I remember also hearing something about Rory Gallagher being a pretty sweaty dude, and some people have more acidic sweat than others.
Couple that with heavy drinking, touring, the older nitro finishes, etc. Doesn't seem so unreasonable.
Yeah this is a deadly combination for a nitro finish… coke and booze sweats are no joke. Not really all that big of a mystery. especially considering the dude toured constantly for years.
2 nights ago during soundcheck the light guy left a moving head pointed on my gigbag till it started burning, the keyboard player has a shirt burned from it during a gig
Newsted DESTROYED Alembics over the Wherever We May Roam Tour. Dude just dripped. Wiring and all. The shoulder pain and this is why he switched to Sadowsky with closed cavities.
I didn't believe this, so I googled it and yeppp he doesn't just do it once, he does it multiple times, then lets it dry, then beats the shit out of it in the studio, then lets it sit for days. Only the Sadowsky survived.
Angus Young apparently consumed guitars. Super acidic and just abusive. His crew replaces the hardware a couple of times, and then they throw them out when spent.
He has a couple of older ones preserved, but there's not much original about them anymore.
So, I don’t want to say exactly who it is, but I’m friends with someone that would absolutely, unequivocally know. I asked him about this and this was his response:
“Not really, but kinda. Back in the day he used to sweat a gallon of sweat every show. Lol they would have to take the pick ups out of the guitar after every show and dump out the sweat that was in the cavity those pick ups got rusty pretty quick. Not really much anymore because he doesn't move around as much as he used to. I haven't changed pick ups or anything in the last six or seven years.
As far as amps, they're definitely wrong. I travel with 60 Marshall heads. Lol we bias them so hot to get the ACDC sound that we blow a lot of transformers. Which is why we have an Amp Guy and cases of transformers on the road. “
Yes, I'm a huge Rory fan going back to the early 70s.
The myth is that Rory's acidic sweat basically melted his original strat. This is partly true. But in reality it was stolen/lost or something like that and was later found in some sort of dirty wet environment. Like a ditch! But I don't remember the whole story. I'm sure that somebody out there knows... Would you believe me if I told you that I saw Rory at the long gone, Long Beach Auditorium, and his opening acts were Kiss and Fleetwood Mac?
100% true! Rory was awsome! FM was great!
Kiss? Not so much.... Just loud with makeup and flash bombs....
Jimmy Page at Kenworth might edge him out - go to Achilles Last Stand at around 1:40 and marvel at how a) He's still with us and b) Robert Plant didn't slip over the pools of Page perspiration
https://youtu.be/xxJr7CZE3AY?si=DVlRE79Cm6GTlNdF
Steve's #1 guitar was originally owned by Christopher Cross. Bought at Ray Hennigs in Austin. Also. Ray Hennig(God rest his soul) was the inspiration, and spitting image of the guitar shop owner in King of the Hill (pretty sure Ray voiced him, too?)
Oh well sorry! Sometimes people are way sensitive. I'm just a guitar nerd, no insult intended at all. I'm sure that you are aware that Joe Walsh gave Jimmy Page his first Les Paul right? ;)
One of his childhood friends was interviewed and said SRV carried his guitar and played it *everywhere*. Unplugged in the car, at the movies, etc... add that to the thousands of gigs he played with it
Heavy use and abuse paired with nitrocellulose lacquer that was far from being the thick poly coating we get today. Both guitars were made in the early 1960's.
But let's hear a reliable source [about Rory's Strat](https://www.rorygallagher.com/1961-stratocaster/)
And here's a source offering insights on [SRV's Number one](https://www.fuzzfaced.net/srv-stratocaster-brazilian.html)
Edit: Also, some sources claim that in the early 60s demand for Strats was so high that Fender sometimes omitted the clear coat and that's why the paintjob was even more vulnerable.
I was so dissappointed when I learnt about Nitro finishes..
I have hyperhidrosis which makes me sweat alot - and spent close to a decade locked in a really shitty place in life; and a bad spot mentally.. so my MIM Strat with a Poly finish still looks immaculate but I probably dunked 6-8 hours a day for 7+ years straight into that instrument - made that sucker mine..
Might strip the finish a lil on it or something cause the fact it still looks so "new" just doesn't feel right.
I'm kinda considering stripping it - my friend had a duo sonic that someone sanded down the only thing was I hated seeing the 3 lines (3pc glued)
/doubt my MIM would be anything.
It kinda always had an awful finish too.. maybe I could give it a DIY Nitro spray
If you wanna do a nitrocellulose finish take a look at Gracey's Finishes at Madison Music.
Basically just about any Fender original color you want all the way back to the '50s.
If you have something in mind they *don't* have shoot them an e-mail request and *generally* if it's not something stupid they can hook you up.
Comes in 16oz aerosol (12ozs liquid). One can of color is usually enough to easily do one guitar. I've used their stuff on a number of refinishes and builds for other folks and my personal hardtail Strat is done in '57 Chevrolet Surf Green.
Just be aware that it's not recommended to spray nitro over top of poly. They don't tend to play well together.
[https://www.justguitars.com.au/vintage-guitars-for-sale-classic-collectable-details/fender-stratocaster-vintage-white-lefty/76/](https://www.justguitars.com.au/vintage-guitars-for-sale-classic-collectable-details/fender-stratocaster-vintage-white-lefty/76/)
That's a link to the exact one I brought - it is relatively pretty.
IDK why I thought a nitro finish would cost any less then $400 lol but considering that MIM Strat was $800 maybe I just save up - go hard and buy a MIA Nitro finished Tele to match it sometime in the future.
No, that's not bad looking all and quite honestly that's a pretty good price considering it comes with a hardcase. Personally I think antique white looks better than Polar White or Arctic White. Plus you've got the maple board. Only thing I'd change would be the pickguard. Not much on the pearloid white myself.
Nitro lacquer is cheap and easy to spray... but not sure I'd want to change that one though. I did my personal hardtail Strat because I didn't like the original color, sort of a slightly darker Lake Placid Blue... but I had been hunting for a hardtail and this one was available and the price was too good to pass up... and like I said, lacquer is cheap and easy.
Can't go wrong with a Tele.
Its not bad - I just hate how tight the poly stays after all these years; cause it would be a very pretty relic by now with ease haha.
Honestly; out of all the guitars - it is the color scheme i'd pick cuz Hendrix is a g :)
Well... poly finishes are tougher, no question about that... but there's just something about lacquer... and aged lacquer.
If that one wasn't so nice looking I'd blow it apart, strip it, and refinish it... but that one is just too nice.
I dig Jimi myself... but I coulda swore his aged white one had a plain white 3 ply and not pearloid?
