Even though I think relicing has gotten out of hand, I think your relic Tele looks really good. Authentic-looking wear spots and the bridge looks real, not overdone which typically looks phony, as you mentioned.
I'm relicing a violin right now, making it identical to Paganini's 1831 Strad used during his tour of Bavaria. Surely, aging my violin will give me access to the talent of Paganini and "magic" associated with the Early Romantic Era.
I know what your saying but some people don't want to wait 40 yrs, I've got a strat I've had for 37 yrs and it looks like new, it's been well gigged and played regularly at home but I look after my guitars so the 'relic' process could take 100 yrs. My point is that I don't think it matters what people do to a guitar as long as it gets played, I can't understand seeing red about people relicing guitars when they don't have a financial interest in the 'relic', it won't de-value yours.
Forgive me, I'm old. What's up with you posers trying to relic guitars? Get a guitar and use, or if you must abuse it. By the time you're my age it'll be reliced or flat out worn out. Having a guitar you've used to death may be cool. Having a guitar you "relic" without playing a note is exceedingly lame. People these days are so lame that they don't want something with scratches and dents yet they'll pay extra for someone or some way to screw it up. "The Emperor has clothes" comes to mind.
I have my strat parts directly IN the acid for hours at a time and its doing very slow results. I did your method it did absolutely nothing. I have non cut acid too. Very strong stuff
I'm having hard time with it! Firstly put a gold hard tail in a bowl like you did, but nothing happened for 3 days. Then I put the tail for 1 day submerged with m.acid, and it's still shiny new.
What's up with this thing? I think it's adamantium...
What do you recommend to do for doing relic to the body of a les paul? Also, how would I get my ugly, sticky gloss neck of my les paul down to a satin neck with that beautiful natural wood feel? 0000 steel wool trick? Whats ur opinion
i tried the muriatic acid technique with my parts, first for 25 minutes and let it sit for several hours with little difference, then for an hour and still not any great degree of noticable difference. is there a specific brand of the stuff that works best? could i possibly have bought diluted product?
If you show someone how to use a razor knife to cut something, you're going to assume they have brain not to use it improperly. He told you to use ACID! Common sense tells you, you need to read the freakin directions and precautions, warning and danger labels, there's probably a web address and a 1-800 number on the bottle. I'm sure there is an age restriction at the hardware store to buy this stuff. Point, people need to have more accountability!
It really works, but you really should just warn people more about inhaling this and getting it on your skin, this is one of the most dangerous acids, people get seriously hurt, so you should just put annotation up saying people need to wear gloves and glasses and a face mask.
@Jonnydeathwish Well, I have done some finish relic-ing in the past and got pretty good results. There are some really good guys doing that sort of thing like Mark Jenny and Gord Miller. Is your guitar nitrocellulose or poly finish?
@Jonnydeathwish I have heard about the sunbathing but if I remember right it takes time. You could take off all the parts from the guitar and try some brown shoe polish. If you get a color that is brown or light brown it will tint the color a bit. This is much more effective on nitro finishes however. -Billy
Love your videos. What would be a good way to make the new, shiny humbucker covers look a bit "tired" and have this patina vintage look? Is it possible to do it without opening the pickup itself?
Hey I would love to know what I should do with some Fender Tele Deluxe humbuckers to antique them, and have you heard of this rust tinting etch or liquid that comes from hobby shops and what is your thoughts on that method? Nice and easy way to relic hardware, short and sweet.
Could you, for instance, put the bag of parts in a dryer(spinning) for short periods of time and get the same effect with no real damage? rather than shaking them in a box?
Followed your steps to age a replacement pickup cover for a VOS Les Paul last night. It took about two hours of exposure to the acid but in the end it looked great. Thanks.
@coffinshaker Maybe you have a lower concentrated acid or used less amount in the tupperware. Either way if the job got done and looks great then mission accomplished!! -Billy
Everyone if you're planning on doing this, be warned that if you are gonna "Relic" Fender Modern Style Tuners, then the little plastic spacers on the tuning stem might rot off. That happened to mine, but so far functionality has not been hindered. I love this method!
Hi thanks for the info. yes i got some from a jewlers suppliers on ebay (uk) and the % i got was 36% and it worked a treat on the Grover tuners, tonepros ally tailpiece. BUT the Tonepros bridge took days to get an aging effect on it. and then the cut saddles melted where the cut was with fumes from the acid.so more saddles on the way but wont cut them until after the have been in the fumes for a couple of days. cheers ray
Hi Billy I'am in the UK and having a bit of bother buying Muriatic acid,also called Hydroclonic acid. i can get some acid but is it the correct strength. can you tell me what the strength % wise of the acid that you use in your video. oh!! great tutorial vid with a bit of humour thrown in. cheers ray
@300guitars Hi again Billy got some of the acid and it worked a treat on most parts. the problem I encountered was>> Tonpros TP6N saddles>>the first set of saddles the notch in the saddels melted inwards via the fumes getting to the metal below the nickel plate. second set of saddles unnotched after six days in the fumes (acid did not affect the Nickel plate) the metal below the plate totally disappeared. all that i had left was the nickel plate,which i could squeeze together with my fingers
In aging aluminum parts, such as an aluminum tailpiece on a les paul, "aluminum black" is the best. You can get this at any place that sells stuff for cleaning and repairing firearms. It's used on gun parts in lieu of reparkerizing or powder coating.
