Fender "Road Worn" guitars for 2009

[freshmattyp]

I don't consider myself a poser, or misguided, or any of the other invectives used in this thread to describe people who buy relics.

I like beat up guitars. I don't like to beat them up myself, and I keep my new instruments as nice as possible. So I like relics. Virtually every one I've ever played and felt like an old friend out of the box.

I'd really like it if this discussion could be about the instruments themselves, or the manufacturer. We're starting to veer off into insulting territry here with the editorializing about people who buy these instruments. But that's probably not going to happen.

[jingle_jangle]

Well, MattyP, not about people in particular, so don't take it all personal. More a commentary on cultural mindsets that cause value to be given to things which, upon reflection, have little intrinsic value, and the counterintuitive aspect of charging for added value when, in fact, value has been subtracted.

Feel free to heap your scorn on me then. I like them. I like relics. YMMV.

Not from me Mike. I've never even held a relic guitar, but I admit an attraction to some I've seen--Music Zoo carries quite a few of these, and I was deeply in lust with a relic'd shell pink Esquire they offered a while back. I've admired Nash's work as well.

I'd be willing to give one of these a try--I'd certainly not decide at this point they're "over-priced ****" without even giving them a spin...my personal experience with the Fender Classic series instruments has been very good--I've owned, or still own a couple--Classic '50s Strat (sold), Classic '60s Strat, Classic Player's Baja Tele. First-class instruments, IMO, especially at their price point. These appear to be taking the lineage a step further up the chain--lacquer finishes, things like that.

I'd liken them to trying a pre-weathered pair of jeans--all the good parts, without all the "newness" surrounding them.

Bill

Your attraction, guys, once you think about it, is for guitars with nice patina. They're friendly and less daunting to a lot of players; no worries about cosmetic upkeep or putting the odd scratch or dent in it.

I get a slightly disingenuous vibe, though, from new guitars made to look like old ones.

I get angry at the next step--excessive profit-taking in the name of indulging somebody's desire to own a piece of Jeff Beck or SRV.

"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."--H. L. Mencken

"There's a sucker born every minute."--P. T. Barnum

[kenposurf]

get angry at the next step--excessive profit-taking in the name of indulging somebody's desire to own a piece of Jeff Beck or SRV.

I think that's the ticket...I view my Nash relic as having added value and I know how long he takes to do the work...his price is in line also...tagging a model to an artist, charging an ungodly amount and doing a lesser quality (imo) job as Fender does speaks poorly of them. At least these roadworthy models don't cost a fortune...until Clapton or Beck starts playing one

[wj350]

...Your attraction, guys, once you think about it, is for guitars with nice patina. They're friendly and less daunting to a lot of players; no worries about cosmetic upkeep or putting the odd scratch or dent in it.

I get a slightly disingenuous vibe, though, from new guitars made to look like old ones.

I get angry at the next step--excessive profit-taking in the name of indulging somebody's desire to own a piece of Jeff Beck or SRV.

"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public."--H. L. Mencken

"There's a sucker born every minute."--P. T. Barnum

Wow--I'm glad we're avoiding that "insulting" territory!!

Seriously though, there's something to be said for your point about a nice patina. When I first became reacquainted with guitars a few years back, there was a lot of buzz in the Fender world (where I began my sojourn) about relics--makers like Nash, in particular and of course Fender's CS seemed to be hot button topics. My initial reaction was similar to that others have posted--"why bang up a brand new guitar?" But I have to admit, over the years I've seen a couple examples that have really appealed to me. Not out of the realm of possibility that at some point I'd look seriously at an example in the $2-$3K range, but I can't imagine I'd go higher than that, and of course it would depend on how the guitar felt and sounded.

I've never gotten the usual argument one hears wrt relics--the "poser/poseur" attack. It seems to me an individual plays at whatever level they play--whether their guitar is shiny new, genuinely aged (ie, an old guitar), or artificially relic'ed, I don't get the assumption the individual would necessarily be trying to impress someone. A good player will sound good on a new guitar or a relic; a not so good player won't. It's like saying poor players shouldn't play sunburst guitars because some famous guy played one.

Price points are just that to me...I'm guessing the Fender marketing guys know a thing or two about what they feel the market will tolerate. Considering the new price of the Classsic and Classic Player lines, these don't seem that far out of wack. Time will tell I guess.

I'd like to give one a try when they hit the shops.

Oh and Matt, sorry about calling you "Mike" in my original response--my eyes seem to be a bit relic'd as well

Bill

[sloop_john_b]

I don't buy the "go play it for 20 years and relic it yourself" argument. Fender has been using thick finishes for how long now? They simply won't "wear" the way the old ones did. There's something to be said for some nice forearm wear, "earned" or not.

I like relics, though they are expensive. I'd go Nash if I were buying one right now.

[wj350]

That's another good point John. Candidly, I'm not sure I've got 20 more years to wear the guitar down!

[cjj]

I've got plenty of sandpaper out in the shop...

[goofyfoot]

Man, I thought golfers will buy anything. Add guitar players to that short list.