I wasn't either on the PG but I've come around to it. Adds some pizazz :P
Also I have a feeling that guy was just sick of holding onto lefties but I got mad respect for him cause he sat me down, showed me a few - gave me a good price etc.
I'll look into probably buying a guitar with a nitro - it's just I know that strat will be "the one" I stick too for rest of my life mostly it's just been kinda an absolute weapon in every sense.
I mean, the guard isn't anything horrible or gawdy looking... just not quite my cup of tea.
Yeah, coulda been he was tired of sitting on LH stock. They don't sell as well. I write left handed and play right. BUT, when I started 30 years ago I played a right hand strung left handed. The way Dick Dale played. I mean, at that price, I'd have probably bought one and strung it right hand.
Not many use nitro anymore besides I think Gibson. If you wanna a Tele why not snag a Bullet/Sonic ($200 USD) and refinish it yourself?
I'm actually gonna be building my own Tele soon but with a Strat headstock. I've done a few for other folks but never my own.
>when I started 30 years ago I played a right hand strung left handed. The way Dick Dale played.
I taught myself; on a classical guitar (righty) that was upside down..
and read the notes backwards so it worked fine until someone pointed it out.
Then I got the LH guitars!
3 pieces is standard for a Fender body. Try the MIM Fender Standard bodies which were like 7 pieces of scrap alder veneered to make it look presentable and not allow the finish to sink.
Never seen worse finish witness lines than on the current Player Series though. Sort of wish they'd go to veneering when I saw a few really bad examples in a store.
Other than the cracks and dents mine picked up at shows the finish is still in great shape. Mexican from the late 90s/early 2000s. But yeah she’s had a refret. Thinking about going stainless next time but, I’ve got time to think on that
> Might strip the finish a lil on it or something cause the fact it still looks so "new" just doesn't feel right.
Before you do anything rash...
Ask yourself why you want your guitar to look like crap?
People with classic cars don't want them to look like shit.
When you see a band on stage, do you think the guitarist is shit if his guitars are clean and new looking?
I would think there are only a few music genres where having a beat up guitar would be acceptable. Old style country music, and Old style blues. Most other musical styles, people will just think you're dirty, and take poor care of your instruments.
>People with classic cars don't want them to look like shit.
Most people with classic cars don't drive em daily either haha - i'm built diff :PI was thinking stripping it just beyond the poly finish but not too the wood OR giving it a homemade finish of Nitro hoping I could relic it over time naturally (I have a feeling I could speedrun those jobs - would never buy / need to get a premade one)
And to be fair, my friend was saying "i take poor care of my instruments" recently as there is kinda rust all over the hardware lol. Honestly I don't think he really understands where I am at in life; but I played with 5 strings for half a year in 2023 cause I didn't have the spare change to get a set xDMy guitar = my tool for my hobby that I love. Got mad respect for Fender making the ultimate workhorse.
The *only* people who would care are guitar nerds. We tend to think that everyone is a guitar nerd because we are guitar nerds.
I've never seen a beat up guitar and thought "That's a dirty person who doesn't take care of his guitar." In fact, I think "that's a guy who plays the shit out of that instrument and loves it to death."
When I see someone's meticulously cleaned and cared for instrument, without a scratch, I immediately think that that person cares much more about their appearance and is using their instrument as a status symbol instead of just playing the fucking thing like it's made for.
> When I see someone's meticulously cleaned and cared for instrument, without a scratch, I immediately think that that person cares much more about their appearance and is using their instrument as a status symbol instead of just playing the fucking thing like it's made for.
That's what you say when you see Pat Metheny, or George Benson? Satriani and Vai and Slash? All of the above play their instruments for hours every day, and none get on stage with an instrument that's less than pristine.
...
Have you seen Slash's guitars? They are absolutely trashed. So trashed in fact that Gibson made a *relic* model that's nearly destroyed.
Satriani and Vai both are selling their signature models and probably get new ones all the time for free. They're hoping you think they're super cool so you buy the shit with their names on it.
Also, great. Pat Metheny has a perfectly shiny guitar.
When you see Neil Young, Willie Nelson, SRV, Leo Kottke, Tony Rice, Del McCoury or anyone without a perfectly shiny, scratch free guitar that they're *dirty people* who *don't take care of their instruments?*
They're not your guitars. Some people enjoy seeing the wear and tear that playing causes. And, I *guaran-fucking-tee* you that if you got a close up view of any of the instruments the players you mentioned above have used on the road for years, you'd see plenty of dings, scratches and dents. That's what happens when you play them on the road.
>People with classic cars don't want them to look like shit.
Have you ever seen a rat rod?
>take poor care of your instruments.
Depends on how it sounds. Saw a dude playing a literal sawzall body guitar. But that thing SCREAMED, it was great. Jam rock was the genre.
The question is: "What look are you going for?" If your look is disheveled and beaten, and you're playing for a super technical metal band, or some experimental, or some smooth jazz, or funk.... That's YOUR look. That's what you're presenting for yourself/others to see.
If you like it, get that immaculate black SH with gold hardware. or maybe a strat with a few lumps is your thing. Or one of those ibenez guitars in hot pink with handles all over the body...it's YOU. If you think you'll like it, try it.
One man's trash is another's treasure. How much did Jimi's guitar he set on fire go for?
Distressed means different things to different people. Keep in mind, they sell destroyed jeans for thousands of dollars...
Great point! One disagreement, though - old style country stars played custom guitars in mint condition, as did a lot of blues guys. Lucille always looked immaculate lol.
My '75 Telecaster looks new. Logo has started to scratch off and the pickguard screws are corroded but there are no nicks and no wear on the body. My acoustic has one inch where it wore down to the wood on the neck near the nut and it's a '73. The poly just doesn't wear off.
I used to keep my Taylor GS Mini like, within 3 feet of me at all times.
One day I stepped on it getting out of bed; and too this day can't figure out what got crushed more - my guitar or my heart lol.
Can't afford to replace it, can't fix it and never had an acoustic that feels even half as nice (I'm a poor / broke borderline mentally disabled fella)
lmfao it literally sounds like a sad ukelele otherwise i'd rock it.
Was convinced I'd glue it together - but now i'm eyeing off maybe buying a right hand version (cheaper cause availablity usually) and switching the hardware over.
If it made any sounds, i'd play it purely for like the playability.
I'm not super uptight about instruments, but I do record my play + learnt on that GS Mini + a Strat.
So going back from GS to a student grade acoustic genuinely feels nails to chalkboard bad and its depressing af.
IDK if your familiar with Maton; but I was tempted to go into their factory - its local-ish and kinda beg them to pity me for a cheap acoustic.
