A Fender Stratocaster with relic'ing.
In electric guitars, relic'ing (also written as relicing) is the process of distressing a guitar to mimic the worn appearance and broken-in feel of older, vintage guitars.[1] Relic'ing is done to both new guitars by their manufacturer, typically as "aged" replicas of models from sought-after years, and to used guitars by their owners as a popular DIY project.[2][3] Types of wear emulated can include faded or worn finishes, tarnished hardware, and scrapes, dents, and stains. There is no established methodology to intentionally aging a guitar. The process can include tools as varied as sandpaper, steel wool, bathroom cleaner, coffee, razor blades, hair dryers, and car keys, among other things.[1]
- ^ a b Bacon, Tony. "How guitar relic'ing took over the world". guitarworld.com. Guitar World. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
- ^ Wacker, Dirk. "The DIY Relic Job—Fantasy or Reality?". premierguitar.com. Premier Guitar.
- ^ Wacker, Dirk. "DIY Relic'ing: Break the Shine". premierguitar.com. Premier Guitar. Retrieved 26 September 2024.