Wow. This is possibly the most completely sensible video I've ever seen on the internet. I fall into the camp of not being a relic fan, but I have no problem with anyone buying and playing whatever they like. It's their money and their preference.

How can you tell someone hates relics? Dont worry, they'll tell you

Im a bit OCD so when I get a brand new anything I freak out about dents and scratches. When i buy something thats already been abused and scratched then I stop worrying so much about it and am willing to just throw it around

I m an old guy 56 and I can't fathom the price some people will pay for this. I find it hilarious. I don't care what people buy but personally, I'm not paying extra for someone to beat up my new guitar. 😜🤘🏼

So I have been asked to wear in guitars…. As a guitar builder I admire these companies that are building relics that look good. It’s a pain to wear out a guitar. Love how you worded all of this. Personally I just buy guitars from the early 90s for myself. typically because they are beat and awesome!

I thought it was moronic to buy a new guitar with scratches, but every time I played one in the store the felt and sounded amazing. The nitro finishes, the best woods, great pickups and the broken in feel of these Fender Custom Shop guitars was really nice. Then I bought a used one from the artists Lincoln Brewster when he was selling some gear on EBay. It was a 56 Strat that had been one of his main touring and recording guitars. Lincoln Brewster now has his own Fender signature model Stratocaster. I loved the 56 and later bought a 63 CS guitar as a backup. I am not about to drop 30-40 thousand on a vintage one, and these get me pretty darn close in some ways for a lot less money. Now I appreciate the art of a well-done relicing job by Fender.

I used to not like relic guitars, but then life happened and I learned the value of things that have been "lived in". I also appreciate being able to relax and not worry about getting a scratch on a $10,000 instrument. I like to use my things and not feel like I have to protect them. Example: I personally get the most enjoyment out of my cars after they have about 50K miles on them and I am not worried about where I park them, or whether or not they are covered in a storm. Do I own the car/guitar, or does it own me? There is value in the wear/tear on some items. An old broken in leather jacket being one of them. In fact, relics remind of a really nice old pair of leather shoes that have been broken in nicely but have recently had brand new soles put on them. A great combination. These points you have made are great. Anderton's also did a wonderful explanation similar to your points. I want to point out a couple things as well. Eddie Van Halen's guitars were NEVER flawless, not even new. Put together from spare parts and factory seconds with a home paint job. Slash's iconic Les Paul model is in fact a knockoff. Brian May built his own guitar out of an old piece of wood that was previously a mantel off of a fireplace. You don't need beautiful or mint condition gear to make good music. In my opinion (having been around the guitar community in various forms over the last 20 years) if it is reliable/looks cool/plays well/sounds as you like, then why even care what anyone else thinks? Enjoy your instrument and don't worry about what people think of it. The people who get really caught up in these battles are often not the ones doing anything at a high level other than arguing on Internet forums.

You, sir, have made the most intelligent and best argument on this topic I've heard in a long time. I appreciate your thoughts and logic here. keep up the good work.

I own a Nash S63 that is light aged and I like the look and feel a lot. Heavy Relicing on the other hand has never appealed to me personally but some look cool if your after that.

Great video, and you made your points well.

My only question is how do guys who are into relic’d guitars decide which pair of pre ripped jeans they should wear everyday?

sand paper wristbands will speed things up on where up

I'd love a real strat from 1959 or 1963 (partially because of the neck profile), but I can't comfortably afford one without my wife killing me. I bought, tried, returned, sold and bought more custom shops. Ultimately I found what I've always been looking for and no longer care about acquiring a 60 year old guitar. BTW, my CS relics are about on par with the natural wear of my '93 Am Std that I bought new. So they can be very realistically relic'ed.

I sell guitars and then regret it so I relic my guitars now knowing that I will have difficulty selling it, no regrets. ♥️🎸.

Lifelong 62 year old player who just got his first Custom Shop...so glad I was able to find a USED lefty Tele CS and that it was a Closet Classic because I don't have to worry about dings and dents...someone else, Fender in this instance, has already taken away the 'new guitar angst'....so, I just play it til my fingers bleed! Great vid.

It’s always pretty easy to find people that make negative comments. I’ve been playing since before relic and aged guitars were a thing. Back then people would tell me “I can’t believe you paid that much for a guitar and you’re not even in a band. That guitar should be on stage.” They shamed me for even having it. I never let it bother me. I’ve always thought of myself as a “guitar enthusiast” that can play pretty well. I’ve gotten a lot of enjoyment from all the guitars I’ve had over the years, mint, relic and vintage alike. People are going to say all kinds of things and that’s fine but don’t let them spoil your enjoyment. Life’s too short to worry about comments online or anywhere else.