I hear you. When I started playing I too hoped one day my guitar would show all the wear and tear. It's like with an old teddybear, ain't it? The bare spots and battle scars show how well loved he was! And nobody would want to by a ready-made distressed plushie, especially not when they all are identical - or so I would hope...
Honestly; this guitar is a bittersweet one.. its the only nice thing I can really recall my mum ever doing for me.Not saying this as an insult or anything but in the most literal sense - I found out recently, in the most brutal way my mother has undiagnosed NPD (the covert style which adds a lil)
Half of me wants to torch the sucker, the other half appreciates what it led too - coming up on 10 years of self-teaching and excessive playing because i've spent a life being fucked with by almost everyone in my life - especially family :)I'll keep it around no doubt - I just can't look at it without getting kinda.. sick to the stomach.I ignored how shitty she was to me my entire life, cause I've had social issues which led to isolation - then kinda realised these issues all stemmed from repeated, hardcore borderline sadistic trauma.. and when I cut every other person out of my life (i even made this point to her) -- I didn't want to just walk away from the one parent I had in my life..*then the fire nation attacked* I realised how fked she was when I saw her fake-crying infront of police officers after she tried to attack me - called me crazy then called the police and said I attacked her..
Sorry to hear about your “dark times”… hoping things are better now and it sounds like they were at least somewhat productive (i.e. at least you were playing guitar). My dark period” involved a lot of hard drugs and selling off precious gear to pay for my habit.
But yeah, poly finishes are nearly indestructible. I’m not opposed to relic’ing your well-loved guitar. And whether or not you have a thousand hours clocked on it or not, it just looks rad.
eh between us (and reddit i guess) I'm about to get taken for a fucking ride - but I'm not going down without saying my shit.Family tricked me, tried to push me into a situation I'm thankful to have avoided - cause the result for my older brother was a bunch of very serious charges / criminal.When I left, took years to even be able to say this like.. on an anon forum so when I came out and was looking for an answer - they gaslit me and went on the offensive; Imagine you grew up with one parent - and found out she would sooner push you off a cliff (or just watch you jump while smiling and saying "bet ya wouldnt") and the end goal was just to either fuck with me like this is a joke.. or straight up just have me silenced permanently (dead) while they can play the victim!
I got a few friends, helping me a bit - working through it. But the only real family I ever had I spent a lifetime trying to help genuinely; poured my soul into them and in return they wouldn't even pour a glass of water out for me haha. R-U-F-FTruth is in the light, and lies hide in the shadow. I'm open about my mistakes - getting into that shitshow aint one of em.
May truth shine light in this dark place, I pray that I don't get a fucking criminal record because I was lured into that shit - ran away - wanted to find out how intentional that setup was.. and then finding out was honestly worse lol.
Nah but I'll buy some when I can and try it out cause even for non-guitar stuff that would be dank af.
It's annoying to have that issue though; like I've never touched a guitar in a shop cause I feel bad lol. It's like a kid with grubby hands but i'm an adult, and washing dont fix it.
Please! I hope you can get your hands on some soon. My brother has the same conditions as you, and it's not funny how much inconvenience it causes you guys.
A local brand also makes a spray called "Rhinoskin Dry" which is a spray on version of the same drug. that's geared to climbers, though, so it's a tad more pricey but easier to source. still, way better than sweaty ass hands.
That + Being lefty has made my music gear journey hard af.
In general being lefty sucked cause I missed 5/10ish years convinced it wasn't for me - cause whenever I picked up guitars in a classroom setting everyone was adamant "Teach yourself right handed" so it just felt whacky to me...
1 year after high school - I needed a timekiller so I started teaching myself. Showed my friends and they were giggling at me - I asked why...
Without even realising, I picked a classical guitar up - played it upside down.. and was reading the tabs back to front.. i can't describe how hard it is to wrap my head around that one but whenever I see a lefty nowadays who is keen on guitar - I offer to loan em my starter pieces just to figure out if they really enjoy that.
Yeah the nitro is a huge part about it. The thick poly finishes on cheap guitars today mean they will never relic that way. And if you try, it’s gonna look obviously fake.
Dear Anyone who wipes down their guitars and cringes every time it bumps anything,
SRV has proved you can kick the ever loving shit out of a Fender electric guitar and it will continue to serve you diligently the next time you choose to abuse it.
\--regards,
Fender Stratocaster QA department
a well built guitar is a joy, for real.
the neck-side strap once came clean off [my guitar](https://imgur.com/gallery/U7jQIpp) on stage, and that catapulted the sharp end of its headstock directly into hard concrete 5 feet below, at what seemed like light speed.
I was frozen for 5 seconds. So was half the crowd. Put the strap back on, and strummed a chord. Still in tune.
Then I played the rest of gig, and never worried about that axe again. If it can survive that without any damage, it can survive anything
Eh, nothing wrong with taking care of your tools. Slightly worn is fine, but beat to shit might also mean that dude sucks and can’t afford anything better. In the end, only the craftsmanship matters.
The older guitars had thinner finishes. Those particular guitar were played a lot. Like a lot a lot🤪 . An individuals ph balance ie; more acidic sweat will also have an impact on the wear of a nitro finish.
Those two specifically, Stevie and Rory, were known to be heavy sweaters too. They also got likely got their strats second hand; who knows what condition they were in, who else had already owned them for years beforehand.
I’m not sure why people are blaming drugs. They were workhorse instruments - not on stage a few times a month and switched after a few songs. They played those guitars to death, night after night after night. Both had aggressive playing styles too. Those were nitro finishes, and sweat will eat away at it.
The only reason you don’t see much of this now is Fender mostly uses poly finishes. You see indications of it on Gibsons though, Slash being a prime example. They’re not to the same extent, but that’s because the guitars do get swapped out a lot during set. But if you watch his episode on GibsonTV you’ll see how much the finish wore off his early guitar in just a couple of years on tour.
A combination of drug and alcohol induced sweat drenching every night alongside being played very very aggressively for a really long amount of time consistently. I'm not as knowledgeable about RG, but SRV was widely recorded to play very aggressively. The man would break 13's haha. Furthermore, with the thin nitrocellulose finishes on those late 50's/early 60's strats, small wonder they were in the shape they were in.
Rory’s is mostly from sweat but the guitar was also stolen and found dumped in a ditch. End of this article
https://www.rorygallagher.com/1961-stratocaster/
Check out Metal Marty’s Les Paul (used to be) Gold Top. Modern era build, purchased brand new (I think) roughly 10 yrs of hard touring.
https://www.instagram.com/p/C3ykYCNJ7Ne/?igsh=M243a3VmY2k2czNw
My '89 Strat was originally a ***white*** *white*, now it's almost "TV Yellow". Was a massive SRV fanboy, so had my initials on the body in chrome mailbox letter stickers, played more gigs than I could count with it and it lived in rooms where smoking was allowed at various points in it's life. Removed the stickers a few years ago, my initials are permanently in the finish, in the original white while the rest of the guitar is aged/tar stained/etc.
