Relic
Service
Old guitars just have a different feel – cracked finish, smoothed edges, and worn knobs & tuners that tell a life story. What if you could fast-forward your guitar to the future for a played-for-decades look – or send it into the past, stripping away its modern features to create a vintage classic?
We offer two basic options: Vintage Classic and Aged Modern.
Old guitars just have a different feel – cracked finish, smoothed edges, and worn knobs & tuners that tell a life story. What if you could fast-forward your guitar to the future for a played-for-decades look – or send it into the past, stripping away its modern features to create a vintage classic?
Relic Classic – back to the 1950s
The only way to get a look that’s truly reminiscent of those vintage guitars is to start with body, neck, and parts that physically match those old designs and finish them with the authentic paints used in that era. We’ll apply the same conditions that turned those guitars into the vintage treasures so many of us love.
Relic Modern – ahead to the 2050s
The “vintage classic” approach is not for every guitar or every owner. Our other option is to accelerate your guitar’s aging, making it look like it will in the 2050’s and ‘60’s. If you like the way your guitar looks but wish it didn’t look so new, this is the approach for you.
Relic Classic : $1000 – $2000
back to the 1950s
- Refinish usually required – we’ll strip the existing paint and refinish using vintage-correct nitrocellulose lacquer that ages like guitars of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
- With correct features and parts, a true vintage look is possible. Depending on your guitar, this may require purchase of historically correct parts.
- Natural finish checking & vintage patina
- Cost usually $1000–2000 including disassembly, stripping of old finish, refinish in lacquer, aging of neck/body and parts, reassembly, and setup.
Relic Modern : $500 – $1000
ahead to the 2050s
- Refinish not required – we’ll age your guitar with whatever finish it came in. Even polyurethane.
- Results will look like your guitar after 20-30 years of regular use.
- Worn patina
- Natural finish checking and vintage appearance sometimes happen but not guaranteed.
- Results will vary widely depending on existing finish, parts, and hardware.
- Cost usually $500–1000 including disassembly, aging of neck/body and parts, reassembly, and setup.
For any other inquiries or if just want to give us feedback, please feel free to contact us.