@JFTerson I used some "brown shoe polisher" thingos and just lightly smudge it over a white pickguard using a cloth. But i dunno how this "penallizer" dude does it tho.
For the body, I don't need to go to crazy, just a bit of wear. Also, how can I relic plastic parts like knobs, without it looking funny. Will this process work for plastic? I'm guessing not...
Damn nice.. i going to do the same but PLEASE HELP.... i dont know crap about relicing i see you do a very awsome job so what are your materials and the process? if you would like to email me that wwould be very welcomed comment on me back .. hope you can help a fellow player!!
im 11 & im a fairly new guitarist. i have been playing for about 2 years mabye 3. & im learning a whole lot. i love guitar, i have played guitar for 5 mabye 6 years, but only started being serious about playing since the past 2 or 3 years. i love & enjoy watching and learning stuff like this! like looking at vintage guitars, learning about them & stuff like relic'd guitars & cool techniques! great videos. i love them, & enjoy them very much! i hope you keep making videos!
@jordanhitsthings I remember i use to be Just like you. when i was 11 now im 15 i am one of the best guitarists in my whole school :) keep at it dont aim to be good aim to be the best you can possibly be strive to improve... and dont get too cocky trust me on that
Great method, Billy. Tried it out on my new Butterscotch blonde custom tele...looks FANTASTIC. I had to set it out like you described for about 45 minutes, however, it was in a very cold garage. I am not sure if that has anything to do with the speed, but regardless, the results are stunning. Definitely looks more "real". Don't we all wish we could play guitars that were 60 years old...this is a nice way to get that feel. Thanks!
@dunkelbaul I'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE USING A MIXURE OF WARM WATER AND COFFEE...LEAVE UNTIL DESIRED EFFECT HAPPENS....I'VE TRIED IT ON WHITE PICKUP COVERS...END RESULT WAS PRETTY GOOD...
@dunkelbaul I'm thinking cigarette smoke, or direct sunlight.
You often see odler white sewing machines that have become a glossy/dull looking yellow/off white, and even the white ceilings in homes of smokers - they'll turn an off white color.
Question: if I use this technique with my brand new humbuckers, will it affect the sound or should I better desolder the cover and just apply it to the humbucker covers?
This must be the new definition of "pride of ownership". I guess if you 'over-relic' your instrument to the point it's unplayable, Mommy will buy you another one next birthday...
a nasty and fast way to lighty ""relic"" hardware is sweat... yes.
I once let my friend do a bass session in studio using my Precision and as a result (he sweats A LOT playing) bringe and tuners are now not shiny anymore....
Dude! Muriatic acid is very harmful to skin, lungs and eyes. Use etching solution it's less harmful. Etching solution works just as well. Come'on man. Not to mention your sealing up the fumes in a container, those fumes will build up.
I have worked with muriatic acid extensively.. it really has greatest impact on organic molecules so it can instantly eat the flesh off of your hands...!!!! always use gloves, use out doors with a respirator or you can damage your lungs for ever. Water stops the reaction process instantly as well so if you are foolish enough to work with this stuff .. keep a five gallon bucket full of water next to you.. to push your head into or hands if you get it on you. cheeers
im also wondering about putting vintage style machine heads in the acid thing? will it harm the inside of the gears etc? and what about putting pickups with nickel covers in the acid thing? will it damage the copper wire or the wax etc? i cant remove the covers, they are soldered to the base plate very firmly.
I have a Gibson J-45 with the white soundhole label. I would like to "age" the label to a more brown or parchment-like look. I was thinking about using teabags or coffeegrounds maybe. Any ideas?
The only realistic looking way I've found... very cool. I do feel that the only honest way to do it is to play it for 30 years, but I think I may do this for the hell of it to one of my strats that has some body wear.
guys, seriously do this outside! you can SEE this fumes from this stuff it's so potent. i zinged my throat from breathing.... even after taking a few steps back in my driveway!
@flkpr I don't think so because you would have to tape off the body no matter what method you are using. Otherwise you run the risk of damaging the finish. I would just remove the hardware and do it right... Let me know what you think. -Billy
@Anitrop I agree 100%..!!! Sometimes when doing a restoration of a guitar original parts are not available or expensive...the alternative is to age a reproduction part to preserve the vibey look of a vintage guitar..... -Billy
@Anitrop I have a 78 tele custom that has been played in numerous bars,nightclubs, honky tonks, dancehalls, a church or two , it has lots of wear on it . Thing about it is I know where nearly every scratch, and ding came from. I agree with Anitrop,...............PLAY IT, JUST PLAY IT.