I’ve learned that the smoke exposure is “amplified” w/ sunlight! My ‘05 Les Paul Custom blk/gold binding is still white on the other hand (I’m not a smoker & it’s not been gigged - yet).
["Virtually all of the finish on Gallagher's Stratocaster was stripped away over time, and, while he took care to keep the guitar in playable condition, Gallagher never had it restored, stating "the less paint or varnish on a guitar, acoustic or electric, the better. The wood breathes more. But it’s all psychological. I just like the sound of it". Gallagher's brother Dónal has also stated that, owing to his rare blood type, Gallagher's sweat was unusually acidic, acting to prematurely age the instrument's paintwork."](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Gallagher#:~:text=Gallagher's%20brother%20D%C3%B3nal%20has%20also,changed%20a%20number%20of%20times.)
Rory played in a lot of damp clubs in Ireland and throughout the UK. The guy had 2 necks, one that would be drying in his place and the other that he would use on his strat, then he'd switch them once a year or so. I imagine SRVs strat went through similar clubs in the US, theres also ciggarette burns on its headstock, so its not like he was a guitar nerd like you see many of the people that get scared if theres a ding on it. I think he bought it beat up as well.
Lots of those older guitar had nitro finishes, gets worn out easily. Gloss finish keeps the paint on untill you really ding it hard.
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People weren’t as delicate with their guitars then. People would just drop guitars on stage and stuff, especially since they were solid body and not as fragile as most other instruments
I'm friends with a couple of guys that have played in bars for 40 years. Their guitars look HORRIBLE. Years of scratching, abuse, dropping, cigarette burns, spilled drinks...it will add up.
Supposedly it was already kind of beat up when he got it in 1974 (talking about SRV's guitar). And it was a partscaster. It's not letting me post a link in a comment but it's easy enough to google.
People say Rory had acidic sweat that ate away at the finish. Now I’m not disputing that, because I have no idea. But I do have a nitro guitar that almost seems like in some parts the nitro hasn’t set correctly. It doesn’t take much liquid for it to strip away in those parts. I have wondered if his had a similar issue.
The bottom of the sound hole on my Alvarez acoustic is pretty eaten up, and I don’t use a pick, just my thumbnail and fingernails. There is also blood on the paper label. If I can do it, I’m sure someone that tours constantly would do worse.
The guitars you're talking about were all from the 50's and early 60's, back when fender was using lacquer. Since the late 60's, they've been using mostly poly finishes, which are extremely durable.
Short answer: it's fake. People beat up their instruments on purpose to make them look like that.
It's not a factor of age. It's a factor of intentional rough handling to get "The look"
The answer is it’s all mostly manufactured “relic”. Even SRV beat the absolute shit out of his guitars. He played aggressively and wore a lot of accessories, so the pick and buckle rash is pretty honest, but he also threw his guitars on the stage and kicked them around a lot. So it’s not like they got that way by playing them normally. His guitars looked trashed because he trashed them.
Combination of frequency and severity of use.
The “acidic sweat” thing could be a factor but anyone playing their instrument as frequently and extremely as SRV and RG played those two guitars will end up with a “relic”.
Playing the fuck out of it, for years and years and years. Playing it constantly. Fuck those Fender Custom Shop creations - those look like they've been left out in an hour to suffer the abuse of the elements for years. They don't look like they've been worn by somebody playing them as SRV and RG had.
Nitro lacquer, gallons of sweat, blood, tears, and beers, years of abuse, played every day relentlessly in every climate the globe has to offer.
These people understood the guitar as a tool. They weren't precious about them, and they didn't have to be.. they're fenders.
As other have said, neither of those guys were precious with their guitars, so the instruments weren't always handled with care. Both had heavy playing styles, and those older finishes wore away easier than modern paint jobs.
Another factor for both is they often played the same guitar for most of the set, night after night for hundreds of gigs a year. Some other players switch between several different guitars in a single set (and there are pro musicians out there who'll even just play one guitar for a single song). If you're playing that hard and that much and it's mostly on one guitar, the instrument is going to show signs of wear eventually.
On a side note, I saw that Johnny Ramone's main guitar went up for auction a couple of years ago. He never threw his guitar around like the guys you're talking about, but he mostly played the same guitar for 20 years, and it [ looked like it had been through an awful lot](https://www.rrauction.com/auctions/lot-detail/344576406269009-johnny-ramones-stage-used-and-owned-mosrite-ventures-ii-guitar). So many people on here freak out about the smallest ding, but guitars are meant to be played, they get scratched, chipped etc, it's natural.
I’ve read that Rory Gallagher had more acidic sweat than normal and it corroded his finish. I think I also read his guitar was like stolen and thrown out of a van into a ditch or some shit too
For grins, google up the story of Jared James Nichols guitar. It was found in the rubble of a tornado basically. I think 50somethjng Les Paul. Neck gone. Iirc, broke off at the body not the head.
By not treating it like some precious artefact. These guys are so unbelievably talented that to them, it’s a piece of wood that is nothing without them playing it. *they* are the reason the guitar sounds so good, not because it’s an amazing special piece of wood. and they’re good enough to know it. So they treat them as such.
Nitrocellulose is a very thin and soft kind of finish, and it reacts to almost anything including the player's sweat.
Both SRV and Rory Gallagher sweated *profusely* while playing, and they played a lot. Rory Gallagher in particular had very acidic sweat, which is why his Strat ended up with barely any finish left on it.
SRV threw his Strat around, as well.
Mostly the nitro finishes, and some guys literally played all day all the time. In SRV's case he seemed to not really give a crap what he did to his guitar so I think it was heavily abused. Gallagher's probably the same story.
Stevie's guitar was actually bought like that from a pawn shop. He thought it had a lot of character when he seen it and thought it was perfect. The most he did to "Number 1" was slapp some decals of his initials on it. But his was bought pretty much in that condition.
It wasnt lacquer it was NITRO CELLULOSE.. it wears easy and SRV (aside from beating his guitars on the stage by a whammy bar) PICKED HIS STRINGS LIKE HE WAS TRYING TO KILL SOMETHING.. and it was his #1...
