Are there any relic instruments that truly get as beat up as this Custom Shop guitar?

[CocoaThumper]

I'm a big John Mayer fan, and did kind of dig his custom relic that Fender did several years ago.

Fender John Mayer Limited Edition Black1 The Black One Custom Shop Stratocaster - SOLD | The Fender Reissue Shop

But now that I really sit and think about it. Ive never seen a bass or guitar truly get THAT beat up. Theres almost no paint on the back of that thing. Has anyone here ever seen a Real vintage electric bass or guitar (from the 1950s and forward) get in that condition?

Is it possible for instruments that at most are 65 years old? Heck, with todays poly finishes....will we ever see an instrument get into the condition of some of these custom relic jobs we see all over the net and in stores?

 

[MMiller28]

What, you never wear a sandpaper shirt at gigs?

 

[wvbass]

This is sunburst.

 

[Handyman]

What, you never wear a sandpaper shirt at gigs?

All the time! Then I tie it to my bumper and drag it home.

Seriously though, I've seen some genuine old Fenders look nearly this bad. Nitro REALLY doesn't hold up very well at all. As a protective finish, its pretty lousy stuff.

Lots of the early poly finish stuff from the 70s has held up great, though.

 

[Grumry]

Those strats look horrible.

 

[Dark Horse]

Here is a 1953 precision bass that I photographed a little while back ....not quite as worn, but you can tell it's been played....a LOT !

 

[Handyman]

Here is a 1953 precision bass that I photographed a little while back ....not quite as warm, but you can tell it's been played....a LOT !

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Wow! I must say, 64 years of actual use results in a much more convincing "relic job" than what comes out of the custom shop.

Of course it also looks like you could catch something from that pick guard.

 

[Texsunburst59]

Here's my '74 Jazz bass that I picked up in a pawnshop back in '08 for $64.64 out the door.

Whoever pawned this bass must have REALLY gigged it to hell,and was probably heartbroken when he had to let it go.

This is a true relic'd bass.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

The neck on my 73 p bass, the body paint is better then that strat but likely only because its poly and not nitro

 

[Acoustic356]

I had a 1972 Fener Precision that was close. The nitrous finish would check then flake off. It is possible.

 

[JIO]

Here's my '74 Jazz bass that I picked up in a pawnshop back in '08 for $64.64 out the door.

Whoever pawned this bass must have REALLY gigged it to hell,and was probably heartbroken when he had to let it go.

This is a true relic'd bass.

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Considering this was the beginning crash of the last 'Great Recession' - you are probably correct.

 

[charlie monroe]

Those guitars look fake

 

[D.M.N.]

Rory Gallagher's strat got very beatup over the years.

As did Leo Lyons' Jazz Bass

 

[OnederTone]

Bobby Vega's main Jazz the "Shark" bass...

 

[Badwater]

Bobby Vega, Tommy Shannon, Billy Sheehan, and many others really wore out their basses the old fashion way. They played it hard. And there are others that abused them to get it to look like it was played hard.

 

[Captain Chaos]

I fell asleep with my jazz and dropped it on the floor. Now it's relic'd a lil bit.

 

[CocoaThumper]

View attachment 2711560 Bobby Vega's main Jazz the "Shark" bass...

Fire?

 

[Thumpin6string]

I never realized Fender had such poor quality paint on their guitars. If I had one that looked like that strat, I'd be repainting it. If it actually looks like John Mayer's guitar, I'm surprised he doesn't complain about the paint falling off of it.

 

[phangtonpower]

I never realized Fender had such poor quality paint on their guitars. If I had one that looked like that strat, I'd be repainting it. If it actually looks like John Mayer's guitar, I'm surprised he doesn't complain about the paint falling off of it.

That's all they had back then? I mean cars were painted with the same paint.

 

[Thumpin6string]

That's all they had back then? I mean cars were painted with the same paint.

I know, yes they were. Laquer was and is not the greatest. I've been in the auto body field for over 40 year. Been refinishing and painting guitars for almost 20. You don't see cars that look like that. They either check or get rubbed through. If the paint falls off, then the sub straight (primer) is either defective, low quality or poorly done. It's one thing to have a finish get rubbed through from wear, and another if it is falling off down to the wood. You don't seem to see it on other brands of that era.