Best regards.......2¢ Worth

[sloop_john_b]

This is ridiculous. I love the look and feel of vintage Fenders. I don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars to drop on real ones (contrary to popular belief). If I buy a new one and try to relic it myself, it'll come out looking like sh*t.

I'm not casting aspersions on the people who cover their guitars in diapers while they play them (sorry Tony ). Why is there such a backlash here?

[cassius987]

Ha! Cjj, we are of one mind on this. It's a topic close to my heart (true added value, not smoke and mirrors). I firmly believe that the USA had two major influxes of Harvard MBAs (one in the mid-'60s, and another in the late '80s), and their "philosophy" and buzzwords have become endemic to our consumer culture, and not in a positive way, because their approach blesses anything that creates profits, without regard to validity. Bottom line: creativity goes underground, and culture suffers as a result.

If you don't like Harvard MBAs you need to watch both of the two episodes of the Boondocks that were banned from the second season (rent season 2, they're on the DVDs)... both deal with BET and include the lampooning of an anonymous Harvard MBA who sits behind the wheel. Great show with lots of subtext.

As for this new line of stuff, uh, neat? Personally I prefer Fender MIJ. If these new distressed ones are MIM, why are the $1200?

This is ridiculous. I love the look and feel of vintage Fenders. I don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars to drop on real ones (contrary to popular belief). If I buy a new one and try to relic it myself, it'll come out looking like sh*t.

I'm not casting aspersions on the people who cover their guitars in diapers while they play them (sorry Tony ). Why is there such a backlash here?

I just dunno why these are being priced so high if they're MIM. Also, like Paul, I am kind've opposed to the "culture" and hegemony that surrounds some guitar manufacturers, and Fender's ubiquity has always kind've troubled me, especially since I turned to Rics a couple years ago and began to get spurned by other bassists for my choice. That said, I love a good P or a good J--I played a good '08 P two days ago and it was a delightful experience. I guess what's most upsetting for me then is that a good P or J is HARD TO FIND among the glut of new Fenders (I had to play nearly 20--not kidding--to find this singular "good one") and I have a feeling these pricey new things will be no exception.

I have to admit too that I kind of think "pre-distressed" is a joke. One flaw of this is that the "pre" distress may be different from real distress causing some odd patterns to emerge as "pre-distressed" instruments, and jeans, truly get distressed later. I did have one pair of pre-distressed jeans a couple years ago, but over time thy became unwearable. That may not be the case here, but what about the aesthetics that emerge as real wear occurs--will it be in concert with "pre" wear? It may look a bit clashing if I may submit this prediction...

...But at the same time I'm not going to get mad if someone buys one of these and honestly enjoys it from their within heart (as you may and I may if they are good enough in intrinsic quality and this matches their pricing), as I would if somebody was out and doing something truly destructive and getting their rocks off. I could list a ton of such behaviors.

[wj350]

On the price, I agree it initially hits as kind of high for a MIM Fender--but when I stopped to think about it, they're only about a $150 more than the new prices for the Classic and Classic Players. While that price, right now, might be comparable to the MIA Standards today, I'm reading a lot of gouge about Fender prices going up around 20% in Feb.

Not sure how true that is, but if it is accurate, that would keep these guitars at about the same price differential as the Classics are from the Am Stds today.

Hey, I'm not advocating for folks to buy these things! As George Martin said, "Horses for courses...", right?

Bill

[brammy]

this pix of keef is as phony as the "road worn" guitars.

keef.jpg (7.1 KiB) Viewed 1261 times

in reality, he looks far worse.

Here's to better days.

[whojamfan]

Wasn't Kieth the one who inspired the relic line years ago? It was my understanding that he wanted exact copies of his prize Teles to take on the road so he could leave the real deal at home. I can definitely relate to that, as do you really want to take your 50s prize to Bobs Country Bunker to play behind chicken wire?

Working for a Fender Diamond dealer some years ago, I have played and sold quite a few Relics. They play and sound good, but they should for the dough. The customers who bought them never brought them back, so I can assume to them that they were worth the money. There are many ways to look at these both politically and socialogically,(all corporations suck and everyone is just out to jilt you out of your dough- yada yada yada) but it can really just become an argument that misses the point,IMHO. People drop big wads on clones of vintage amps, and for arguments sake, I don't see much of a difference except that they are usually not beat up. Things are what they are, and nothing else, and I don't think anyone is fooling themselves otherwise when they purchase these items. Basically, IMHO, as long as people buy Bobs widgets, Bob will make them.

Personally, I say if you want one, buy it, if you don't, don't. While this may appear overly simplistic, it's really the bottom line.

[jingle_jangle]

Man, I thought golfers will buy anything. Add guitar players to that short list.

Best regards.......2¢ Worth

Har!

I saw an ad for, erm...Viagra on TV yesterday...some print at the bottom of the screen said. "As advertised in Golfing magazine"

Will we soon see a similar bit of print saying, "As advertised in Guitar Player" ?

[cjj]

With all the aging guitar players out there, I'm surprised Viagra isn't advertised there already...