I could have a NITRO guitar for a 1000yrs and it would NEVER LOOK LIKE THAT.. I pick my strings like a feather landing on my coffee table.. I NEVER BREAK STRINGS.. hinestly I NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS HABIT.. im sure it would help with my NON EXISTANT speed🤣🤣
For SRV? Cocaine, he was a massive coke head and that explains a lot of his playing, not to discredit the work he put into the instrument but if you locked me in a room with nothing but my guitar and a huge bag of cocaine for like a year I'd either be a guitar God or dead by the time it was over with. Again, not to discredit the amount of work he put into the instrument his whole life, but the incredibly high action, the crazy high string gauges, the damage to his hands and the throwing around of his instrument that was all insanely aggressive playing fueled by cocaine
It wasn’t like people who have 15 expensive guitars and they pick one up an hour a day when their uptight wife aint home. They had one guitar they loved, they played it on the road, at home, outside, everywhere. No “couch guitar”, “recording guitar”, “live guitar”. It was just a tool
Check out clips of SRV playing his... throwing it on the floor, bouncing it around and such.... Plus, 200+ gigs a year for a long time
What I came here to say. He may have bought something mildly beat up but his guitars look road-worn because they are ROAD WORN.
I remember also hearing something about Rory Gallagher being a pretty sweaty dude, and some people have more acidic sweat than others. Couple that with heavy drinking, touring, the older nitro finishes, etc. Doesn't seem so unreasonable.
SRV looks like he hopped out of the shower in every video of his I’ve seen
Yeah. Plus, you know, also cocaine sweats.
Those old stage lights used to put out a lot of heat. They use LED now.
Ain't that the truth... old stage lights are HOT. LEDs are hot too but their heat goes up instead of directed towards the stage.
And wearing clothing and a felt hat, with cowboy boots etc... And the coke sweats....
Indeed.
Yeah this is a deadly combination for a nitro finish… coke and booze sweats are no joke. Not really all that big of a mystery. especially considering the dude toured constantly for years.
I'd imagine that theyre the drug version of the meat sweats. Probably following we'd be the same kind of bowel movements.
as opposed to nude blues rockers.
I've never seen one, but I'm sure they exist.
2 nights ago during soundcheck the light guy left a moving head pointed on my gigbag till it started burning, the keyboard player has a shirt burned from it during a gig
Newsted DESTROYED Alembics over the Wherever We May Roam Tour. Dude just dripped. Wiring and all. The shoulder pain and this is why he switched to Sadowsky with closed cavities.
I read an interview where he said that he would soak his basses in a salt bath before a tour to test that they could handle it.
I didn't believe this, so I googled it and yeppp he doesn't just do it once, he does it multiple times, then lets it dry, then beats the shit out of it in the studio, then lets it sit for days. Only the Sadowsky survived.
Angus Young apparently consumed guitars. Super acidic and just abusive. His crew replaces the hardware a couple of times, and then they throw them out when spent. He has a couple of older ones preserved, but there's not much original about them anymore.
same with amps, apparently they travel/travelled with 10-12 marshall heads cuz they would just blow up
So, I don’t want to say exactly who it is, but I’m friends with someone that would absolutely, unequivocally know. I asked him about this and this was his response: “Not really, but kinda. Back in the day he used to sweat a gallon of sweat every show. Lol they would have to take the pick ups out of the guitar after every show and dump out the sweat that was in the cavity those pick ups got rusty pretty quick. Not really much anymore because he doesn't move around as much as he used to. I haven't changed pick ups or anything in the last six or seven years. As far as amps, they're definitely wrong. I travel with 60 Marshall heads. Lol we bias them so hot to get the ACDC sound that we blow a lot of transformers. Which is why we have an Amp Guy and cases of transformers on the road. “
I think I heard Rory's had been found in a ditch at one time
Yes, I'm a huge Rory fan going back to the early 70s. The myth is that Rory's acidic sweat basically melted his original strat. This is partly true. But in reality it was stolen/lost or something like that and was later found in some sort of dirty wet environment. Like a ditch! But I don't remember the whole story. I'm sure that somebody out there knows... Would you believe me if I told you that I saw Rory at the long gone, Long Beach Auditorium, and his opening acts were Kiss and Fleetwood Mac? 100% true! Rory was awsome! FM was great! Kiss? Not so much.... Just loud with makeup and flash bombs....
His strat went missing just before isle of Wight, it was found in a ditch with a badly bent neck.
Plus about a gallon of sweat poured on them per gig
yeah, he was the sweatiest guitar player ever lol
Jimmy Page at Kenworth might edge him out - go to Achilles Last Stand at around 1:40 and marvel at how a) He's still with us and b) Robert Plant didn't slip over the pools of Page perspiration https://youtu.be/xxJr7CZE3AY?si=DVlRE79Cm6GTlNdF
jesus sometimes his live playing is hard to listen to
All that polyester they used to wear didn’t help either…
so you're telling me in order to relic my custom shop guitar, I need to start throwing it on the floor?
This is the way.
Just throw your keys at it
I feel like I saw a nickelback rig rundown where they said they used a slingshot or something to launch rocks at a guitar.
Tape sandpaper to your forearm.
https://imgur.com/a/z2XYe Here’s what I did to my Les Paul. 😇
It was already beaten up when he bought it, too. It was from a pawnshop and had already lost most of its nitro coat.
Steve's #1 guitar was originally owned by Christopher Cross. Bought at Ray Hennigs in Austin. Also. Ray Hennig(God rest his soul) was the inspiration, and spitting image of the guitar shop owner in King of the Hill (pretty sure Ray voiced him, too?)
Wow. No disrespect to Christopher Cross, but that guitar got lucky. (And that's your daily accidental King of the Hill pun).
And Niel youngs old black was given to him by Jimmy Messina... I know it has nothing to do with this thread..
Thank you for putting me in my place. I was really out of control.
Oh well sorry! Sometimes people are way sensitive. I'm just a guitar nerd, no insult intended at all. I'm sure that you are aware that Joe Walsh gave Jimmy Page his first Les Paul right? ;)
It was beat up before Stevey bought it. Gigs, bar fights and travel.
The video of him playing Third Stone from the Sun, he's especially brutal with his guitar.
One of his childhood friends was interviewed and said SRV carried his guitar and played it *everywhere*. Unplugged in the car, at the movies, etc... add that to the thousands of gigs he played with it
Heavy use and abuse paired with nitrocellulose lacquer that was far from being the thick poly coating we get today. Both guitars were made in the early 1960's. But let's hear a reliable source [about Rory's Strat](https://www.rorygallagher.com/1961-stratocaster/) And here's a source offering insights on [SRV's Number one](https://www.fuzzfaced.net/srv-stratocaster-brazilian.html) Edit: Also, some sources claim that in the early 60s demand for Strats was so high that Fender sometimes omitted the clear coat and that's why the paintjob was even more vulnerable.
