvasion on Jan 16, 2015 7:40:03 GMT -7
I generally never liked the idea of trying to reproduce age and tons of playing artificially , but I have to admit that MarkN's '53 Tele he recently got changed my mind.
If done carefully and properly , it can really change the tone and feel from a new one IMHO.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 7:54:01 GMT -7
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Post by BritInvasion on Jan 16, 2015 7:59:56 GMT -7
^^ Perfection!!
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Post by 6stringer on Jan 16, 2015 8:00:18 GMT -7
I never had any interest in reliced guitars until I played one in a music store. I bought that Fender CS relic '51 Nocaster in 2008 & it has been my favorite guitar I've owned in 30 years. I also have a Fender CS relic 50's Esquire which is incredible as well. These guitars just seem to have the mojo... more resonant & responsive than anything else I have played. Plus they look really cool!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 8:08:26 GMT -7
I never had any interest in reliced guitars until I played one in a music store. I bought that Fender CS relic '51 Nocaster in 2008 & it has been my favorite guitar I've owned in 30 years. I also have a Fender CS relic 50's Esquire which is incredible as well. These guitars just seem to have the mojo... more resonant & responsive than anything else I have played. Plus they look really cool! I always had the interest, just never had the chance to buy one til this past fall. I first tried a Nocaster way back when they originally came out. The Cunetto models. It sounded incredible! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 8:13:06 GMT -7
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 8:55:04 GMT -7
I also have a Nash T-52, which is a great guitar--super light and resonant, killer pickups, all around awesome player. And I recently picked up a used Fender CS '69 Thinline, which, with some tweaks (Lollar J-Street bridge pickup, Imperial underwound neck, Callaham bridge), has become my #1 Tele. It's a light relic job--closer to the closet classic vibe than the heavy relic. My feeling is, if you like the guitar, go for it--don't worry about what anybody else thinks. I wasn't a relic guy for awhile--then the Nash called out to me, and now I like 'em relic-d, new and shiny, and everything in between. It's all about the individual guitar, for me.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 17:50:01 GMT -7
Jon, what is in the Nash for pickups? Lollars?
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Post by 1poorplayer on Jan 16, 2015 20:20:49 GMT -7
Just got back to check the thread. Wow , great answers guys. I can see everyone's point.
I've looked into old guitars , and they tend to be in the 4-$6000 range. The tough part is , it's ebay and you never know for sure what you're getting.
For the same or less dough , you can get a new tele , or a relic'd model. There's tone in aged wood and electronics.
Some of these relic guitars look like they were beaten and abused to a point of stupidity. I understand the wear spots where your body comes into contact, and an occasional scrape or bump that are bound to happen after years of constant use.
There are no local music stores that carry these guitars. Otherwise , I agree with the try before you buy philosophy.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2015 20:25:29 GMT -7
I took a leap of faith and got a good one! I could tell just by the look that I was gonna love it! |
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Post by thunderstruck(formerly doc001) on Jan 16, 2015 23:26:20 GMT -7
If I like a guitar I buy it.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2015 6:08:29 GMT -7
Just got back to check the thread. Wow , great answers guys. I can see everyone's point. I've looked into old guitars , and they tend to be in the 4-$6000 range. The tough part is , it's ebay and you never know for sure what you're getting. For the same or less dough , you can get a new tele , or a relic'd model. There's tone in aged wood and electronics. Some of these relic guitars look like they were beaten and abused to a point of stupidity. I understand the wear spots where your body comes into contact, and an occasional scrape or bump that are bound to happen after years of constant use. There are no local music stores that carry these guitars. Otherwise , I agree with the try before you buy philosophy. You could look into a MIM fender Roadworn model as well if you don't want to get into the bigger dollars of a CS or independent build. |
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Post by greenblues58 on Jan 17, 2015 6:41:36 GMT -7
I meant to put in my post that if you are just after a good telecaster I have been very impressed with my American Vintage series 64' in very lightly applied flash nitro white blonde over Ash which already has a couple of dings and I expect will age naturally.
Supposed to be built and spec'd to exact year changes.
Either way a very nice guitar.
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Post by BritInvasion on Jan 17, 2015 9:22:36 GMT -7
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2015 17:11:04 GMT -7
Jon, what is in the Nash for pickups? Lollars? Hi Mark! Yep--Lollar Special T in the bridge, and Vintage T in the neck, allegedly with slight Nash-set tweaks. It's also got a treble bleed circuit, stock. I replaced the stock saddles--which were impossible to intonate even close--with Glendale compensated brass, and now it plays in tune--otherwise I haven't messed with it. |
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Post by brayks on Jan 18, 2015 1:09:19 GMT -7
I'm into the relic scene as long as its not overdone - I like the look. Besides, after I get my hands on a guitar it looks reliced after the first year anyway. Of course there are always exceptions but shiny USUALLY doesn't do much for me. I have a Fender CS reliced Strat and a '97 California Strat reliced by a buddy of mine. Both guitars play and sound great. I have this 2010 MIM Road Worn '72 Deluxe Telecaster I got off the Buy Sell. I swapped out the Fender Wide Range Humbuckers for Lollar Regal's and man is this thing a BEAST...and plays like butter. Seller had a sticker on the front and injected a little additional relicing when removing it but what the hey, just adds to the mojo right? Still, reliced or not, I think ya gotta play 'em and "kiss a lot of frogs" before you take the plunge. Just like the fairer sex: a whole lot of lookers out there that you wouldn't necessarily want to take home to mama...      |
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Post by 1poorplayer on Jan 19, 2015 10:42:49 GMT -7
Wow. Nice. Makes a relic model seem almost silly now. Thanks for showing me the pics. |
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Post by BritInvasion on Jan 19, 2015 10:53:08 GMT -7
Wow. Nice. Makes a relic model seem almost silly now. Not too silly if ya compare the relic price to the originals   |
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Post by nmz on Jan 19, 2015 15:44:01 GMT -7
Marks is awesome! Many of them are done very nice as well. But I would not pay extra for it personally. I would either like to make those myself with some stories behind them or buy an old one that has the scars.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2015 1:39:37 GMT -7
those make my heart skip a beat! |
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