I’ve been involved with guitars for decades, and in all that time I can probably count on two hands the vintage instruments I’ve seen with half the finish gone. Has guitar relic'ing gone too far?

Rory Gallagher's 1961 Fender Stratocaster.

I’ve told you before about my first Fender Relic, a ’51 Fender Nocaster that I bought off the Fender stand at the London Music Show. It was the first year Relics surfaced, so I suppose that makes me an ‘early adopter’.

Years ago I let go of the few vintage guitars that I owned, and today have two Custom Shop Strats, a Tom Murphy aged Les Paul, and a Hummingbird acoustic. All of these feature ultra-light to medium distressing.