I like the look. Not trying to fool anyone. 🤷‍♂️👍

If I got hold of an old Tele or Jazz box with noticeable damage or daterioration of the finish I'd have it refinished or repainted. Hate having rust on my tools.

Well, I'm not into buying relic guitars but doing one myself as a little project I think this is something I'd like to do, because then it's mine, with every scratch that it has. But tastes are different!

Whilst I havent had a super close look at a “reliced” guitar what I have seen does not impress me at all they just don’t look right, too clean looking no sweat, grease, blood or other grime soaked in to the wood. I do like the concept of a “reliced” guitar but they just don’t get it right and it’s expensive.

You know when you try to put words on something but can’t find the words. Well you did put words on my thoughts, next time I’m in a discussion about this topic, I’m gonna share this video.

I don't like, but I like the relic concept. When you wreck your pristine guitar, you can't feel too bad, 'cuz now you have a natural relic. It can make a cheap guitar look _more_ _expensive_

Here we go,i have relics and old guitars that looks as new,so happy and i dint care what anyone else prefer,i love guitars

I love Relic Guitars. There so cool looking. I have a 2015 Fender Standard Strat in Olympic White. It's in perfect condition less the natural aging in the slight discoloration of the white. I think I'm going to do a very mild relic... Make it cooler looking..

Interesting take, even though a little combative. I wonder if these poser guitars have an actual effect on the vintage guitar market? I also find it difficult to believe that no one in the relic guitar community uses them to pass off actual street cred. After all, people who cannot play guitar still strap them on to give the illusion they know how to play (L'l Wayne, anyone?) , so why would the relic guitar community be any different? Also, I would feel people who actually put in the playing hours to melt the paint off their axe with their sweat might object being lumped together with some weekend warrior doctor or lawyer who dropped $8000 on a fake relic guitar to achieve some "look". Don't these people have to right to call a poser a poser? Just a thought.

They have done this with other instruments like violins since the 1880's. Adding 100 years to a label, making up names and adding dents scratches and varnish wear. Nothing new. Some of those 100 year old instruments aren't very good. Just because something is 100 yrs old, it's just "used" and not a valuable antique. Not everyone can be a Clapton and add "Clapton wear" to their instruments.

Hear hear!

it is hilarious to me that this topic is so divisive xD

Can you sell a relic’ed guitar as mint ?

If you're someone who plays guitar a lot, say it's your job for example, then you'll 100% understand why someone would go to some length in order to make the neck feel worn in and played. Really, there are guitars with +2K price tags hanging in every guitar shop in the world that need some attention to the neck. And, if you've spent any time touring below Arena level, you'll appreciate that your instruments sometimes get the shit kicked out of them on the road - you're not caring about dinks and scratches if your brand new instrument is already dinked and scratched. Now, this isn't necessarily 'why' people play relics, but these are some legitimately good reasons why you would want one...or two.

Hero. People need to chill out. Live and let live. I've just sold a very 60's LP - a very, very special one - which was quite dinged up and tomorrow I've got a heavy relic from Fender CS arriving. Somebody else put the dings in both 🙂 Actually, I'm making the cardinal sin just by writing this comment. I've bought the heavy relic because I think it looks cool, it's in my preferred playing specs and it's my own money. Why any of those three things are anyone elses business are beyond me. The cardinal sin I mentioned...is bothering toever acknowledge or write a counter argument to such vindictive/nasty narcisism. I don't like bananas but I don't scream at people who eat them. You've really it the nail on the head though. People who say relics are for posers are posing as an authority figure themselves. Brilliantly apt, appropriately savage and hilariously true. Wise man 🙏

Its called opinions 😉

I'm 63 and I don't care if a guitar is born reliced or not - I chose a guitar if it has a good feel to it and sounds good. Relics, in my opinion, is not an attempt to make fake "road wear" - it's an artistic expression 🙂My well played 1973 LP (born as brand new back then) is truly road worn. It is only slightly faded, but has three nick and an ugly gouge - it looks ugly! Relics on the other hand look fantastic! Many thanks for this well-spoken video, Max!

Ultimately, it's about someone's personal style. You can disagree on it but to put down another person for it, I agree, is a dick move. It's the new kind of bigotry. Is a person a poser for wearing spandex? What if they were Chinese or maybe 80 years old? There are some out there who would say yeah based on the fact that the spandex wearing demographic usually includes neither. I say let them be. I always fancied owning a Paoletti or Novo guitar. I hear they're exceptional and sound/play great but I can't afford one right now (not true, I have over 25 electrics ATM; I just don't want to buy one sight unseen). With most of these brands' models, some form of relicing has been applied as part of their signature style. Not my choice, that's the way they come. If I got one, would it make me a poser?

