Relic'ing

Relic'ing (also written as relicing) is the process of distressing a guitar to mimic the worn appearance and broken-in feel of an older, vintage model. 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. 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.

Purpose

Relic'ing is performed with the goal of creating a worn, aged appearance and feel in newer guitars. Over time, guitars change due to various factors, such as exposure to the elements, temperature changes, and sweat, resulting in paint colors fading, cellulose finishes taking on a patina, and hardware becoming tarnished. Friction from contact with a player's body can also wear away paint, sometimes exposing the underlying wood, while the player's hands traveling up and down the neck can thin the finish and "roll" the fretboard edges, resulting in a smoother feel. Relic'ing seeks to replicate many of these effects.

Tom Murphy of Gibson's Custom Shop theorized the popularity of relic'd guitars is due to the increasing scarcity and high prices of vintage guitars, while Guitar World wrote that they are an attractive alternative to getting the look and feel of vintage guitars without the risk of being sold an expensive guitar of questionable authenticity.