@TheJakeyc The same...except it make take longer to age them. Go with the way I describe it here in the video...about 20 minutes and see how the parts look. If they are not aged enough go for another 20 minutes and so on....Let me know if you need more info...happy to help..!!! -Billy
@TheJakeyc I have heard about that but never tried it. Salt water, tomato juice/paste and a bunch of other I have heard of. I just use this method because it is pretty fast, I have some control over the process and I have been doing it this way for a long time. Playing your guitar adds to the vibe as well....a lot of playing ;^) -Billy
@300guitars thats cool i found some muriatic acid on a store round the corner from work so i shall give it ago tomorrow, i wish i had that much time to play lol
@AJH0014 Idk...I never tried. If it was my guitar I'd just play it and not worry about the relic. It is not easy to relic poly finished guitars imo. -Billy
@300guitars As long as you don't care about the guitar too much, you can take #0000 steel wool and scrub off the poly. I did it to my sunburst Fender Strat and it looks beautifully aged.
@theboywhocantollie Because i wanted custom shop parts and i wanted to relic it myself and because i thought as long as you take the penalyzer's advice and just do it little by little then the risk's of f@#$ing it up is minimal. Seemed pretty straight forward to me. It was. I'll post a link with some pics.
I used this method, and did every thing exactly as you said. I could not be more happy with the end result. I am currently in the process of relicing my 60's classic player strat. all i have left to do is repaint the body and then re assemble everything. I will definitely make a video with the finished product.
hi billy! I tried your method to Relic a telecaster bass for a customer and instead of using the second bowl inside the i hung the parts from a dowl and left it uncovered for 12 hours and it was all rusty. did I fail?
@grudainc Well...I guess it all depends on how much of a relic effect you wanted. I never tried your method but it sounds like it was very aggressive. Do the parts still work? -Billy
@300guitars If you private message me your email I will send you pictures of the parts. I used your method for the tuners and pretty pleased but I used another method and it seemed to work for them, but failed for me oh well :)
@tatsman777 Hmmm... That's a difficult one like I said. Because it is shot with a thick poly finish you may never get it to look realistic. I guess if it were my guitar I'd play it A LOT, carry it to and from gigs without a case and age the hardware a little bit like in the video....just a little though. It will take time but will look a whole lot better than trying to duplicate a relic job imo.. -Billy
@tatsman777 That is a really good question. To my knowledge you cannot get a poly finish to look like nitro....it is too thick for starters, different material altogether, etc. You can get it to look similar to a 70s relic poly finish however...you just have to look at the 70s Fenders and try to copy them. What guitar do you have? -Billy
@flipside1974 This process just oxidizes or dulls the finish. It's permanent so be 100% sure you want a relic look before you go ahead with the process. Some rusting may occur days, weeks or months later fyi. -Billy
this aging process looks awsome!! great job Billy!! just what i need for the guitar im building. im in the UK, and im struggling to find anywhere to buy muriatic acid. i read somewhere on the internet that muriatic acid is just the old chemical name for hydrochloric acid? would this do the same job?
@ferris5150 I believe that the acids are the same....just a different name. Can you get it online..?? This method works really well. You'll see..!! -Billy
@jonsteveg I have done this to many tuners throughout the years without a problem. If they are nickel or chrome they only need to stay in for a short time and will not damage anything. Most of the gears on new vintage type tuners are nylon anyway. -Billy
I used this method and it works great! The only correction you need to make is the time for gold parts. It took about 45 minutes to show any signs of wear. THe murisatic acid was the same as yours. Same label and everything. I aged a gold neck plate, tremolo, and jack. They all took different times to age but they all needed at least 45 minutes to get dingy. Even at 25 minutes they still looked bright and shiny. After a few hours they looked slightly more aged.
@libertyfalls Thank you very much for the info on aging gold plated parts....that is very good to know. I have never tried aging gold parts at least from what I remember, just nickel & chrome. Thanks again...!! -Billy
@MartinHelin Ya know I do not recall ever trying to relic gold parts...!!! You can try to leave it in longer or take a Q-tip and dab some acid on the back side of the jack to see if you get the effect you are looking for. I would try leaving it in longer first. You can also try the juices from a fresh tomato or salt water. Gold should age very easily.. Let me know how it goes. -Billy
@300guitars - Yeah, it's me again. It worked superb, just needed a little more time with the acid, that's all. Right now, i'm working on aging the pickguard, bought a secondhand on ebay from a 1994 strat. If you want to, I could send you a picture of the finishing object. Anyway, thanks for the help!
muriatic acid is also good for bottle explosions ! :)
Dazp94 1 day ago
I got white pickups..how can i make em yellowish?
TheABLTZ 1 week ago
Even though I think relicing has gotten out of hand, I think your relic Tele looks really good. Authentic-looking wear spots and the bridge looks real, not overdone which typically looks phony, as you mentioned.
zymase 2 weeks ago
I'm relicing a violin right now, making it identical to Paganini's 1831 Strad used during his tour of Bavaria. Surely, aging my violin will give me access to the talent of Paganini and "magic" associated with the Early Romantic Era.
psyoptica 3 weeks ago
@psyoptica wasn't the Beatles opening for him back then? Heard they played in Hamburg or something... that's Germany, right?
Lukeblueslover 3 weeks ago
Thanks a lot for this - is this suitable / anyone ever tried this on a aluminium bigsby? Cheers!
lowereastsideburns 1 month ago
I know what your saying but some people don't want to wait 40 yrs, I've got a strat I've had for 37 yrs and it looks like new, it's been well gigged and played regularly at home but I look after my guitars so the 'relic' process could take 100 yrs. My point is that I don't think it matters what people do to a guitar as long as it gets played, I can't understand seeing red about people relicing guitars when they don't have a financial interest in the 'relic', it won't de-value yours.
cmgill2 1 month ago in playlist Guitar Tech.