Personally I like relics, I think the good ones are fabulously expressive and creative. It's just another layer of the endlessly fascinating and convoluted world of guitar lore that we can all geek out to. But there's always been and always will be gear snobbery in music, so just take it in stride. You need to relax a little bit, you sound kind of angry. This plays somewhat like a personal rant about one guy who bugged you, and it veers into ageism (just another form of snobbery). The educational factual stuff you said about relics was interesting. The intense preaching about what other people can say and post... not so much.

some people like to see stuff destroyed, used or dirty, like people who enjoy cities filled with graffiti or abandoned buildings. So there is nothing wrong with relic-ing a guitar , if it's what you like. It's all about taste

Gatekeeper is kind of a silly term for people stating their opinion. What “gate” (power) do they have? By your example how are you not gatekeeping people who have opinions?

I wear brand new jeans too! Nice dark blue and stiff. No stone wash or relic fake jeans that try to make it look like I work for a living….

I actually buy 60s acoustics (real wood) and refinish or repair them. Just finishe a 40s or 50s gibson with a completely trashed finish, every brace inside was loose, off, or missing. Cracks in the top and side. Stripped it down and refinished it and put a fresh nitro finish on it. Do i care about the value of a $2000 guitar? Not so much when it is crap. But i could have just made it play... maybe for 5-600 labor?

Somebody posted my builds on reddit. I don't age brand new guitars, I start from scratch. I also do the aniline dye thing on my LP builds, but anyway my guitars are getting ROASTED!!! I don't do heavily aged stuff either. I'd like to think my stuff looks pretty realistic, but they're tearing my stuff apart!

I own several guitars, to include Gibson and Schecter Guitars. My fav is an EPIPHONE ES 339. V sunburst. This instrument is so good to ME, i purchased a EPI Firebird yesterday. I feel confident that once Sweetwater finishes the setup , feel confident it will performs as well asthe 339. Thanks Steve at Sweetwater.😎👍🏻

I create music. I don't care what instrument inspires a great performance. My single and only requirement, 'does it sound good'. I find relics silly, but if someone wants one I just don't care, enjoy it. I found a gash in my piano black tele. Surprised me I didn't freak out about it, it's on the back. I don't know where it came from? Shit is going to happen. I won't sell a guitar because I have worn it. There is a reason a 1970 Stratocaster in un-played, perfect condition is worth far more than a road worn guitar from the same year. I just picked Fender, the same applies to other vintage brands. What is weird for me is the who played it idea. I would rather have a perfect new guitar than one of SRV's beat up guitars. Just because an artist played a guitar is meaningless to me. I do find the idea of a guitar's history to be interesting, fascinating and I could get lost in a guitar museum if such a thing exists. I love old guitars and the ones that are truly beat up are not the ones I like. Most of us guitar players would own naturally reliced guitars if we weren't paying for them. If a guitarist knows they can have a new guitar the next day, they can be less careful with their guitars and don't have to panic about repairs or replacement like those of us raising a family, saving for college. I have one guitar I call a beater. I'm even carful with that one and it is naturally worn. When I play it, I have no worries. When I play my most prized guitars, in the back of my mind, I'm always thinking what if. My good friend handed me his favorite guitar yesterday and I felt a slight panic come over me if something went wrong while I had the guitar in my hands. This was a flawless guitar with a brilliant finish. I think coming from a poor upbringing may also play into it. I had one guitar and the idea I would need to care for it for years to come. Now I can afford to replace guitars but I can't shake the fear of beating up instruments.

Big relic fan here! Own several Fender Road Worns and Gibson Tribute Satin finish guitars and won't stop playing them and that is the point. I don't have to dislike new, I love them all! Haters will hate. Some manufacturers do a better job than others so buy the good ones!

If people like relics that is upto them I like all styles no snobbery not everyone can afford to buy a 100 thousand dollar strat from the 50s with lovely aged body so people like to customise a new guitar why not it's all art. People used to paint strip guitars custom paint guitars and all sorts back in the day I wouldn't call them posers

Meh… thumbs down

Ill just spend 50 thousand for a relic Mustang car just got to have those dents and scratches and wore out tires. Let's people know I like to drive. Why not get a guitar and love and play it till its got its own relic.

I have a creamer that I played for over 20 years at countless bars and parties hauled it all over the United States with me it's still looks nothing like these terrible copies

I don't care what anyone wants to play...if its a "relic" or an original....just make good music...the world could use some right now....am I wrong?

Wise words.

They’re certainly not fake guitars. It’s the same as any other finish in my opinion. Some people like a vintage atheistic. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s their money, they can do what they want with the money they earn and I don’t think another person should have an opinion on it.

I think they're cool. (I'm a poser then, so be it.)

