Distressed Instruments

[almeriastrings]

I have a 'max' distressed Silverangel, and it is fun to ask people to guess the age... it's really well done. Looks like it emerged from an ancient Egyptian tomb. I dislike 'evidently' fake distressing, but a good distressing job is very impressive and realistic.

[Ivan Kelsall]

From Spruce - " Quote Originally Posted by Ivan Kelsall View Post
I do like some 'distressed' instruments...." Wrong - ''distressed'' originally posted by the OP !!. If he'd used another term ie. ''worn'' i'd have used that term instead.

I have my own disliked term - 'better' . Maybe to 'you' but not to others. I preferm my own term - 'a more pleasing difference'. What word / term would you substitute for 'distressed' ?. ''Distressed'' is a term often used in the antiques trade to describe a piece of furniture which is well worn & shows signs of it's age,just like me !.

I remember reading Guitarist magazine many years ago,& Fender (Japan) were marketing copies of Status Quo's (the late) Pick Parfitt's Fender Tele. (& Francis Rossi's tele.) In a side by side photo.,they'd done such an awesome job doing the 'relicing',that you couldn't tell one from the other - as to the price,that was pretty awesome as well !!,
Ivan

[Mandoplumb]

Hell, I've heard that Sam parked Hoss for all the above reasons...true?

My point exactly, we know he ain't playing Hoss so it doesn't matter if what is is playing is "distressed" or not.I don't disagree with leaving the Loar or Hoss at home I just don't see beating up a new instrument.

[Paul Busman]

. I dislike 'evidently' fake distressing, but a good distressing job is very impressive and realistic.

I certainly admire the skill of a craftsman who can pull off a convincing distressing. I just wouldn't want my mandolin or any other instrument to look like that.

Hmmmmm...I wonder if there's a market for distressed wooden penny whistles?

[Bertram Henze]

Hmmmmm...I wonder if there's a market for distressed wooden penny whistles?

Or metal ones, come to that, chewed-up mouthpiece and all.

[jdchapman]

Or cars. My son would happily distress yours for free.

[BradKlein]

A few points that may be of interest to some.

- The 'Martin Streetmaster 000-15M' in the original post, sells for exactly the same price as the same instrument in Martin's satin finish, seen HERE at Elderly ($1400, a thousand less than a 000-18). I would argue that this is less a 'distressed' finish in the sense of mimicking use and age, which is always going to add $$$ whether done well or not. And more of an alternative finish, that some (many?) may find more agreeable than the satin finish - itself a money-saving variation on the original process. Heck, even I might prefer it if I saw one in person, although it wouldn't be my dream guitar. I'm not a big big fan of the 'satin' finish.

- At least a few years ago, when I had an opportunity to sit in the bus with Sam Bush, his 1937 F-5 'Hoss' was sitting on the seat next to us. He offered it to me to check out. Didn't seem particularly nervous to have it with him. And played it on the festival stage.

- It's worth remembering that even though we think of Loars as super expensive, there are many thousands of musicians using stringed instruments in that approximate price range, every day, around the world, in every pro orchestra, and many other forms of music. There are probably a dozen on the NYC subway at any given moment of every day.

- Speaking to pro musicians, some treasure the experience of bonding with their A-team instrument and using it at all times. Others are promiscuous. Others, serial monogamists, always trying something new. But those in the first category, feel it really deeply. It matters to them. It's not just a scam they are putting over on the audience.

[William Smith]

I'd love a tenor lute to madola conversion, I know a few guys that have had this done, I think they sound great, And I believe thats what those were really intended to be but Gibson was going into a banjo phase due to the new popularity of the time of the banjer!

[Jeff Hildreth]

"This is the age of phony authenticity."

Good one.

or:

The age of authentic phoniness.


Spruce.. it appears to me that the face of the head stock on the tenor lute conversion is a chemical craquelleur with a finish applied over it . Note the soft edges on the fissures of the "cracks" .

Seems some new age players are "crack" addicts.


I, too, distress at the word "distressed". This is a marketing term conjured by antique hustlers many years ago.
BS sells. Simple as that. Martin proves that every day.

[Bertram Henze]

craquelleur

The word alone gives me the creeps, like it's sprung right out of a French Vogon poem.

...gruillotine croupe crauppe la fleur
chleurpe le soupe de craquelleur!

[Br1ck]

I think someone can do a great relic job with about the same labor as a polished laquer finish.