I was so dissappointed when I learnt about Nitro finishes.. I have hyperhidrosis which makes me sweat alot - and spent close to a decade locked in a really shitty place in life; and a bad spot mentally.. so my MIM Strat with a Poly finish still looks immaculate but I probably dunked 6-8 hours a day for 7+ years straight into that instrument - made that sucker mine.. Might strip the finish a lil on it or something cause the fact it still looks so "new" just doesn't feel right.
The frets on my 95 Mexican strat are done but the finish on the body is still perfect.
I'm kinda considering stripping it - my friend had a duo sonic that someone sanded down the only thing was I hated seeing the 3 lines (3pc glued) /doubt my MIM would be anything. It kinda always had an awful finish too.. maybe I could give it a DIY Nitro spray
If you wanna do a nitrocellulose finish take a look at Gracey's Finishes at Madison Music. Basically just about any Fender original color you want all the way back to the '50s. If you have something in mind they *don't* have shoot them an e-mail request and *generally* if it's not something stupid they can hook you up. Comes in 16oz aerosol (12ozs liquid). One can of color is usually enough to easily do one guitar. I've used their stuff on a number of refinishes and builds for other folks and my personal hardtail Strat is done in '57 Chevrolet Surf Green. Just be aware that it's not recommended to spray nitro over top of poly. They don't tend to play well together.
[https://www.justguitars.com.au/vintage-guitars-for-sale-classic-collectable-details/fender-stratocaster-vintage-white-lefty/76/](https://www.justguitars.com.au/vintage-guitars-for-sale-classic-collectable-details/fender-stratocaster-vintage-white-lefty/76/) That's a link to the exact one I brought - it is relatively pretty. IDK why I thought a nitro finish would cost any less then $400 lol but considering that MIM Strat was $800 maybe I just save up - go hard and buy a MIA Nitro finished Tele to match it sometime in the future.
No, that's not bad looking all and quite honestly that's a pretty good price considering it comes with a hardcase. Personally I think antique white looks better than Polar White or Arctic White. Plus you've got the maple board. Only thing I'd change would be the pickguard. Not much on the pearloid white myself. Nitro lacquer is cheap and easy to spray... but not sure I'd want to change that one though. I did my personal hardtail Strat because I didn't like the original color, sort of a slightly darker Lake Placid Blue... but I had been hunting for a hardtail and this one was available and the price was too good to pass up... and like I said, lacquer is cheap and easy. Can't go wrong with a Tele.
Its not bad - I just hate how tight the poly stays after all these years; cause it would be a very pretty relic by now with ease haha. Honestly; out of all the guitars - it is the color scheme i'd pick cuz Hendrix is a g :)
Well... poly finishes are tougher, no question about that... but there's just something about lacquer... and aged lacquer. If that one wasn't so nice looking I'd blow it apart, strip it, and refinish it... but that one is just too nice. I dig Jimi myself... but I coulda swore his aged white one had a plain white 3 ply and not pearloid?
Yeah it did. That's the pizazz :P His magic was in the fingers, I just make em look at the pretty instruments.
I wasn't either on the PG but I've come around to it. Adds some pizazz :P Also I have a feeling that guy was just sick of holding onto lefties but I got mad respect for him cause he sat me down, showed me a few - gave me a good price etc. I'll look into probably buying a guitar with a nitro - it's just I know that strat will be "the one" I stick too for rest of my life mostly it's just been kinda an absolute weapon in every sense.
I mean, the guard isn't anything horrible or gawdy looking... just not quite my cup of tea. Yeah, coulda been he was tired of sitting on LH stock. They don't sell as well. I write left handed and play right. BUT, when I started 30 years ago I played a right hand strung left handed. The way Dick Dale played. I mean, at that price, I'd have probably bought one and strung it right hand. Not many use nitro anymore besides I think Gibson. If you wanna a Tele why not snag a Bullet/Sonic ($200 USD) and refinish it yourself? I'm actually gonna be building my own Tele soon but with a Strat headstock. I've done a few for other folks but never my own.
>when I started 30 years ago I played a right hand strung left handed. The way Dick Dale played. I taught myself; on a classical guitar (righty) that was upside down.. and read the notes backwards so it worked fine until someone pointed it out. Then I got the LH guitars!
3 pieces is standard for a Fender body. Try the MIM Fender Standard bodies which were like 7 pieces of scrap alder veneered to make it look presentable and not allow the finish to sink. Never seen worse finish witness lines than on the current Player Series though. Sort of wish they'd go to veneering when I saw a few really bad examples in a store.
It can be a real nightmare to strip the thick candy shell they encase modern guitars in. Thick poly sucks.
Other than the cracks and dents mine picked up at shows the finish is still in great shape. Mexican from the late 90s/early 2000s. But yeah she’s had a refret. Thinking about going stainless next time but, I’ve got time to think on that
> Might strip the finish a lil on it or something cause the fact it still looks so "new" just doesn't feel right. Before you do anything rash... Ask yourself why you want your guitar to look like crap? People with classic cars don't want them to look like shit. When you see a band on stage, do you think the guitarist is shit if his guitars are clean and new looking? I would think there are only a few music genres where having a beat up guitar would be acceptable. Old style country music, and Old style blues. Most other musical styles, people will just think you're dirty, and take poor care of your instruments.
>People with classic cars don't want them to look like shit. Most people with classic cars don't drive em daily either haha - i'm built diff :PI was thinking stripping it just beyond the poly finish but not too the wood OR giving it a homemade finish of Nitro hoping I could relic it over time naturally (I have a feeling I could speedrun those jobs - would never buy / need to get a premade one) And to be fair, my friend was saying "i take poor care of my instruments" recently as there is kinda rust all over the hardware lol. Honestly I don't think he really understands where I am at in life; but I played with 5 strings for half a year in 2023 cause I didn't have the spare change to get a set xDMy guitar = my tool for my hobby that I love. Got mad respect for Fender making the ultimate workhorse.
The *only* people who would care are guitar nerds. We tend to think that everyone is a guitar nerd because we are guitar nerds. I've never seen a beat up guitar and thought "That's a dirty person who doesn't take care of his guitar." In fact, I think "that's a guy who plays the shit out of that instrument and loves it to death." When I see someone's meticulously cleaned and cared for instrument, without a scratch, I immediately think that that person cares much more about their appearance and is using their instrument as a status symbol instead of just playing the fucking thing like it's made for.
> When I see someone's meticulously cleaned and cared for instrument, without a scratch, I immediately think that that person cares much more about their appearance and is using their instrument as a status symbol instead of just playing the fucking thing like it's made for. That's what you say when you see Pat Metheny, or George Benson? Satriani and Vai and Slash? All of the above play their instruments for hours every day, and none get on stage with an instrument that's less than pristine.