Forgive me, I'm old. What's up with you posers trying to relic guitars? Get a guitar and use, or if you must abuse it. By the time you're my age it'll be reliced or flat out worn out. Having a guitar you've used to death may be cool. Having a guitar you "relic" without playing a note is exceedingly lame. People these days are so lame that they don't want something with scratches and dents yet they'll pay extra for someone or some way to screw it up. "The Emperor has clothes" comes to mind.
jeff1586er 1 month ago 2
Sir, do you have tips on aging strat knobs and tip? I did the soak in coffee-tea method, but nothing happened :( .
12kirkhinrich12 1 month ago
What's T-Bag doing out of Prison?
bellrazor 1 month ago
I have my strat parts directly IN the acid for hours at a time and its doing very slow results. I did your method it did absolutely nothing. I have non cut acid too. Very strong stuff
koofdome 1 month ago
I wouldn't have thought that Billy Penn would approve of the whole douche-worn guitar fakery.
Maafa1619 1 month ago
Will this process work on chromed parts, or is it best to go with uncovered nickel?
pocketlint721 1 month ago
Just a note to put a label on the small drinks bottle that you used that says "ACID".
This is how accidents happen.
The aging effect is great though.
wendyandmart 1 month ago
@RitchieXD hahaha that exactly what i thought!
ILLbiteURfaceCNT 1 month ago
this guy uses a lot of moisturizer on his face.
beeeastmaster 2 months ago
will this work with a black finish?
timberland1108 2 months ago
I'm having hard time with it! Firstly put a gold hard tail in a bowl like you did, but nothing happened for 3 days. Then I put the tail for 1 day submerged with m.acid, and it's still shiny new.
What's up with this thing? I think it's adamantium...
woshushe 2 months ago
@woshushe It's gold, dummy. Didn't you ever take chemistry? Gold is the most non-reactive solid element in the world!
Maafa1619 1 month ago
@Maafa1619 lol...
woshushe 1 month ago
weren't you on prison break?
RitchieXD 2 months ago
@RitchieXD Haha I know who your thinking of
AccountNotFound 2 months ago
What do you recommend to do for doing relic to the body of a les paul? Also, how would I get my ugly, sticky gloss neck of my les paul down to a satin neck with that beautiful natural wood feel? 0000 steel wool trick? Whats ur opinion
koofdome 2 months ago
give me the shiny bridge any day.
boleynali 3 months ago
Will this work on black hardware?
emg81emg60 3 months ago
i tried the muriatic acid technique with my parts, first for 25 minutes and let it sit for several hours with little difference, then for an hour and still not any great degree of noticable difference. is there a specific brand of the stuff that works best? could i possibly have bought diluted product?
joelthestud1 3 months ago
@joelthestud1 its because your parts are most likely stainless steal
conor1423 3 months ago
@TheAlmostGod888
iamthedude4321 3 months ago
If you show someone how to use a razor knife to cut something, you're going to assume they have brain not to use it improperly. He told you to use ACID! Common sense tells you, you need to read the freakin directions and precautions, warning and danger labels, there's probably a web address and a 1-800 number on the bottle. I'm sure there is an age restriction at the hardware store to buy this stuff. Point, people need to have more accountability!
iamthedude4321 3 months ago
5 people fast forwarded past the bit where he said I'm just using water and ended up in Emergency
LITTLEREDKINGS 4 months ago
Cmon lid!
Fearcandy64 4 months ago
any advice on how to do the body of an acoustic, which is way too shiny !!
baldheadedpriest 4 months ago
MJT are doing a body for me. Can't wait to get it. They do great work.
JacqueRamon 5 months ago
It really works, but you really should just warn people more about inhaling this and getting it on your skin, this is one of the most dangerous acids, people get seriously hurt, so you should just put annotation up saying people need to wear gloves and glasses and a face mask.
TheAlmostGod888 5 months ago
Great tips thanks! Do have any tips on aging a white finish on a guitar? Thanks =)
Jonnydeathwish 5 months ago
@Jonnydeathwish Well, I have done some finish relic-ing in the past and got pretty good results. There are some really good guys doing that sort of thing like Mark Jenny and Gord Miller. Is your guitar nitrocellulose or poly finish?
300guitars 5 months ago
@300guitars I believe it to be poly. I've heard about sunbathing but I'd rather get advice from a pro. Thanks for the help!
Jonnydeathwish 5 months ago
@Jonnydeathwish I have heard about the sunbathing but if I remember right it takes time. You could take off all the parts from the guitar and try some brown shoe polish. If you get a color that is brown or light brown it will tint the color a bit. This is much more effective on nitro finishes however. -Billy
300guitars 5 months ago
T BAG!
y3ton 5 months ago
skończ pierdolić tylko pokazuj kurwa !
MrSuchy945 5 months ago
skończ pierdolić tylko pokazuj kurwa !
