Dings, nicks, dents, scratches, and character

[Azhrei]

 

having lurked for a while, i've seen that, on these threads, everybody, rightly, hates the new pre-relic'd guitars. so who is buying them? is anyone? i love every scratch on my guitar except one - the first one - where i dropped a pedal onto the guitar while it was in the case and left a massive ding right above the neck on the front. and it's not because it's ugly, it's more because it was the first one, the first mark that messed up my precious baby. since then I've loved every opportunity to kick the crap out of it, but that first one still stings.

 

I have a Vintage Guitars Lemon Drop, and I like it. Sounds great, plays good, good solid LP style guitar. It is factory relic'd and while there are places on it where the relicing look contrived and unnatural, I like the fact that I don't ever have to worry about that "first mark".

[fenderbender66]

THIS is guitar abuse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

not to mention fashion abuse. WTF is he wearing?

[stormin1155]

I take good care of my guitars. I keep them clean and I don't bang them around. I have an acoustic I've owned for 36 years, and other than some wear on the frets, the fretboard, the pickguard, and around the soundhole, it looks nearly new. But I don't dispair if they get a ding or scratch. If I intended them to stay pristine I'd leave them in the case.... my guitars are meant to be played. Dings, scratches and wear are all part of the character.

[Invader.CC]

I love having a well broke in neck but i cannot and i mean cannot stand to have a dent gouge or scratch that i can feel in the neck for some reason my hand isn't able to pass over the top of them and my hand gets stuck were the imperfection is.. It just throws me off when playing ..As far as the body goes i could care less if the body is worn as long as it is not abused...

[straycat113]

Every ding and dent hurts but thats life.I take care of my axes and you can tell natural wear and tear.But these guitars that come out of the factory blowtorched and sandpapered are a joke and are letting people who dont take care of there gear to sell it on ebay as having that relic look.Well when a guitar is 25-30 years old it can be proud to be called and have that look,but if that look goes out of fashion you will see how fast people put there guitar away after playing.I dont treat my guitars like a clock on a wall but I am not going to carelesly bang them around sooner or later sh!t happens but I also look at a guitar and see a thing of beauty like a hot girl or what people who are into paintings must see and we all have our #1 that shows more abuse because it is used so much but it got there naturaly not from a factory.Thats like the chick with to much botox and a bad boob job.

[Kid Klash]

It's like spitting into a condom and leaving it out somewhere so your buddies think you actually got laid.

 

Now THAT's funny! That's definately quote-worthy.

 

To me, relic'ing is a fad that's going to go away. If I see a regular guitar that's got dings, scratches, dents, missing paint chips, etc., I expect to pay less for it than what a new guitar just like it.

 

I think the exception will be for a guitar that was owned by someone well known, with documentation to prove that it was owned and played by that person (like concert photos of the guitarist playing the guitar in question). Otherwise, it's just a beat up guitar to me, which is worth less than one in good condition.