Rip my Relic

[Indyclone]

Alright... a year and a couple months ago I decided I was going to build a partscaster.

A hardtail Strat with 3 singles was what I wanted... the rest I hadn't really though about.
I found an unfinished body and All-Parts SRO-C neck on Ebay and got started.




I decided to Tru-Oil the whole thing:







All was fine for a year, then I got a wild hair up my butt for a 2 tone sunburst.




I was aging the parts with vinegar fumes while I was doing the finich... knowing I was going to relic it... then when I got the chance here goes:




then some more...











Alright... I think that's probably enough pictures... LOL


What do you think?

Any constructive criticism?

Anything you think I could do to help it?

If you're just against the whole idea of reclicing... please move along.

Thanks for lookin!

[LeftyF2003]

Really like it - looks cool!!

[lpstudiored]

sweeeeet

[Zack]

i thought you where going to completely ruin it, its looking good

[HRC]

Very nice.

[Leumas]

I only dig relics when they're done tastefully. I fall into the "less is more" camp. I dig this relic. Well done!

[Goodcleanfun]

You had me at "wild hair up the butt".

I think it'd be cool to see some relicing around the cutaway, and the places that get used like around the knobs, above the middle pickup where the hand moves etc. This looks more damaged than used to me.

I like your finish though. It goes well. bonus points would have been awarded for a matching headstock.

[Indyclone]

Originally Posted by Goodcleanfun

You had me at "wild hair up the butt".

I think it'd be cool to see some relicing around the cutaway, and the places that get used like around the knobs, above the middle pickup where the hand moves etc. This looks more damaged than used to me.

I like your finish though. It goes well. bonus points would have been awarded for a matching headstock.

I was definitely going for more used than damaged..
I put it together and played it, trying to play special attention to where I rub the guitar.

My arm drapes over a little higher up than most road worns or relics where I've seen the arm wear I've seen. I tend to rest my ring and pinky fingers when I' picking by the top lower side of he bridge pickup. That wear doesn't show as much because of where it is.

I don't strum and scrap the pick anywhere on this body, so I didn't want to do that kind of wear.

I did a couple nicks and dings on the top and along the bottom edge.

I think I probably overdid the wear on the back of along the belly cut ridge line.

I like the idea of the wear around the knobs, I can see that looking natural on a guitar of mine.

I'm not sure what you mean about relicing around the cutaway, could you explain that a bit more, or give me an example.

When looking at worn Strats the pickguard covers quite a bit, so examples of wear where the pickguard just aren't out there.

Oh, and I don't really know what to do with the headstock, the neck doesn't have a finish on it aside from the tru-oil.
I don't smoke (anymore), and I don't want to burn the headstock.
I didn't want to damage anything other than the finish, so I still a bit uneasy about knocking dents into the headstock. Some shoe polish to yellow it might be in order... maybe.

I appreciate the comments though, thanks!

[Kalz]

it looks really good but my eyes are telling me it needs a pickgaurd of some sort. The spaces at the pups are annoying my eyes xD. Other than that its a really nice guitar

[FrankieOliver]

Honestly, it looks new with some scuff marks and scratches. It needs a little something more...fading perhaps.

Nice build though.

[Indyclone]

Originally Posted by Kalz

it looks really good but my eyes are telling me it needs a pickgaurd of some sort. The spaces at the pups are annoying my eyes xD. Other than that its a really nice guitar

I've honestly been pondering a pickguard for it since I got it. I really like being able to access the electronics from the back, but there's something un-Stratty about not having the pickguard. I really like the look without it, but there's something about it that's calling for a pickguard of some sort. I considered a LaCarbronita style guard, but that wouldn't take care of the pickup cavity issue.
The pickup cavities being exposed like that don't really bother me though. I actually like that aspect of it.

Thanks for the compliment.

[Indyclone]

Originally Posted by FrankieOliver

Honestly, it looks new with some scuff marks and scratches. It needs a little something more...fading perhaps.

Nice build though.

I am with you. I've been kind of hoping someone could pinpoint exactly what it is that's holding this guitar back from looking like a real old, worn guitar.

I don't want to just strap it on and bang it into everything in sight. I wasn't looking for that kind of relic.


I used ReRanch rattle cans for this, so fading is a possibility, maybe I'll park this guitar in my front window for a while and see what happens.

Thanks for your thoughts.

[Goodcleanfun]

I think it's fine without the pickguard. It gives it a modern, sleeker, more aggressive look, plus, it wouldn't serve any practical purpose so would involve you drilling holes in the wood for absolutely no reason.

