NGD: An Almost New Strat

[DorsetRatt]

I've been looking to get a strat for a while now, the postman delivered this to me today. Well, when I say delivered, I think it was dug up from a garden somewhere.

I do like exotic woods, but not always ... relic is too soft a word, perhaps eroded, or corroded :dunno:

[tomy]

I know! you got it from Titanic's wreck.  NICE LOOCKING anyway :metal:

[rnolan]

Wow DR, awesome guitar, you thinking to leave it like that or refinish it ? Is it a relic ? I don't recall the relics being quite that worn

[El Chiguete]

Nice mojo on that one!

[MarshallJMP]

WTF happend?

[Dante]

yeah, that paint wasn't worn off, it was knocked off

Maybe a case of intentional relicing for looks? Either that or somebody dropped the body down a flight of concrete steps

[tomy]

Is this the original tremolo ?

[DorsetRatt]

Great comments guys, I'd be interested in more opinions as well ... I won't be offended, promise :thumb-up:

Yes, the guitar is intentionally heavily reliced, but what do guitarists make of reliced guitars? I've been looking at relics for a few years now, and to do them properly is quite difficult, even the fender custom shop models aren't too convincing, and a lot of the DIY jobs are bad attempts just using sandpaper, etc.

I've got a heavily reliced telecaster as well, very similar to the picture below, and reliced by the same guy in the UK.

[rnolan]

Mixed reaction to relics it seems, I find them interesting, not sure I'm into the rusty hardware on some of them. I've played one or two custom shop relics, nice to play. Not sure I'd want one, I'm kind of the opposite and keep my guitars as pristine as I can. But if people didn't like them, they wouldn't sell, and they tend to be quite expensive.
Can we see a shot of the strat's peghead ? Something about that guitar I find very attractive.

[MarshallJMP]

Mixed reaction to relics it seems, I'm kind of the opposite and keep my guitars as pristine as I can.

Me too,never saw the use of relics.

[DorsetRatt]

Set up the new strat today ... needed a little back filing on the string slots of the nut, and the intonation to be set correctly. Installed a new set of strings (been using curt mangan strings lately) and ... "bobs your uncle" ... all done :thumb-up:

Plays well, and sounds very good, big on tone. Single coil pickups without staggered pole pieces, so less volume on the g string which I prefer.

@Richard, it's got the big CBS style headstock, and it plays "rat bat blue" ;)

@Tomy, I'm not sure about the tremolo, I've got it set as a hardtail at the moment.

@El, you nailed it ... "mojo"

[Dante]

A good friend of mine relics guitars in Los Angeles, big money in it. Here are some of his techniques:

Soak all white/cream plastic parts (PU rings, switch tips, pick guards, whatever) in a combination of coffee and chewing tobacco.
He smacks the guitar body and neck repeatedly with a keyring containing hundreds of keys he's found over the years.
He soaks metal parts in some concoction that etches the surface, to pit chrome and brass.

I don't get it, but hey, whatever bobs your uncle is fine by me <-- intentionally improper use of the phrase

[rnolan]

Ahh rat bat blue, there's a fun song, IIRC I posted the notes of the riff in another thread.

I'd find it very difficult to intentionally hit a guitar with anything except my hand. As you say Dante, whatever floats your boat. The couple of Fender custom shop relics I've played were very nice to play.

[tomy]

Ahh rat bat blue, there's a fun song, IIRC I posted the notes of the riff in another thread.

Awesome Jon lord's solo on this one   :thumb-up:

[DorsetRatt]

Ahh rat bat blue, there's a fun song, IIRC I posted the notes of the riff in another thread.

Haha, yeah I know you did Richard, hence my reference to it again, it's a good litmus test for a strat.

... and I even included a "bobs your uncle" especially for MJMP

Another good strat test would be Blindman (from the Machine Head era) :thumb-up: