ended up with a strat body and neck after a trade .... I decided to do a pre CBS relic of sorts a more realistic version of one.

I always have been confused as why someone will pay a builder $3000 to tear the crap out of a guitar and make it look like its been dragged behind a truck then tossed in landfill. But if a real one is actually wore the old fashion way they will go hey its all beat up I will only give a $100 bucks...

Exactly. I've seen Custom Shop Fender relics that have clear coat over the dings and scratches!!! How does that work?

My friend makes relics and he uses lipton tea bags that have been brewed for a few minutes abd then rubs them all over the guitar including neck. Looks great.

doublev2 wrote:My friend makes relics and he uses lipton tea bags that have been brewed for a few minutes abd then rubs them all over the guitar including neck. Looks great.

Ya that will work on unfinished necks .. poly wont stain that way, it just rubs off . looks cool for a while .


This project was really to go like a true aged guitar. the relics you see are way over done I haven't seen one older guitar in the shop that looks like the relics people do. For the most part people take care of guitars especially people from the 50's and 60's guitars were a luxury item.

This one is just a side project to see how I can manipulate the poly on all of it. Plus some free advertisement when I play out. LOL I have all the hard ware done I should assemble it this week then the over all look will come together.

The body I wanted to look old but not beat to crap, so I took the finish down and made the body seams show with out cracking the paint.



Aged the head stock added my own Logo



did some aging on the neck , it dont look like a lot in the pic but this neck was pretty on the blond side and its darker in person.

Nice work.

Well all the final touches are done as far as ageing, Tuners are kinda tuff to see the effect because they were aged to a blueing and a bit duller on the posts so you still get some reflection when photoing. I went to put the copper shielding in the control cavity and under the guard and was out. So I will have to wait till this week to put strings on it and set it up slap on the ass and call it a baby.

Dude, how old is that guitar?

Genebaby wrote:Dude, how old is that guitar?

its like a billion years old played by the original T-Rex..

You know the sad thing is I will have a beat up great guitar in the shop for sale cheap and they will want this one and pay top dollar for it... It was a fun project learned a couple new tricks .. And it should play and sound good too.