Where can I get a Relic finish done?

[Philly Q]

I've just acquired a nice '62 reissue Fender neck which should be perfect for my hardtail Strat project - but it needs to be reliced first!

I was thinking I might be able to do it myself (a neck must be easier than a body, after all) but now I have it, it's so nice I feel uncomfortable about messing it up (and I'm afraid I'll mess up messing it up....)

Anyone know anyone who does GOOD relic finishes, for a reasonable price?  I may well opt to send it to Mark Jenny at MJT, who does a great job, I'm just a bit hesitant about shipping it to and from the USA, due to the risk of loss in transit and the extra costs involved (including bloody VAT, potentially!)

I have found a couple of UK sites offering relic finishes, but some look cr@p and some seem very pricey.  This is a case where I'd rather trust word-of-mouth, personal experience recommendations!  Anyone?   :)

[Twinfan]

Have a chat with Wez?  He may be able to help?

[Matt77]

Might be just as easy to sell it and buy a reliced neck from MJT?

[Philly Q]

Might be just as easy to sell it and buy a reliced neck from MJT?

..... and therein lies a tale.....!   :oops: :oops: :| :lol:


I actually do have a relic neck from MJT, which is very nicely done indeed..... however it's a bit too slimline and, more problematically, the frets turned out to be not much bigger than vintage ones.  I know it's only a matter of time before they piss me off too much, so I'm looking at a refret, which really would cost a fortune.

The neck I now have is from a '62 Hot Rod Strat, which apparently is the biggest neck Fender make (short of Nocasters etc).  It's perfect, apart from the finish.


I know, I know, I'm forever pissing ££££ away on this stuff, but you know how it is.  :oops:

[WezV]

i did do one for gwem to match his original 70's body.

it started as a plain looking MIM


and ended up like this




went for a darker tint on headstock for the 70's look - but the whole neck is actually nitro for the better feel

definitely not as convincing or authentic as a bravewood but miles better than a roadworn ;)

[Twinfan]

Philly - sell the "perfect" neck you have, and use the cash to re-fret the relic you already have.  The last refret I had cost around £100, so you should pretty much break even  :)

[gwEm]

its was also re-radiused to 9.5" and then fitted with gibson sized frets

[WezV]

its was also re-radiused to 9.5" and then fitted with gibson sized frets

i forgot that bit :?

[Philly Q]

Philly - sell the "perfect" neck you have, and use the cash to re-fret the relic you already have.  The last refret I had cost around £100, so you should pretty much break even  :)

Nah, it's the neck shape as well as the frets Dave, the Fender is spot on - a really fat C shape, whereas the MJT relic is an Allparts SRO-C, not skinny but more like a normal '62 reissue.

I suppose I could use the MJT neck on the relic and use the Fender neck on another, non-relic, body.... but the plan was to try to make this relic "just right" in every way.

Must admit £100 is less than I expected for a refret (but you don't know how much I spent on this neck... )

[Philly Q]

Wez - I can't see the pics on this computer, I'll have to wait until I get home, but thanks!  :)

[gwEm]

its was also re-radiused to 9.5" and then fitted with gibson sized frets

i forgot that bit :?

basically its a cool neck :)

[AndyR]

Is a 62 Hot Rod nitro-finished already? I'd have said that makes it easier... if it's not, it's not gonna end up much different than the effect on Roadworns unless you get it refinished first anyway.

Also, I assume we're talking rosewood board here, and that you're not going to mess with the rosewood itself? Getting "decent" looking wear on a maple fingerboard I'd regard as beyond me, but I'd happily take on "aging" a headstock on a rosewood boarded neck. As for the back of the neck, I take all the lacquer off strat necks anyway :lol:

[Philly Q]

Yeah Andy, it's nitro already, with a vintage tint, and a rosewood board. 

You're right, it would be relatively easy to just strip the back of the neck, but I'd kind of like an old, worn look but still with some finish on there just to protect it (cowardly of me, I know!  )

I have no intention of messing with the rosewood!  Although ideally I would prefer proper brownish "clay" dots instead of the white ones which are on there.

[WezV]

dots can be changed too, rather easily actually

hardest thing to get right is the fretboard wear, which you wont need to worry about on a rosewood board anyway - unless you purposely wanted fretboard divots ;)

its just really a case of deciding how much of a relic you want - tint of the lacquer, wear through & 'dirt', dents on headstock edges, logo style/condition - things like that.  it may be that it can all be done on the existing finish or it may be that a strip and respray with very thin coats of nitro would be more suitable

[doomcaster]

 :guitar4:
^do this for 30 years and call me in the morning.
had to be done.  :)