MrSuchy945 5 months ago
Hey Billy,
Love your videos. What would be a good way to make the new, shiny humbucker covers look a bit "tired" and have this patina vintage look? Is it possible to do it without opening the pickup itself?
thanks.
braidedwire 5 months ago
Should this be done with tuners?? Will it hurt the gear mechanism??
Heisenberg85 6 months ago
Hey I would love to know what I should do with some Fender Tele Deluxe humbuckers to antique them, and have you heard of this rust tinting etch or liquid that comes from hobby shops and what is your thoughts on that method? Nice and easy way to relic hardware, short and sweet.
jettramel 6 months ago
Great Video on relicing thanks for the points I did it on my re- built 62 strat parts... Now it looks like 49 year old guitar....
littlezeke2000 6 months ago
@littlezeke2000 Glad I could help! Contact me any time!! -Billy
300guitars 6 months ago
@littlezeke2000 GREAT!!! Hit me up any time. -Billy
300guitars 6 months ago
Could you, for instance, put the bag of parts in a dryer(spinning) for short periods of time and get the same effect with no real damage? rather than shaking them in a box?
mit7771 7 months ago
@mit7771 I think the space inside the dryer would be too big and cause too much of a damaged look. If you do try it let me know how it works. -Billy
300guitars 6 months ago
Followed your steps to age a replacement pickup cover for a VOS Les Paul last night. It took about two hours of exposure to the acid but in the end it looked great. Thanks.
coffinshaker 7 months ago
@coffinshaker Maybe you have a lower concentrated acid or used less amount in the tupperware. Either way if the job got done and looks great then mission accomplished!! -Billy
300guitars 7 months ago
@999mike101 Is your hardware nickel or chrome? Chrome takes longer to age. Nickel ages very fast. Let me know. -Billy
300guitars 7 months ago
C'mon lid!
ryl417 8 months ago
Everyone if you're planning on doing this, be warned that if you are gonna "Relic" Fender Modern Style Tuners, then the little plastic spacers on the tuning stem might rot off. That happened to mine, but so far functionality has not been hindered. I love this method!
alexhollandmusic 8 months ago
Hi thanks for the info. yes i got some from a jewlers suppliers on ebay (uk) and the % i got was 36% and it worked a treat on the Grover tuners, tonepros ally tailpiece. BUT the Tonepros bridge took days to get an aging effect on it. and then the cut saddles melted where the cut was with fumes from the acid.so more saddles on the way but wont cut them until after the have been in the fumes for a couple of days. cheers ray
texasbloos 8 months ago
Hi again Billy yes mate thats great. now for the hard part trying to get some.
thanks again Billy for your help. cheers ray
texasbloos 9 months ago
Hi Billy I'am in the UK and having a bit of bother buying Muriatic acid,also called Hydroclonic acid. i can get some acid but is it the correct strength. can you tell me what the strength % wise of the acid that you use in your video. oh!! great tutorial vid with a bit of humour thrown in. cheers ray
texasbloos 9 months ago
@texasbloos Hi Ray- It says 31% on the container. Hope this helps. -Billy
300guitars 9 months ago
@300guitars Hi again Billy got some of the acid and it worked a treat on most parts. the problem I encountered was>> Tonpros TP6N saddles>>the first set of saddles the notch in the saddels melted inwards via the fumes getting to the metal below the nickel plate. second set of saddles unnotched after six days in the fumes (acid did not affect the Nickel plate) the metal below the plate totally disappeared. all that i had left was the nickel plate,which i could squeeze together with my fingers
texasbloos 7 months ago
@texasbloos Hydrochloric acid is also sold at 31% as "Sprit of salts" in hardware shops for cleaning drains and toilets......can even get it on ebay.
7h3p1930n 8 months ago
One question. The tupperware, it looks like ur using plastic ones, u sure plastics are alright?
indoshakermaker 10 months ago
@indoshakermaker Yes. Any other type of material and the acid might eat through it. Plastic is the way to go. -Billy
300guitars 10 months ago
@300guitars Hi Billy what % is the Muriatic acid you use ? I'am in the uk and can get the acid,but not sure if its the correct strength. cheers ray
texasbloos 9 months ago
Its smaller. Not littler
melvinvswaldo 11 months ago
In aging aluminum parts, such as an aluminum tailpiece on a les paul, "aluminum black" is the best. You can get this at any place that sells stuff for cleaning and repairing firearms. It's used on gun parts in lieu of reparkerizing or powder coating.
thewizardofaz 11 months ago
How do you relic a pickguard? I would really like to know
JFTerson 11 months ago
@JFTerson I used some "brown shoe polisher" thingos and just lightly smudge it over a white pickguard using a cloth. But i dunno how this "penallizer" dude does it tho.
indoshakermaker 10 months ago
Thanks for the tips. You gave me one more tool to use with guitar repair and restoration. I look forard to more.
blewzguitar 11 months ago
i usually put the hardware in a tin jar and add rocks or gravel, then shake it up for about a week.
MrBrettjohnson 11 months ago
For the body, I don't need to go to crazy, just a bit of wear. Also, how can I relic plastic parts like knobs, without it looking funny. Will this process work for plastic? I'm guessing not...
LuxeXx 11 months ago
Anyone know a way to beat up an electric guitar body a bit, without making it look obvious?