When I said "around the cutaway" (paraphrasing) I meant the area around the lower cutaway that provides the upper fret access. Maybe some wear there would make it look like a shred machine. You said you were going for used, and to me would denote usage in a certain area. But then I suppose it says something about you that might not be true... like those kids that carry skateboards around just to look cool ya know?

i like the sides but the top looks pretty much brand new apart from the slight scuff at the bottom of the bridge pickup. My tele that I've had for 3 weeks is full of little dings on the top, the top of the headstock is bruised where I turned around and hit a wall with it etc and I have shiny patches on my 10 year old acoustic both on the upper bout where my arm rests and below the strings where my fingers rest during some picking stuff. Both of these areas have less finish on them so it looks used. Yours sorta has the same thing going on but the top relicing doesn't look very legitimate to me, but then again, it might be where your arm naturally sits.

I'm talking out of my ass. It's your guitar man!

Anyway, don't add a pickguard. That will dick it up.

[Lagtastic]

Very very nice!
I do find that it's kinda missing something without a pickguard...

Something black maybe....? (to keep the focus on the wood, not on the plastic...)

Otherwise, VERY nice job!

[Mr Teeny]

Originally Posted by Indyclone

but there's something un-Stratty about not having the pickguard.

I'd agree, doesn't look like a strat until the pickguards on

Think I'd have to agree with Goodcleanfun about the relicing , everything looks far too new with just a bit of finish being sanded off here and there. You'd expect a guitar with that sort of wear to have picked up a few chips and dents along the way. I can understand you not wanting to do that though.

To be fair if you'd just stuck it up and said here's my old 80's partscaster it may have slipped thru unquestioned. People only get the fine tooth comb out and look for flaws once they've been told it's been relic'd

[garweft]

What looks off to me are the control knobs. I'm thinking it's because I really only see those style on strats with a pickguard. If it were me I would probably change them out to something more custom and aged. Maybe with one of them not matching the set.

Maybe an aged white strat volume and then some roughed up black knurled metal tones? Gibson style reflectors? IDK?

I do think the burst was a nice touch.

Boy do I wish Fender would make hardtails as a regular production item.

[Indyclone]

Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions.

I told everyone it was a relic, hoping they'd be picky.

I do have an old set of grungy white strat knobs... real wear on those too, they've just been waiting in my parts bin.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I like how unique it looks without a PG. I agree with Frankie that the colors are a bit strong matched up with the relicing.

I miss the old finish, I loved the understated look it had. But if it makes you happy, more power, brotha.

[The Refugee]

I like the two tone sunburst, but it looked GORGEOUS with the straight tru oil finish.

I think the relicing is tastefully done.

[Indyclone]

Originally Posted by Thumpalumpacus

I miss the old finish, I loved the understated look it had. But if it makes you happy, more power, brotha.

That's always in the back of my mind... If I don't mess up the actual wood, I can always go back.

But for now, I like this, and I'm having fun messing around with the finish.

It's my first burst, and my first relic.

[Thumpalumpacus]

It's a great job you did, especially for being your first.

[rcole_sooner]

Pretty cool. The rear route is an interesting choice.

[Indyclone]

Originally Posted by rcole_sooner

Pretty cool. The rear route is an interesting choice.

I like to tinker, and not having to remove strings is nice.


I've got a tele in the works with a rear route too...

[Indyclone]

Originally Posted by Thumpalumpacus

It's a great job you did, especially for being your first.

Thanks Thump.

I did do some practicing before and didn't end up liking the sunburst I did on my Les Paul... ended up going with a gold top on that one.
The Gold top is just too awesome to think about going back to a sunburst.

[Indyclone]

I swapped out the covers and knobs...





Any improvement?

[Dave1968]

I'd keep it as it now is!

Black or tortoise PG crossed my mind, but nah. I think you have something unique to grow old to fade and check.

Great job!

[TinyTerror]

Colours look amazing but too me its just screaming black or mint PG!!

[Indyclone]

Alright... I'm declaring it done... the rest of it will come naturally...

[Indyclone]

Lol, well, I guess I ruined it.

oh well

[BrambleMonkey]

Yeah, you totally wrecked it. Seriously though, looking good, if the box loads of parts I have currently waiting for me turn out anywhere close to as nice of a geetar I'll be a happy man!
My one constructive comment would be that the white is just a bit white... Probably just in the pics though.
If only there were a video showing how to age the white plastic
(thanks for your video advice in the other thread!)