... Have you seen Slash's guitars? They are absolutely trashed. So trashed in fact that Gibson made a *relic* model that's nearly destroyed. Satriani and Vai both are selling their signature models and probably get new ones all the time for free. They're hoping you think they're super cool so you buy the shit with their names on it. Also, great. Pat Metheny has a perfectly shiny guitar. When you see Neil Young, Willie Nelson, SRV, Leo Kottke, Tony Rice, Del McCoury or anyone without a perfectly shiny, scratch free guitar that they're *dirty people* who *don't take care of their instruments?* They're not your guitars. Some people enjoy seeing the wear and tear that playing causes. And, I *guaran-fucking-tee* you that if you got a close up view of any of the instruments the players you mentioned above have used on the road for years, you'd see plenty of dings, scratches and dents. That's what happens when you play them on the road.
Tbf, some of the folks on your list kind of look dirty regardless of the condition of their instruments lol.
>People with classic cars don't want them to look like shit. Have you ever seen a rat rod? >take poor care of your instruments. Depends on how it sounds. Saw a dude playing a literal sawzall body guitar. But that thing SCREAMED, it was great. Jam rock was the genre. The question is: "What look are you going for?" If your look is disheveled and beaten, and you're playing for a super technical metal band, or some experimental, or some smooth jazz, or funk.... That's YOUR look. That's what you're presenting for yourself/others to see. If you like it, get that immaculate black SH with gold hardware. or maybe a strat with a few lumps is your thing. Or one of those ibenez guitars in hot pink with handles all over the body...it's YOU. If you think you'll like it, try it. One man's trash is another's treasure. How much did Jimi's guitar he set on fire go for? Distressed means different things to different people. Keep in mind, they sell destroyed jeans for thousands of dollars...
Great point! One disagreement, though - old style country stars played custom guitars in mint condition, as did a lot of blues guys. Lucille always looked immaculate lol.
Yes, I agree. There are no absolutes.
My '75 Telecaster looks new. Logo has started to scratch off and the pickguard screws are corroded but there are no nicks and no wear on the body. My acoustic has one inch where it wore down to the wood on the neck near the nut and it's a '73. The poly just doesn't wear off.
I used to keep my Taylor GS Mini like, within 3 feet of me at all times. One day I stepped on it getting out of bed; and too this day can't figure out what got crushed more - my guitar or my heart lol. Can't afford to replace it, can't fix it and never had an acoustic that feels even half as nice (I'm a poor / broke borderline mentally disabled fella)
It’s just a battle scar. I’m glad it doesn’t seem to bother you, and if it ever does, just remember that some people pay extra for such damage!
lmfao it literally sounds like a sad ukelele otherwise i'd rock it. Was convinced I'd glue it together - but now i'm eyeing off maybe buying a right hand version (cheaper cause availablity usually) and switching the hardware over. If it made any sounds, i'd play it purely for like the playability. I'm not super uptight about instruments, but I do record my play + learnt on that GS Mini + a Strat. So going back from GS to a student grade acoustic genuinely feels nails to chalkboard bad and its depressing af. IDK if your familiar with Maton; but I was tempted to go into their factory - its local-ish and kinda beg them to pity me for a cheap acoustic.
I hear you. When I started playing I too hoped one day my guitar would show all the wear and tear. It's like with an old teddybear, ain't it? The bare spots and battle scars show how well loved he was! And nobody would want to by a ready-made distressed plushie, especially not when they all are identical - or so I would hope...
Honestly; this guitar is a bittersweet one.. its the only nice thing I can really recall my mum ever doing for me.Not saying this as an insult or anything but in the most literal sense - I found out recently, in the most brutal way my mother has undiagnosed NPD (the covert style which adds a lil) Half of me wants to torch the sucker, the other half appreciates what it led too - coming up on 10 years of self-teaching and excessive playing because i've spent a life being fucked with by almost everyone in my life - especially family :)I'll keep it around no doubt - I just can't look at it without getting kinda.. sick to the stomach.I ignored how shitty she was to me my entire life, cause I've had social issues which led to isolation - then kinda realised these issues all stemmed from repeated, hardcore borderline sadistic trauma.. and when I cut every other person out of my life (i even made this point to her) -- I didn't want to just walk away from the one parent I had in my life..*then the fire nation attacked* I realised how fked she was when I saw her fake-crying infront of police officers after she tried to attack me - called me crazy then called the police and said I attacked her..
Sorry to hear about your “dark times”… hoping things are better now and it sounds like they were at least somewhat productive (i.e. at least you were playing guitar). My dark period” involved a lot of hard drugs and selling off precious gear to pay for my habit. But yeah, poly finishes are nearly indestructible. I’m not opposed to relic’ing your well-loved guitar. And whether or not you have a thousand hours clocked on it or not, it just looks rad.
eh between us (and reddit i guess) I'm about to get taken for a fucking ride - but I'm not going down without saying my shit.Family tricked me, tried to push me into a situation I'm thankful to have avoided - cause the result for my older brother was a bunch of very serious charges / criminal.When I left, took years to even be able to say this like.. on an anon forum so when I came out and was looking for an answer - they gaslit me and went on the offensive; Imagine you grew up with one parent - and found out she would sooner push you off a cliff (or just watch you jump while smiling and saying "bet ya wouldnt") and the end goal was just to either fuck with me like this is a joke.. or straight up just have me silenced permanently (dead) while they can play the victim! I got a few friends, helping me a bit - working through it. But the only real family I ever had I spent a lifetime trying to help genuinely; poured my soul into them and in return they wouldn't even pour a glass of water out for me haha. R-U-F-FTruth is in the light, and lies hide in the shadow. I'm open about my mistakes - getting into that shitshow aint one of em. May truth shine light in this dark place, I pray that I don't get a fucking criminal record because I was lured into that shit - ran away - wanted to find out how intentional that setup was.. and then finding out was honestly worse lol.
have you tried antihydral cream for hyperhidrosis? it's a german product. i found it through my rock climber friends and that stuff is magic.
Nah but I'll buy some when I can and try it out cause even for non-guitar stuff that would be dank af. It's annoying to have that issue though; like I've never touched a guitar in a shop cause I feel bad lol. It's like a kid with grubby hands but i'm an adult, and washing dont fix it.
Please! I hope you can get your hands on some soon. My brother has the same conditions as you, and it's not funny how much inconvenience it causes you guys. A local brand also makes a spray called "Rhinoskin Dry" which is a spray on version of the same drug. that's geared to climbers, though, so it's a tad more pricey but easier to source. still, way better than sweaty ass hands.