LuxeXx 11 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Damn nice.. i going to do the same but PLEASE HELP.... i dont know crap about relicing i see you do a very awsome job so what are your materials and the process? if you would like to email me that wwould be very welcomed comment on me back .. hope you can help a fellow player!!
Metallicaforever95 11 months ago
im 11 & im a fairly new guitarist. i have been playing for about 2 years mabye 3. & im learning a whole lot. i love guitar, i have played guitar for 5 mabye 6 years, but only started being serious about playing since the past 2 or 3 years. i love & enjoy watching and learning stuff like this! like looking at vintage guitars, learning about them & stuff like relic'd guitars & cool techniques! great videos. i love them, & enjoy them very much! i hope you keep making videos!
thanks lots! -jordan
jordanhitsthings 11 months ago
@jordanhitsthings Thanks Jordan..!! Keep at it. the more you do it the more fun it is...!!!
300guitars 11 months ago
@300guitars yeah! no problem! thanks! i will! and yes it is!
jordanhitsthings 11 months ago
@jordanhitsthings I remember i use to be Just like you. when i was 11 now im 15 i am one of the best guitarists in my whole school :) keep at it dont aim to be good aim to be the best you can possibly be strive to improve... and dont get too cocky trust me on that
jpjdo1212 11 months ago
@jpjdo1212 awesome thanks man! i definetley will keep playing!
thanks for the tips!
jordanhitsthings 11 months ago
Great method, Billy. Tried it out on my new Butterscotch blonde custom tele...looks FANTASTIC. I had to set it out like you described for about 45 minutes, however, it was in a very cold garage. I am not sure if that has anything to do with the speed, but regardless, the results are stunning. Definitely looks more "real". Don't we all wish we could play guitars that were 60 years old...this is a nice way to get that feel. Thanks!
pacificresonance 11 months ago
Hey Billy,
Does this method work on gold plated hardware?
alanstclair 1 year ago
Does this method work on gold plated hardware?
alanstclair 1 year ago
hey man i was wondering whats the best way to take the laquier off a new guitar?
Guitarman1192 1 year ago
You watched Prison Break as well? :)
JerryHortonIn9months 1 year ago
hi budy
do you know how the pickups on the iron cross guitar was done because i really like that age look on it on the pickup covers
timmyguitar2 1 year ago
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arlenewatson1 1 year ago
C'MON LID!!!
peppy6078 1 year ago
There is some method to relic the pickguard made of plastic ?
dunkelbaul 1 year ago
@dunkelbaul I'VE HEARD OF PEOPLE USING A MIXURE OF WARM WATER AND COFFEE...LEAVE UNTIL DESIRED EFFECT HAPPENS....I'VE TRIED IT ON WHITE PICKUP COVERS...END RESULT WAS PRETTY GOOD...
jashobbsie 1 year ago
@dunkelbaul I'm thinking cigarette smoke, or direct sunlight.
You often see odler white sewing machines that have become a glossy/dull looking yellow/off white, and even the white ceilings in homes of smokers - they'll turn an off white color.
Xxsyper 1 year ago
Question: if I use this technique with my brand new humbuckers, will it affect the sound or should I better desolder the cover and just apply it to the humbucker covers?
Best,
alexDownfall 1 year ago
@alexDownfall just the covers
nymetsrock 1 year ago
This must be the new definition of "pride of ownership". I guess if you 'over-relic' your instrument to the point it's unplayable, Mommy will buy you another one next birthday...
Grvthang 1 year ago
Did you age the neck on the relic Tele? If so, how did you do it?
20drummer09 1 year ago
Let your kids play with them. Easiest way.
journeyquest1 1 year ago
a nasty and fast way to lighty ""relic"" hardware is sweat... yes.
I once let my friend do a bass session in studio using my Precision and as a result (he sweats A LOT playing) bringe and tuners are now not shiny anymore....
tokyosan1 1 year ago
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Dude! Muriatic acid is very harmful to skin, lungs and eyes. Use etching solution it's less harmful. Etching solution works just as well. Come'on man. Not to mention your sealing up the fumes in a container, those fumes will build up.
polkmammoth 1 year ago
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polkmammoth 1 year ago
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polkmammoth 1 year ago
I have worked with muriatic acid extensively.. it really has greatest impact on organic molecules so it can instantly eat the flesh off of your hands...!!!! always use gloves, use out doors with a respirator or you can damage your lungs for ever. Water stops the reaction process instantly as well so if you are foolish enough to work with this stuff .. keep a five gallon bucket full of water next to you.. to push your head into or hands if you get it on you. cheeers
randomtwit 1 year ago
c'mon lid!
ryl417 1 year ago
What kind of results will this have on sealed grover style tuners, as far as hurting the gears?
LordOfThisWorld74 1 year ago
Nice job and good work.
Done a lot with the acid. Been using a rock tumbler a lot too
Toneslingercliff
toneslingercliff 1 year ago
im also wondering about putting vintage style machine heads in the acid thing? will it harm the inside of the gears etc? and what about putting pickups with nickel covers in the acid thing? will it damage the copper wire or the wax etc? i cant remove the covers, they are soldered to the base plate very firmly.
joshofcontempt 1 year ago
Does this work with black hardware?
mikamee14 1 year ago
Uh, how volatile is Muriatic acid?
