Let’s Get Relic-Ready to Rumble • Wildwood Guitars

Over the years, Wildwood Guitars has sold thousands of relic’d Fender guitars. The incredible response that we’ve gotten from our Wildwood Tens is proof that most of the guitar-playing world loves instruments that marry modern convenience with vintage look, feel, and sound. We’ve also learned that there are plenty of pickers out there that like the distressed vintage look, but feel a little strange about playing a guitar that they didn’t relic themselves through everyday use. For these guitarists, each ding and scratch is a punctuation mark in the story of their instrument, and they want to be in charge of what happens in the tale of their axe.
Obviously, this is easier said than done. If you want to make an NOS finish look vintage through good ‘ol fashioned playwear, you usually have to play it for so long that it actually becomes vintage in the process. You could put your guitar in a trash bag of burned leaves and relic it yourself like one of my coworkers, but your house will smell horrible the moment you bring it inside. Frankly, few people have enough resources, energy, or training to make it look as good as the Fender Custom Shop’s builders can.
So, these players have been in a pickle until now. How do you make a new guitar look vintage without having to wait thirty years or resort to crazy schemes involving bags of burning leaves? Well, we at Wildwood Guitars are proud to introduce our answer: a new line of Wildwood Tens that we have dubbed “relic-readies.”
These Custom Shop creations are just like the heavy-relic guitars that have been a shop staple for years-same wood, same electronics, same hardware, and same outstanding build quality-except we snatch them away from Fender before they have a chance to actually do the relic job. The result is a guitar that accumulates wear-and-tear at an exponentially higher rate than normal. So, it’ll look like guitar that’s been gigged for thirty years after just a couple birthdays. Finally, YOU can be the one to make your guitar look vintage!
After playing and ogling the first batch of these guitars, we feel confident that this line is easily one of the coolest collaborations in the history of our friendship with Fender’s Custom Shop! At Wildwood, we’ve been doing our best to tell our guitars’ stories as faithfully as we can for thirty-four years. Now, we are excited to step aside and give the reigns to our exceptional customers. What sort of interesting tales will you carve into these finishes? We can’t wait to find out with you!
Site: wildwoodguitars.com/product-c...
Facebook: on. 11aLDN5
Amp: Tone King Imperial MKII
Overdrive: Friedman Smallbox 50

[@sowhat5150]

I never got the relic craze but this is a good idea.

[@chris.p.9397]

great idea!!

[@tsmith4564]

Very cool concept. I'm definitely saving up my pennies.

[@dougfa3515]

That sounds interesting, as someone who just does not like the idea of the faux-aging. I might consider trying that.

[@troykelso]

I can get on board with THIS idea - good stuff.

[@gregorystone768]

I think this will be the new thing. Every body wants a relic weather they admit it to themselves or not. I mean whats cooler than being like no this is from me, I did this. I love them all. Heavy relic, nos, brand spanking new, ect.. But from a marketing stand point this is genius. This will sell.

[@electrix6751]

Who in their right mind would want to spend good money (read: top dollar) for a banged-up, chipped, scratched, dented, dinged, etc. guitar? WTF are you trying to prove? That you have a vintage instrument from the 1950s or 1960s? That's bogus man, and you know it. Personally, I go out of my way to make sure I *don't* "relic" any of my three Fender Stratocasters in _any_ way, shape, manner or form. I want them looking like brand new for as long as possible! But if someone is so obsessed with the "relic" look, relic it yourself by playing the sh*t out of it, forget about ever putting it in a guitar case, treat it like you hate it and sure enough you'll get that "relic" look before you know it.

[@anthonyc1883]

Electric Ladyland Yes, there are poseurs but many, many players are not trying to fool anyone or "prove anything." Relic'd guitars have a smooth, broken-in feel. It's very discernable and appealing. I own a NOS '60 RI Tele Custom, and I've played relic'd Teles and Strats, as well as some old originals. It's not about the looks for many of us, believe me. Plus, as Koch says at 1:26 "I have to say that after playing many different guitars in the NOS format, Closet Classics, Relics---the Relics have a certain sound to them, a certain openess."

