What these relics look like is what used to be the abused used guitars that sold dirt cheap that no one wanted! Like the other Mosrite I picked up once for about $80 that had the lacquer sanded off the neck (which was dirty) and body, and the body was painted with red latex paint! But now that all the mint guitars are snapped up by collectors, since they have become some sort of commodity, all that is left was the bottom-of-the-barrel junk, that has since become chic, or something.
I really think these distressed instruments started as a way for Fender, et al, to sell off dent and scratch seconds. Rather than refinish them, they bang them up some more and sell them at a mark up! Then we have the "faded" guitars, which is just an excuse to save from having to rub them out.
The most appalling to me is the Gibson BFG. I hope the guy that thought that up got a big raise, because they figured out how to sell an unfinished guitar. Just pull the damn thing off the CNC carver, slap some stain on it and sell it! No sanding, no finish. Oh yeah, and leave half the hardware off. That saves money too.
Maybe I'm just getting old...
