NGD - Vintera Road Worn 50s Telecaster

[DAKnox]

Just took delivery of this - a 2021 model, so not much to report on the playability etc. yet (I'll check back in once I've had time to play it). Other than, to me, the neck feels pretty hefty. Certainly noticed when I muted the E and A string with my thumb to play an open D chord!

They are around £1k new here in the UK, and I picked this up for £660 with a nice padded gig bag. It seems virtually unplayed, although that could be hard to tell for sure haha

To my eyes relicing is just enough, quite subtle mostly, but close up, looks excellent. Seems pretty realistic to me...

 

[eddiewagner]

Nice. I bought a vintera stratbody and the guitar turned out great. Really resonant.

 

[Spankie]

Never really understood why you (not you, personally) would spend an extra premium for a new guitar to look beat up. Personal preference I guess but I don't get it.
Anyway, congrats on the new Tele.

 

[NatillasdeMuertos]

Never really understood why you (not you, personally) would spend an extra premium for a new guitar to look beat up. Personal preference I guess but I don't get it.
Anyway, congrats on the new Tele.

It’s more feel than looks. Like a broken in pair of jeans. Don’t really have that worry about the first ding and babying it either until then.

Doesn’t hurt any resale needs either. Bit harder for someone to turn up, kick the tyres a bit and go looking hard for reasons to offer less.

 

[NatillasdeMuertos]

Happy NGD, paid pretty much full retail for mine after trying one with the intention of shopping around but it just had that bit of something to it. £660 really is excellent the way prices are right now.

 

[Skyhook]

Happy NGD! It's beautiful!

... though I must dig in at the anti-relicing camp.
I could rant for hours about why relicing shouldn't exist, but I'll just stick to the short version: IT'S FAKE!!!

Now that I've rained enough on your parade, please let me reinstate my claim that despite my stance on relicing, the guitar is beautiful!

Happy NGD!

 

[John_B]

Well I like it a lot and I want one. I like the relic if it is not extreme. I could see Bare Knuckle pickups in this guitar.

 

[Festofish]

Nice! Looks like a match for my Vintera RW Deluxe!

 

[SmokinJoe992]

It’s more feel than looks. Like a broken in pair of jeans. Don’t really have that worry about the first ding and babying it either until then.

Doesn’t hurt any resale needs either. Bit harder for someone to turn up, kick the tyres a bit and go looking hard for reasons to offer less.

My thoughts exactly. Great looking guitar.

 

[DAKnox]

Never really understood why you (not you, personally) would spend an extra premium for a new guitar to look beat up. Personal preference I guess but I don't get it.
Anyway, congrats on the new Tele.

For me, the extra premium was really more for the nitro finish. In fact it's the fact that these are less beat up than the previous ones that have tempted me. I'm happy that the relic job is much more subtle than the earlier versions. What would I have to pay to get a nitro guitar without the relicing? There was the Classic Series lacquer ones, priced similarly to this but they are few and far between. Then you would probably be looking further up the USA line into quite big bucks (relatively). I just wanted to see what the nitro thing was all about, and this scratches this itch (and others!). So far...what is the nitro thing about? Well right away, poly feels like a plastic shell compared to this which feels like a thin paint. More of a natural feel. Some of the desire is admittedly, well this is how they were in the old days. And there's nothing wrong with that. And I'm not criticising poly either. It's just different. I have poly guitars that are going nowhere.

 

[DAKnox]

Happy NGD! It's beautiful!

... though I must dig in at the anti-relicing camp.
I could rant for hours about why relicing shouldn't exist, but I'll just stick to the short version: IT'S FAKE!!!

Now that I've rained enough on your parade, please let me reinstate my claim that despite my stance on relicing, the guitar is beautiful!

Happy NGD!

haha I know, I know, but in fairness it's the fact it's less reliced than the earlier ones that attracted me. I wanted to try the nitro and a "worn in" neck moreso than the dings etc. But I have to be honest I think the dings and checking looks great.

 

[NatillasdeMuertos]

For me, the extra premium was really more for the nitro finish. In fact it's the fact that these are less beat up than the previous ones that have tempted me. I'm happy that the relic job is much more subtle than the earlier versions. What would I have to pay to get a nitro guitar without the relicing? There was the Classic Series lacquer ones, priced similarly to this but they are few and far between. Then you would probably be looking further up the USA line into quite big bucks (relatively). I just wanted to see what the nitro thing was all about, and this scratches this itch (and others!). So far...what is the nitro thing about? Well right away, poly feels like a plastic shell compared to this which feels like a thin paint. More of a natural feel. Some of the desire is admittedly, well this is how they were in the old days. And there's nothing wrong with that. And I'm not criticising poly either. It's just different. I have poly guitars that are going nowhere.

Same really with nitro being a part of why I went roadworn, along with the worn in neck (I would have compromised on this but slight preference). By the time I’d gone through specs I wanted that were must have and compromised where I was willing a road worn was actually the cheaper option. There’s a couple of years in it as opposed to being a direct buy/sell but my RW has effectively replaced my AV52.

I've said before and elsewhere re relics I don’t see it as paying more because I buy guitars based on what they are as a whole. Relic isn’t a must have nor a mustn’t for me personally. It’s lower down the list of factors than colour for starters

 

[OmegaWoods]

HNGD! Yours is the sister to mine. Same guitar, different color. I love mine, the neck finish is delightful. Enjoy!

 

[Reedo]

Hngd, great looker, congratulations.

 

[DAKnox]

Thanks guys. I think with a relic guitar we can get hung up on only talking about the relic. But this has great specs. I've been thoroughly enjoying the short time I've had with it.

It has tall vintage frets...a really nice combination that. The chunky neck feels great. Its so well put together. And a really warm but snappy set of pickups.

Regardless of the love/hate thing with the relics (I'm on the love side) this is a lovely combination of specs. I'd encourage anyone to at least try.

 

[Greggorios]

I think they're very nice guitars, congrats. Looks very authentic to my eye and despite not being a huge fan of relics I'd be proud to own that guitar. Play it in good health.

 

[JL_LI]

Happy NGD. As the owner of a CS heavy relic and a few guitars showing signs of wear from me, the only thing that counts is how YOU feel about it. Happy NGD.

 

[Blues Twanger]

Lets not forget it wasn't 'bedroom poseurs' who started the push for artificial aging and relic work, it was famous musicians who got sick of or nervous about touring with originals with skyrocketing scarcity and value and wanted a duplicate that not only sounded like the original but felt like it.

Happy NGD! If you love it who cares what some guys on the internet think.

 

[fasthand]

I love it and congratulations on a fine looking piece
To you haters go finish dying your hair and squeeze into your compression shorts so you don’t appear broken in and aged

 

[Crobbins]

Congrats.