Relic'ing my Highway one Tele

First time post and been whoring out all the threads you guys have on this topic for the past week or so, so I figured I'd contribute what I can with my experience on this.

I didn't have a camera at the time to document the process but I'll try to explain as best as I can.

So about a week ago I got a Highway one Texas tele with a japanese neck and Nocaster pickups for under $400 (!). I love the idea of a beat up guitar and relic'ing was the obvious next step (besides playing the **** out of it non stop for a few days).

So with all the resources around poly vs nitro and the confusion on what exactly the finish on the H1 tele's really was, I figured I'd just go to work and start sanding. Well day one, I start sanding with 60 grit wet on the back, and scratch the hell out of it. I started Googling why that was, and realized it was poly that scratches when sanded. But moving up the grits, you can smooth that out. Over the next few days, I kept doing that, but never got the effect I wanted. Then I read that it's actually a nitro satin finish on the H1's so I moved upto laquer thinner. Scary stuff btw, careful if you ever use it.

And with the laquer thinner, that **** came right off. I mean, right off. To the point where I probably relic'ed too much and it probably doesn't look that natural but I'll keep working on it and I'm okay with the idea of an "Ultimate Relic".

I didn't do any of the hardware or the neck, except for the cigarette burn on the low E side (I smoke, so it's not crazy for that to end up happening). I'll get around to the hardware when I adjust the action and take the guitar apart. For now I'm just playing the **** out of it and loving every second.

Also, in terms of the pickguard. I sanded it with 600 grit, painted with acrylics and coated with a laquer gloss coat. Worked out pretty well and seems to be resistant to moisture and what not.

BTW, the pickguard says "This Machine Kills Auto-Tune" and the "Pow!" is a reference to a Roy Lichtenstein print.

Cheers, hope you guys enjoy.

Also, here's the back.

https://www.me.com/ro/ashokn225/Galleries/100008/Back/web.jpg?ver=12859462150001

Can't see the second pic. Not sure I'd call it relic-ing, but definitely a distinctive customising....and you know what?

I like it...congrats.

Cool, thanks man. Yeah I like it and I'm gonna try and relic it more to give it more of a worn in look as opposed to a customized look, though I guess there's nothing wrong with the latter. (And I guess some may actually say it's better and more authentic).

Here's a picture of the back.

Let's call it work in progress. Liking the back though. Your mission if you choose to accept is to make the front as "authentic" as poss.
Sorry for the cheesy reference to a sixties TV programme, couldn't help it.

Haha, funny, cause when I read that I thought of Mission Impossible from my generation.

To me I think that people should do what they're happy with. Afterall, they have to play and live with the guitar. Customise to your hearts content and don't be too upset by comments made by others not liking what they see.
For example: (follow the link) An aquaintence of mine, Glenn Tilbrook of the mighty Squeeze. The guitar in the clip is a 54 strat, original and very worn. If I was to present that on these pages as a relic that I've just made, just think of the comments of 'over done' and 'unrealistic' that would get written. Yet, all those battle scars on that particular guitar are real and not artificially induced. So, what I'm trying to say is that it's your guitar, don't get upset about comments that are less than positive.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00bbj08

Nice clip, Glenn gets some real twang off that Strat, especially in the first track, wonder what amp he is running. Chris is such an unassuming wingman.

Nice clip, Glenn gets some real twang off that Strat, especially in the first track, wonder what amp he is running. Chris is such an unassuming wingman.

Not 100% sure, but the last time I saw him at close proximity he was using either a 1x12 Blues Deluxe or a 4x10 Deville. Anyway, it was Fender, black tolex and it looked very similar to my Deluxe (tweed). The sound was identical to the clip shown, although he tends to coax similar sounds from either a Boogie, Yamaha, or a Fender. That particular Strat is very twangy (is that really a word?) and sounds very cool played loud without any backline.

Hope this helps answer the question.

PS, "Chris as a unassuming wingman". Also a fine fellow to boot.

That particular Strat is very twangy (is that really a word?) and sounds very cool played loud without any backline.



Twangy is most definitely a word in TeleWorld.

Thanks for the amp/guitar info.

First time post and been whoring out all the threads you guys have on this topic for the past week or so, so I figured I'd contribute what I can with my experience on this.

I didn't have a camera at the time to document the process but I'll try to explain as best as I can.

So about a week ago I got a Highway one Texas tele with a japanese neck and Nocaster pickups for under $400 (!). I love the idea of a beat up guitar and relic'ing was the obvious next step (besides playing the **** out of it non stop for a few days).

So with all the resources around poly vs nitro and the confusion on what exactly the finish on the H1 tele's really was, I figured I'd just go to work and start sanding. Well day one, I start sanding with 60 grit wet on the back, and scratch the hell out of it. I started Googling why that was, and realized it was poly that scratches when sanded. But moving up the grits, you can smooth that out. Over the next few days, I kept doing that, but never got the effect I wanted. Then I read that it's actually a nitro satin finish on the H1's so I moved upto laquer thinner. Scary stuff btw, careful if you ever use it.

And with the laquer thinner, that **** came right off. I mean, right off. To the point where I probably relic'ed too much and it probably doesn't look that natural but I'll keep working on it and I'm okay with the idea of an "Ultimate Relic".

I didn't do any of the hardware or the neck, except for the cigarette burn on the low E side (I smoke, so it's not crazy for that to end up happening). I'll get around to the hardware when I adjust the action and take the guitar apart. For now I'm just playing the **** out of it and loving every second.

Also, in terms of the pickguard. I sanded it with 600 grit, painted with acrylics and coated with a laquer gloss coat. Worked out pretty well and seems to be resistant to moisture and what not.

BTW, the pickguard says "This Machine Kills Auto-Tune" and the "Pow!" is a reference to a Roy Lichtenstein print.

Cheers, hope you guys enjoy.

I for one think that the wear looks very exaggerated and either done by someone who sweats battery acid, loans his guitar out to a Clash-meets-Rage Against the Machine cover band, or just is mean and cruel to guitars and likes to inflict pain on them via sandpaper and lacquer thinner.

And I totally dig it. VERY rock and roll, IMHO... I say f*%K it... do whatever you want to it, it looks badass man!

Post some updated pics if you've done more to it since your original post!