Glockenator 1 year ago
Great info, hey how well does this work with golden hardware??
pablooswaldi 1 year ago
Theodore "T-Bag" Bagwell?
pendragonroad 1 year ago 36
@pendragonroad almost died laughing when I read this
TheChesquitoo 1 year ago
@pendragonroad haaha i was like WTF ITS A FUCKIN MINION and i was like haha 'for sure the highest rated comment contains the word t-bag'
pepijnn7 1 year ago
1:40 funny hahahah
NoKeTri 1 year ago
I have a Gibson J-45 with the white soundhole label. I would like to "age" the label to a more brown or parchment-like look. I was thinking about using teabags or coffeegrounds maybe. Any ideas?
jcyoung13 1 year ago
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Glockenator 1 year ago
The only realistic looking way I've found... very cool. I do feel that the only honest way to do it is to play it for 30 years, but I think I may do this for the hell of it to one of my strats that has some body wear.
HammeredAndHorny 1 year ago
It would have been hilarious if there really was acid in that little bottle at 1:40!!
Nice video.
hanusanus666 1 year ago
guys, seriously do this outside! you can SEE this fumes from this stuff it's so potent. i zinged my throat from breathing.... even after taking a few steps back in my driveway!
GoAndPractice 1 year ago
lol to relic my guitar body i just dragged it along the pavement on my street worked fairly well LOL
MrGasson 1 year ago
Thanks man! : D
WesselCaster 1 year ago
@flkpr I don't think so because you would have to tape off the body no matter what method you are using. Otherwise you run the risk of damaging the finish. I would just remove the hardware and do it right... Let me know what you think. -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
@300guitars "Otherwise you run the risk of damaging the finish" you just said that...
just wow
rusticoaf 1 year ago
@300guitars "Otherwise you run the risk of damaging the finish" you just said that...
just wow
rusticoaf 1 year ago
the best way to relic a guitar is to play it.
Anitrop 1 year ago 32
@Anitrop I agree 100%..!!! Sometimes when doing a restoration of a guitar original parts are not available or expensive...the alternative is to age a reproduction part to preserve the vibey look of a vintage guitar..... -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
@Anitrop I have a 78 tele custom that has been played in numerous bars,nightclubs, honky tonks, dancehalls, a church or two , it has lots of wear on it . Thing about it is I know where nearly every scratch, and ding came from. I agree with Anitrop,...............PLAY IT, JUST PLAY IT.
fenderman065 1 year ago
@Anitrop what if you die after two yrs buying a brand new guitar??? huh? huh?? hahaa
hoodiey 8 months ago
Do you have to use Muriatic acid?
xEasySnipesx 1 year ago
@xEasySnipesx I do not know any other method... You can try salt water or tomato juice I am told.. -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
what would you recomend for chrome parts?
TheJakeyc 1 year ago
@TheJakeyc The same...except it make take longer to age them. Go with the way I describe it here in the video...about 20 minutes and see how the parts look. If they are not aged enough go for another 20 minutes and so on....Let me know if you need more info...happy to help..!!! -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
@300guitars ok cool thank you, i heard something about putting them in salt water with a current from a 9v battery
TheJakeyc 1 year ago
@TheJakeyc I have heard about that but never tried it. Salt water, tomato juice/paste and a bunch of other I have heard of. I just use this method because it is pretty fast, I have some control over the process and I have been doing it this way for a long time. Playing your guitar adds to the vibe as well....a lot of playing ;^) -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
@300guitars thats cool i found some muriatic acid on a store round the corner from work so i shall give it ago tomorrow, i wish i had that much time to play lol
TheJakeyc 1 year ago
@TheJakeyc I hear ya on the "time to play" factor.. Good luck with the process. Let me know if you have any questions..-Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
@TheJakeyc hey did it work
megajames3000 1 year ago
lol imagine if he accidently mixed up that water he drank for muriatic acid
Guitarverb 1 year ago
vlassic relic... that's the tastiest crunch i ever heard!
EuphoriaMusicSession 1 year ago
You look like the handles dude off prison break. cool
NzDuckShooter 1 year ago
@AJH0014 Idk...I never tried. If it was my guitar I'd just play it and not worry about the relic. It is not easy to relic poly finished guitars imo. -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
@300guitars As long as you don't care about the guitar too much, you can take #0000 steel wool and scrub off the poly. I did it to my sunburst Fender Strat and it looks beautifully aged.
Dkr84 1 year ago
Bought the acid and used your method to relic fender custom shop strat trem, trem arm and output jack.Worked well, thanks for the post
riffmeister76 1 year ago
@riffmeister76 Great..!! Glad I could help!! -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
@riffmeister76 lol that could have been an epic fail if it went wrong...why would you try it on a fender custom shop strat the first time?
theboywhocantollie 1 year ago
@theboywhocantollie Because i wanted custom shop parts and i wanted to relic it myself and because i thought as long as you take the penalyzer's advice and just do it little by little then the risk's of f@#$ing it up is minimal. Seemed pretty straight forward to me. It was. I'll post a link with some pics.
riffmeister76 1 year ago
just bought some muriatic acid from home depot today. can't wait to try it on my guitar (parts)! :D
burningshingo 1 year ago
@burningshingo Please let me know how it goes..!! -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
if you need this acid go to a pool supply store or the home depot
floored2112 1 year ago
I used this method, and did every thing exactly as you said. I could not be more happy with the end result. I am currently in the process of relicing my 60's classic player strat. all i have left to do is repaint the body and then re assemble everything. I will definitely make a video with the finished product.