I laugh when someone buys a Fender relic telecaster. Over two grand for a plank. You can buy the very best parts from USA custom or
Warmouth, Glendale bridge an saddles, and the best boutique pickups and be hard pressed to spend $800. Of course, it has a decalLOL. The Tele relicers are scary good, much better than Fender, and as seen aboveboard , you can DIY.

My first Tele build I've naturally worn because I barely shot enough laquer to seal the wood.

I think you are either a person who likes old or a person who likes shiny. These days old and worn can be cost prohibitive, so distressing has it's place. One only has to please oneself.

[Scot63]

My instruments get distressed every time I pick them up. Choose another, they say.

[mtm]

... we got a 'distressed' dining room table (faux dings, etc), and I was chastised for putting a scratch on it....

[Spruce]

I think someone can do a great relic job with about the same labor as a polished laquer finish.

I laugh when someone buys a Fender relic telecaster. Over two grand for a plank. You can buy the very best parts from USA custom or
Warmouth, Glendale bridge an saddles, and the best boutique pickups and be hard pressed to spend $800. Of course, it has a decalLOL. The Tele relicers are scary good, much better than Fender, and as seen aboveboard , you can DIY

If anyone wants to put together a birthyear antiqued Tele or Strat, PM me and I'll send on all the notes I've collected over the years...
It's not that hard to do...
Cutting a nut is about the only thing that requires any skill....the rest is just thinking ahead, so that you can add 50 years of wear in 2 months or so...
Intentionally spraying thin coats of lacquer over thick--then let the layers fight it out when heat/cold is applied--is a nice little trick...

One only has to please oneself.

Thanks for that...so true.

[Frankdolin]

I know I'm in the minority but I think distressing any instrument is just plain silly.

[Spruce]

I know I'm in the minority but I think distressing any instrument is just plain silly.

How about the time I found a '51 Martin D18 with the top spray-painted blue...?
So you'd like to see a bright and shiny re-fin job with no wear or checking so that it matches the rest of the instrument?

Now, that's silly...

[Timbofood]

Then there's the famous "Red" Loar.....
That distressed me the first time I saw it!

[Mandoplumb]

No Spruce, what is silly is to purposely beat and scratch a new instrument so it supposing looks like an antique. I have a 18 year old Dearstone that is showing 18 years of playing and the wear that comes from 18 years of playing. There is scratches and worn spots all over it, heck the neck is almost a "speed neck" ( something else that is silly, in my opinion. does that really make you play faster) but every bit of the wear is earned not fake. Frankdolin I'm with you, when my 'stone was new it looked new and i loved the look now like me it's getting old and worn and I love the look, cause now it's supposed to look worn.

[fatt-dad]

Maybe it's time to talk about Frank Wakefield?

f-d

[Spruce]

How 'bout them Dodgers?

[mandocaster]

The great thing about distressed instruments is that there is no need to be distressed - simply don't buy them.
What about people who buy vintage instruments? Does anyone worry that the players are phony because they didn't put the wear on themselves? Many bluegrass mandolin players wear western hats, even though they are not cowboys. The whole lot of us are posers in some way.

[Ivan Kelsall]

from mandocaster - "The whole lot of us are posers in some way.". I agree !!. I once told my wife that i'd have been a terrific actor & she asked me why. I told her that i'd been doing it most of my life (again - in some way).

I do like the look of a distressed instrument if it's been well done. For me,they give me the same feeling as the look of an old,comfortable,well worn pair of shoes. But if i owned one,i'd be apalled if i scratched it myself - wear is one thing,damage is another !,
Ivan

[William Smith]

Maybe it's time to talk about Frank Wakefield?

f-d

Right on! He kinda invented distressing when he baked his Loar in the oven On LOW heat I'd imagine. Or was it him or Buzz Busby that spray painted a Loar Blue, strings and all-wonder what they were seeing

[Eric Platt]

On every list I've been on this subject has come up. I personally don't have an issue with it. If the instrument sounds good, would buy it no matter what it looks like. Then again, I've seen some Fender Custom Shop Master Build that can fool a pro. As well as a couple of sunburst Les Paul models that were really, really good.

As to the Whiskey Sunset finish on the -17 series, I'm good with it. In fact, those -17 series are possibly the best instruments Martin is making today, IMO. At least for the USA models.

[Timbofood]

Maybe it's time to talk about Frank Wakefield?

f-d

See#67