I see a great deal of interest in relic'd instruments and I have never understood why people would want such a thing. Likewise, I cannot comprehend why people seem to intentionally beat up equipment as if it makes them appear to be cooler or something.
My 1987 Stratocaster Squire was bought brand new for me by bandmates in 1988. I giggled with it weekly from 1988 until 2005 and this guitar has appeared on literally hundreds of recordings since then.
Its never had a case, only the thick, padded bag it came with.
There is not a single chip in this guitar anywhere after 15 years of playing clubs, and over 20 years of kids and students playing it. The back is a hodge podge of swirls and scratches and several cracks have opened up in the body, but its never been dropped.
Its ironic to me that people don't take better care of their equipment. I knew that replacement equipment was often financially impossible for me, so even a crappy, Korean made Squirecaster was a cherished possession.
I have played recently on studio efforts with guys who had nearly new R8/R9 Historics who set them down on a cement floor, leaned them up against walls only to see them knocked over, with badly bent tuners, headstock repairs, deep chunks missing and just general neglect.
This morning, my youngest son had it out strumming away and I thought I would snap you folks some photos of a "gig worn" guitar.
The pickguard and pickups are not original, but everything else is, including the pots, caps, switch and wiring.
Frets 1-5 have been replaced at least twice and its been leveled and crowned 4 times - 3 times that I paid to have done and once recently by me. The nut has been replaced several times and the adjustment screws on the 'e' string saddles were just replaced as they were rusted solid.
My 1987 Stratocaster Squire was bought brand new for me by bandmates in 1988. I giggled with it weekly from 1988 until 2005 and this guitar has appeared on literally hundreds of recordings since then.
Its never had a case, only the thick, padded bag it came with.
There is not a single chip in this guitar anywhere after 15 years of playing clubs, and over 20 years of kids and students playing it. The back is a hodge podge of swirls and scratches and several cracks have opened up in the body, but its never been dropped.
Its ironic to me that people don't take better care of their equipment. I knew that replacement equipment was often financially impossible for me, so even a crappy, Korean made Squirecaster was a cherished possession.
I have played recently on studio efforts with guys who had nearly new R8/R9 Historics who set them down on a cement floor, leaned them up against walls only to see them knocked over, with badly bent tuners, headstock repairs, deep chunks missing and just general neglect.
This morning, my youngest son had it out strumming away and I thought I would snap you folks some photos of a "gig worn" guitar.
The pickguard and pickups are not original, but everything else is, including the pots, caps, switch and wiring.
Frets 1-5 have been replaced at least twice and its been leveled and crowned 4 times - 3 times that I paid to have done and once recently by me. The nut has been replaced several times and the adjustment screws on the 'e' string saddles were just replaced as they were rusted solid.