[@gregorystone768]

Calm down buddy.

[@Aniki82]

I would put New Old Stock apart from any other list as this is somewhat a the real dream everyone is look for IMO The closet gem waiting to be reborn ahaha

[@Em_Dee_Aitch]

Unreal.... Over the past few months, I've been mentally preparing my Masterbuilt wish list. I thought, "Wouldn't it be cool if....?" And HERE IT IS!!! 😲

[@SteveSkillings]

I was one of those haters of "road worn" or "relic" guitars... until I owned one. Then I got hooked. But I always dreamed of a thin, thin, thin skin Strat to do my own "real" relic job. This sound like it's exactly what I had hoped for. Great concept. I hope it works great.

[@ArthurStone]

Season's Peace and Goodwill Greg and Wildwood; thank you for the musical entertainment. Best for 2018 :D

[@briano.5746]

Greg , you freakin' rock brother ! I've been playing guitar for about 40 years and can't even come close to what you got goin' on . Shit , wish I was your neighbor LOL !

[@amazingme1408]

dude No one does!!!

[@station2station544]

Very good idea. But one of the longest wearing things on a guitar is the chrome. And it appears as though the chrome bridge and tuning machines are immaculate on these instruments. hmmm. Gonna take a while to oxidize and wear thru that. (edit - after looking at a few models on the wildwood website, it appears as though the chrome is slightly scuffed.. Which is cool)

[@ejm922]

jenius!

[@DBSG1976]

If you have a Faded Surf Green for a '56 or '57 Stratocaster, I'd be very much wanting such a glorious Strat, but I couldn't get it for at least a year. I just bought a Daphne Blue MOD Shop Stratocaster and swapped out the pups for Seymour Duncans (SSL-5/SSL-5/JB Jr Strat) and can't justify to the wife that I also need one of these new Relic Ready Strats...how dare you not have these available 6 months ago!

[@canjay4033]

It's funny, I actually love the relic finishes and can definitely tell the difference in clarity and sustain even with this thin finish...BUT! when you think about it, for years and years all we do as humans is try to improve our products. We aim to make them more durable, less likely to break/wear/fail. And we've become so damn good at it, that we are having to take a few steps back in an effort to make them less durable again haha..crazy right?! I'm sure this is fueled by the modern day excessive "impatience" of us humans to actually play for 25 years and start to see some wear and tear.. I know this because I am as impatient as they come haha. Rock on guys, hope to add one of these beauties to the collection one of these days..

[@hotdotdog]

Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

[@davidallen346]

Proactive defilement Yes !

[@garrettsgarage4769]

Laughed my ass off at the intro. What did you say? Hahaha

[@spaceshifterstereogunmachine]

where i could take a look on the specs of that nocaster? thanks

[@anthonyc1883]

Spaceshifter Stereogunmachine It's on the Wildwood "New Arrivals" page right now along with about 10 others.

[@stringspicksandfiddlestick6388]

I have a Fender Highway One. Those are all Relic Ready. Mine was so beat up I got it for $137 at a pawn shop.

[@peterthomas3589]

Greetings from intergoogle!

[@spaceshifterstereogunmachine]

that nocaster is just absurd on the bridge pickup

[@spaceshifterstereogunmachine]

it s like the sound im lookin after

[@richfiryn]

When you ask your gal pal for permission to buy one she will say, "fist it!"

[@zapzap36]

dig it

[@guitarocd9984]

I don't think Relic guitars sound different but I play them different. Hard to explain a little more aggressive. Not sure what it is. But I do play them different.

[@BENJIR2D2]

I love Fender and Gibson. Wait.... Can I say that?

[@TVLTNT]

This at least to me makes total sense to me. I still wouldn't want to see the more expensive already Relic'd price though, after all there are no extra hours put into making it a relic'd model from the Fender factory now.

[@gkniffen]

Imagine having to speak on camera after Greg 😆 ... The guy has a vocabulary on par with Merriam Webster.

