telecaster vs stratocaster headstock overlay

Telecaster vs stratocaster headstock overlay how to#

Then repeat the process until the finish starts to crack.Īlternatively, simply heat the parts of the body you want to look old with a hair dryer then cool it fast with a compressed air spray. A freezer is ideal if yours is big enough. When it’s hot, cool it down as quickly as you can. You need to remove the varnish in the places you want to create wear. Both types of finish are sensitive to sunlight and temperature differences, so you can stand the body in sunlight after you’ve carefully sanded the surface. Most instruments are coated with polyurethane lacquer, some are coated with nitrocellulose, which is thinner and helps the guitar resonate.

just below the pickups, where your pick wears the lacquer awayīefore you begin, take all the metal parts off and, if at all possible, remove the neck altogether.

the lower part of the guitar, where your arm rests when strumming.

either side of the strings (although not below them).

where your fingers habitually rub the neck.

There are plenty of images online, or you could make a note of the effects your own style of playing has on various areas, for example: Where do you carry out the distressing? Natural wear occurs wherever the act of playing, storing or transporting the instrument causes damage. Manufacturers do it by enhancing the varnish’s ‘fraying’, usually with a very fine grit sandpaper. The guitar body, neck and the headstock are easy to age.

DIY Relic Guitars – Step 1 – Making the Wood Look Old On the positive side, you won’t ruin the sound of a good quality guitar that just needs a touch up or adding your own customisation to it. Upgrading the pickups to more ‘rustic’ or ‘vintage’ sounding ones will give your guitar the look and sound of a killer axe but is entirely optional. If it’s a cheap model, sadly it won’t sound any better. Does relicing a guitar change the sound?īecause the body material and the pickups remain the same, the sound of your guitar shouldn’t change. You might not want to practice on a guitar you love, just in case it goes horribly wrong! You can pick up cheap second hand guitars at junk shops, antique emporia, charity shops or online and hone your skills before letting yourself loose on your favourite instrument.

Telecaster vs stratocaster headstock overlay how to#

Stevie Ray Vaughan and his iconic, road worn Stratocaster – and a great guitar face! How to Relic a Guitar – Guitar Relicing 101 But you can do it yourself, making beautiful, old-looking guitar bodies, necks and fittings with a little confidence, creativity and the right wood finishing materials. Obviously a Fender relicing job is an expensive business when carried out by the masters themselves.

But they’re still a lot less than the ancient originals, which are worn naturally over many decades. New road worn guitars usually cost more than standard guitars. Original vintage guitars from the 1950s and ’60s can sell for tens of thousands of pounds, because of their historical value as well as the lovely, aged finish. A genuine relic Stratocaster is a highly desirable object, far beyond the pockets of most people. A real road worn Telecaster is a seriously costly item.

You can read all about the demo in fine detail via the link above, where there’s a step-by-step guide showing the demonstrator using a tinted wood stain to help age the instrument to perfection. The trend was given a boost at the infamous Dallas guitar show back in 2006, where a demo was carried out by the legendary Fender Custom Shop. Naturally, if the factory can do it then the DIY market can do it better.” “Why beat up a brand new guitar and then charge more for it?” seems to be the main sentiment, but for many others, it just makes perfect sense. For many they are completely wonderful, for others they are complete heresy. Relics, as Fender branded them, were an instant success – and an instant controversy. “Because of the expense of buying a beat-up vintage Tele, guitar manufacturers decided in the ’90s to ‘recreate’ the look and feel of 40 years of use on brand new guitars. Telecaster Discussion Page Reissue (TDPRI) states: Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster Ultimate Relic