RubyTuesday93 1 year ago
@RubyTuesday93 Great to hear that it all worked out..!! Please post pics when it is complete..!! -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
hey, i have a question. Can you use the same technique in colored hardware, black for example?
jimimitsos 1 year ago
@jimimitsos I honestly dont know....I've never tried. If you try it let me know how it goes... -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
What is that white amp on the bench behind you?
jasonr123guitar 1 year ago
hi billy! I tried your method to Relic a telecaster bass for a customer and instead of using the second bowl inside the i hung the parts from a dowl and left it uncovered for 12 hours and it was all rusty. did I fail?
grudainc 1 year ago
@grudainc Well...I guess it all depends on how much of a relic effect you wanted. I never tried your method but it sounds like it was very aggressive. Do the parts still work? -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
@300guitars If you private message me your email I will send you pictures of the parts. I used your method for the tuners and pretty pleased but I used another method and it seemed to work for them, but failed for me oh well :)
grudainc 1 year ago
i have a mim standard tele, n e ideas on how to make it look like a nice relic?
tatsman777 1 year ago
@tatsman777 Hmmm... That's a difficult one like I said. Because it is shot with a thick poly finish you may never get it to look realistic. I guess if it were my guitar I'd play it A LOT, carry it to and from gigs without a case and age the hardware a little bit like in the video....just a little though. It will take time but will look a whole lot better than trying to duplicate a relic job imo.. -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
thanks for the advice another quiestion is it possible to change a 12" radius neck to a 1962 reissue 7.25" i have a classic 60s fender
tatsman777 1 year ago
billy how can i get my poly finish fender look like a nitro finish to get a nice relic look from it
tatsman777 1 year ago
@tatsman777 That is a really good question. To my knowledge you cannot get a poly finish to look like nitro....it is too thick for starters, different material altogether, etc. You can get it to look similar to a 70s relic poly finish however...you just have to look at the 70s Fenders and try to copy them. What guitar do you have? -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
What exactly will this do to the hardware? Will it rust or just take the chrome off?
flipside1974 1 year ago
@flipside1974 This process just oxidizes or dulls the finish. It's permanent so be 100% sure you want a relic look before you go ahead with the process. Some rusting may occur days, weeks or months later fyi. -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
Come on lid!!
rollerrager 1 year ago
this aging process looks awsome!! great job Billy!! just what i need for the guitar im building. im in the UK, and im struggling to find anywhere to buy muriatic acid. i read somewhere on the internet that muriatic acid is just the old chemical name for hydrochloric acid? would this do the same job?
ferris5150 1 year ago
@ferris5150 I believe that the acids are the same....just a different name. Can you get it online..?? This method works really well. You'll see..!! -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
Great job Billy. Thanks for the info.
Svenrocks 1 year ago
@Svenrocks No problem..!! Always feel free to hit me up if you have any questions...I am happy to answer them for you..!! -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
what a difference on that bridge plate =O. I'm sacred of damaging my tuners like that unfortunately
jonsteveg 1 year ago
@jonsteveg I have done this to many tuners throughout the years without a problem. If they are nickel or chrome they only need to stay in for a short time and will not damage anything. Most of the gears on new vintage type tuners are nylon anyway. -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
I used this method and it works great! The only correction you need to make is the time for gold parts. It took about 45 minutes to show any signs of wear. THe murisatic acid was the same as yours. Same label and everything. I aged a gold neck plate, tremolo, and jack. They all took different times to age but they all needed at least 45 minutes to get dingy. Even at 25 minutes they still looked bright and shiny. After a few hours they looked slightly more aged.
libertyfalls 1 year ago
@libertyfalls Thank you very much for the info on aging gold plated parts....that is very good to know. I have never tried aging gold parts at least from what I remember, just nickel & chrome. Thanks again...!! -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
Hi Billy, i tried this method with my nickel neck plate and it worked perfectly!
However, when i tried with my gold jack input, it didn't change at all.
Do I need to let it gaze in the tupperware-box a bit longer, or does it not just work with golden materials? / Martin
MartinHelin 1 year ago
@MartinHelin Ya know I do not recall ever trying to relic gold parts...!!! You can try to leave it in longer or take a Q-tip and dab some acid on the back side of the jack to see if you get the effect you are looking for. I would try leaving it in longer first. You can also try the juices from a fresh tomato or salt water. Gold should age very easily.. Let me know how it goes. -Billy
300guitars 1 year ago
@300guitars - Yeah, it's me again. It worked superb, just needed a little more time with the acid, that's all. Right now, i'm working on aging the pickguard, bought a secondhand on ebay from a 1994 strat. If you want to, I could send you a picture of the finishing object. Anyway, thanks for the help!
MartinHelin 1 year ago