[@paulsimmons5726]

The No-Caster sounded too cool for color TV. I'm sure Ron Wood has a collection of well-groomed relic Strats that accompany him on the road. Cool idea but you gotta know that a bunch of these relic-ready guitars are gonna wind up getting repainted after they get jacked up.

[@sunbrst62]

Fret "ghosting" just FYI the hyperlink in the description takes you to "Gibson Custom Shop" 🙀

[@wildwoodguitars]

Thanks for letting us know! I think we need more coffee over here in the web lair

[@nuh-nuh-yuhbidnuh7813]

I think the dark fret gunk kind of defeats the purpose of building a gunk free guitar, does it not?

[@JRGladwill]

i think greg could locate dat axe of his and get da party started :-)

[@demurets]

'Historized', neck grit n all

[@Yannplaysguitar]

God... I wish I did not have to pay EU import taxes if I bought one of these... the two guitars of my dreams on one video

[@supermariozombies4824]

I don't see what the difference is between these and the thin skin nitro guitars other than the custom shop designation. snake oil if you ask me.

[@DesignInNature]

SuperMarioZombies From the close up in the video, the difference is that these have some rust already building up in the frets. Is the stupidest thing ever. Paying thousands to be a poser. Also, this guitar had the custom shop logo in the back of the headstock, while the thin skins are NOT custom shop made.

[@supermariozombies4824]

So if you buy a vintage guitar that has years of wear on it your a poser? You're an idiot.

[@DesignInNature]

SuperMarioZombies No, fuck wad. If you buy a vintage guitar with lots of wear from years of playing, you have a REAL vintage guitar. But If you FAKE years of playing by scratching up a brand new guitar with brush wire and chisels, in places where your pick never even goes... Then YES. You're a poser.

[@supermariozombies4824]

face it your just a chode. what do you care what other people buy.

[@DesignInNature]

SuperMarioZombies I DON'T care what other people buy. Those people have the right to buy whatever they want with their money. And I have the right to call them posers, all day long. That's the beauty of freedom. As for me, I'll keep my Custom Shop '59 NOS pristine. By the time I hand it down to my son in about 15 years, it WILL have some wear from years of enjoyment and honest playing. Instead of giving him something that when new 15 years ago, already looked like burned off tree bark with rusted nails. What will it look like by then? Like a frozen, rotten banana peal? No thanks.

[@terryshrk]

soo,...they're going to call them "unrelic'd relics " or "relic ready" Fenders? How about "vintage-able" lol GREAT idea and long overdue

[@Megzamani]

newmoney new guitar no blemishes

[@electrix6751]

Damn right!

[@darrenc8776]

I think this will be a new thing from fender. Less paint more tone. But put your own mark on it nice.

[@Dailyvids25]

If this is true, why don't they never make guitars with no finish at all? From my experience if you can't find it as a product,it does not exist.

[@demurets]

Your 'historicity'

[@edgerat]

perfect, now make all of your guitars this way.... enough of the cement you use for finishes.

[@tomthx5804]

Beatles took all the finish off their casinos because someone told them it made them sound better. Just do that. You are forty years behind, my friend

[@j_freed]

What if I want a guitar that's just not quite relic ready, what's the technology to create the stage before the relic ready and will it cost more than a Pro Series Strat?? Aesthetically I think I want a tree log with bark in it, a guitar that will always be safe from ever being relic ready. Nobody can ever play it, it can never be played. Don't even point.

[@Dailyvids25]

Yeah. It sounds like a strat. Go figure! Marketing. Marketing. Marketing.

[@billsmith5042]

...What?

[@dbq_custom_pickups]

and so...?

[@charlespatrick8650]

relic sounds better!? calling 🐃💩 on that one

[@ZeekDuff]

"Reliced" is not a word, nor does an ax that's been beat to shit play better than one that's clean & shinny. These guys have mastered the art of WC Fields & PT Barnum by doubling and even tripling the prices of guitar 2nds and selling them to the "suckers born every second." I hope this BS doesn't rub off on Greg's career karma... Wow, what a thing. 😱

[@ZeekDuff]

Well, go shinny up yer guitar a few times & just maybe you'll get it good and shiny... ROTFL!!! You suckers are amazing. 😎