Relic are awesome when they are really well done, requires a lot of patience, dedication and attention to the detail and at the end of the day everyone can do whatever they want with their money time and personal interest or taste... I´m a 50 years old guy X generation playing bass and guitars since I have 14 (and i´m still playing like shit hahahaha proud of it) and to be honest this issue with the guys who believe they are more true something than the rest of humanity is being there since forever, when we play skate punk in the 90´s, Influenced by NOFX, Face To Face, Pennywise and you know this kind of California punk style those type of dicks with this mentality like "i'm more punk than you" told us you are not real punks, when we go to surf in a different beach than our regular the same type of surf DH told us you are not true locals go another beach to surf, when I study in an audio school (finally after give me with a wall in the head thinking that I can learn by myself) and I discovered the tons of missinformation about gear, analog and ITB mixing and mastering etc etc and all the people that watch few videos of KZfaq and they know better than you everything in the audio world but also the opposite too, the old farts that they had the experience and the knowledge but they never evolve telling you "you don´t know anything about real gear and bla bla bla" .... Finally I understand something, respect the personal taste of others is essential, only being against things that do apology to the violence and crime is the only thing I´m really against to.... but at the end of the week everyone is free to express themself even if they are just stupid is their right to be so....If you like relic guitars? Awesome me too... You like new pristine and immaculate guitars.. cool me to bro! and everything in between... that´s it and when I want to know in deep about something I pay an specialist to training me about it KZfaq never will do that for you... finally all this nonsense about the things is just a waste of time and who cares to be honest... cool video .... just learning to play and enjoy playing any guitar type... the rest is irrelevant guys...

Big relic fan here and a massive poser to boot 👍🏻

Buy what you want, I don't care but what you buy says something about you. Of course most people who buy relics are posers. You don't keep your opinion to yourself so why should I? People who buy pre ripped jeans are posers too. They're buying an image, an image that wasn't earned. Doesn't make you a bad player or bad person, you might be a brilliant player. Pop and rock music is full of posers, doesn't necessarily mean they're bad musicians (although they might be). Image is very important to people, often inordinately so, just look at music business and tell me what they put first.

When I would see someone who was over the top against relics I would say, if only there was a way for you to not have to buy one…

I have used some Jay turser, cheap epiphones and mostly squiers and other odd guitars onstage for years ...... nobody... I mean nobody !!! ever said any comment on my use of these.... guitars... 👍 its only online keyboard chatter. Its the same as the Rolex/seiko argument.... nobody care's in the real world 😊...

What is to be upset about? There are gatekekeepers yes take an look at the vintage cars culture how strict them are. Why because it is lot of money an investment that they do want to be as watered about by fakers and makers that lacks moral.

I use what i like. Everyone to his or her own. WHATS the DIFFERENCE . JUST PLAY. JUST PLAY ! E N J O Y😎

Liking it or not, is subjective. Relic is objectively fake wear and ageing. Its not authentic. But I guess it can look and feel good like prefaded jeans.

Snobs and gate keeps can all pound sand.

What Mr opinionated spoutes is ludicrous. Relics are subjective kind of like them for the most part . I don’t particularly take to the idea that when a new guitar arrives it should be inspected by a microscope to ascertain whether there are any slight flaws in the finish , as an old rocker don’t really see it as Rocknroll but still have to respect peoples right to do so . Regarding the gear snob horseshit, some of the best players I’ve encountered have had no interest in gear whatsoever and played very unspectacular guitars talent will always shine through regardless of equipment.

Calling someone a poser is rude! Might get ya punched. Saying people playing are playing poser guitars? Accepted.

Hey, do what you want with your guitar. But some of these folks will take a golf club or a samurai sword to a fresh guitar and the results are fugly. If I walk into a guitar store, and see a guitar with massive chunks missing, I'm definitely going to have words with the owner of the shop.

Bit intense. Kind of like a church sermon.

You are actually allowed to say reliced guitars are stupid too. Its called freedom of speech. You're also allowed to tell them what kind of idiots they are. Go forth and win those internet arguments!

Very few people have played the paint off a guitar those are the real players you have to be a total idiot to buy a relic guitar and pay the money they want for it whoever came up with this idea 😮😮😮😮😮

Relic guitars still look like shit

I don't care who you are. But if I'm buying a guitar that's worth a lot of money I expect it to be in good condition none of this relic bulshit

Fake old guitars...and doubling the price. P.T Barnum would be proud.

Keep your hands still please. It's very distracting when you move your hands every time you speak!!

Relics are dumb, really dumb. Pure marketing that people oddly fall for. Women gamers and the Kardashians, what ???

Relics are dumb. Spend less time sanding your guitar and more time playing it...

I relic mine took me 50 years