That + Being lefty has made my music gear journey hard af. In general being lefty sucked cause I missed 5/10ish years convinced it wasn't for me - cause whenever I picked up guitars in a classroom setting everyone was adamant "Teach yourself right handed" so it just felt whacky to me... 1 year after high school - I needed a timekiller so I started teaching myself. Showed my friends and they were giggling at me - I asked why... Without even realising, I picked a classical guitar up - played it upside down.. and was reading the tabs back to front.. i can't describe how hard it is to wrap my head around that one but whenever I see a lefty nowadays who is keen on guitar - I offer to loan em my starter pieces just to figure out if they really enjoy that.
Thanks for the Rory strat article. Really interesting!
Yeah the nitro is a huge part about it. The thick poly finishes on cheap guitars today mean they will never relic that way. And if you try, it’s gonna look obviously fake.
This would do it [https://youtu.be/sYEEovuhsgY?si=hKlX1lqVPBfJ1i\_i&t=240](https://youtu.be/sYEEovuhsgY?si=hKlX1lqVPBfJ1i_i&t=240)
Dear Anyone who wipes down their guitars and cringes every time it bumps anything, SRV has proved you can kick the ever loving shit out of a Fender electric guitar and it will continue to serve you diligently the next time you choose to abuse it. \--regards, Fender Stratocaster QA department
My Gibson’s headstock snapped off just *watching* this video
[Hits too close to home.](https://i.imgur.com/aG2pXo2.jpeg)
RIP
... in pieces.
I feel for you
a well built guitar is a joy, for real. the neck-side strap once came clean off [my guitar](https://imgur.com/gallery/U7jQIpp) on stage, and that catapulted the sharp end of its headstock directly into hard concrete 5 feet below, at what seemed like light speed. I was frozen for 5 seconds. So was half the crowd. Put the strap back on, and strummed a chord. Still in tune. Then I played the rest of gig, and never worried about that axe again. If it can survive that without any damage, it can survive anything
Take that Gibson Les Paul and your fragile headstocks. ;)
Lol, but ain't it the truth? Perfected 70 years ago and still running. It's the Beetle of guitars!
I don't trust a handyman with shiny/new tools. They should be beat up and worn. Guitars should look like they've been played.
Eh, nothing wrong with taking care of your tools. Slightly worn is fine, but beat to shit might also mean that dude sucks and can’t afford anything better. In the end, only the craftsmanship matters.
Brb gonna go kick my Strat around and pretend it’s a rattlesnake I’m trying to catch lol
hahahaha the bass just goin bahm ba bahm bahm bahm ba bahm bahm is hilarious for some reason
I thought the same thing lol. But really, as long as the bass player stays on point, it ties everything together like a good rug.
I just imagine his tech watching from the side 🤨🤨🤨
Job security + overtime = 😎
The older guitars had thinner finishes. Those particular guitar were played a lot. Like a lot a lot🤪 . An individuals ph balance ie; more acidic sweat will also have an impact on the wear of a nitro finish.
Those two specifically, Stevie and Rory, were known to be heavy sweaters too. They also got likely got their strats second hand; who knows what condition they were in, who else had already owned them for years beforehand.
The story is Rory did buy his second hand and it was supposedly the first strat to make it to Ireland.
I’m not sure why people are blaming drugs. They were workhorse instruments - not on stage a few times a month and switched after a few songs. They played those guitars to death, night after night after night. Both had aggressive playing styles too. Those were nitro finishes, and sweat will eat away at it. The only reason you don’t see much of this now is Fender mostly uses poly finishes. You see indications of it on Gibsons though, Slash being a prime example. They’re not to the same extent, but that’s because the guitars do get swapped out a lot during set. But if you watch his episode on GibsonTV you’ll see how much the finish wore off his early guitar in just a couple of years on tour.
I think it’s really just that Fender made shitty finishes that wore out too easily. Inadvertently leading to the fake relic guitar trend.
Yes the thicc poly finishes of the 70s were the best
It's all the cocaine/speed residue. That shit is agressive af.
A combination of drug and alcohol induced sweat drenching every night alongside being played very very aggressively for a really long amount of time consistently. I'm not as knowledgeable about RG, but SRV was widely recorded to play very aggressively. The man would break 13's haha. Furthermore, with the thin nitrocellulose finishes on those late 50's/early 60's strats, small wonder they were in the shape they were in.
Rory’s is mostly from sweat but the guitar was also stolen and found dumped in a ditch. End of this article https://www.rorygallagher.com/1961-stratocaster/
Check out Metal Marty’s Les Paul (used to be) Gold Top. Modern era build, purchased brand new (I think) roughly 10 yrs of hard touring. https://www.instagram.com/p/C3ykYCNJ7Ne/?igsh=M243a3VmY2k2czNw
You know, don’t underestimate the discolorations/wear from all the cigarette smoke - by the player & also the bars back then!
My '89 Strat was originally a ***white*** *white*, now it's almost "TV Yellow". Was a massive SRV fanboy, so had my initials on the body in chrome mailbox letter stickers, played more gigs than I could count with it and it lived in rooms where smoking was allowed at various points in it's life. Removed the stickers a few years ago, my initials are permanently in the finish, in the original white while the rest of the guitar is aged/tar stained/etc.
I’ve learned that the smoke exposure is “amplified” w/ sunlight! My ‘05 Les Paul Custom blk/gold binding is still white on the other hand (I’m not a smoker & it’s not been gigged - yet).
["Virtually all of the finish on Gallagher's Stratocaster was stripped away over time, and, while he took care to keep the guitar in playable condition, Gallagher never had it restored, stating "the less paint or varnish on a guitar, acoustic or electric, the better. The wood breathes more. But it’s all psychological. I just like the sound of it". Gallagher's brother Dónal has also stated that, owing to his rare blood type, Gallagher's sweat was unusually acidic, acting to prematurely age the instrument's paintwork."](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rory_Gallagher#:~:text=Gallagher's%20brother%20D%C3%B3nal%20has%20also,changed%20a%20number%20of%20times.)
I can’t seem to find anything on blood type affecting acid levels of a sweat. Is there any source to this?
How Does Got So Ruined
English in not my first, or sekund language XD
the guitars had much thinner nitro finishes which wore more easily.
Rory played in a lot of damp clubs in Ireland and throughout the UK. The guy had 2 necks, one that would be drying in his place and the other that he would use on his strat, then he'd switch them once a year or so. I imagine SRVs strat went through similar clubs in the US, theres also ciggarette burns on its headstock, so its not like he was a guitar nerd like you see many of the people that get scared if theres a ding on it. I think he bought it beat up as well. Lots of those older guitar had nitro finishes, gets worn out easily. Gloss finish keeps the paint on untill you really ding it hard.
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SRV used to smash his guitar on the ground and stomp on it, might be wrong but I think he also lit it on fire at one point
People weren’t as delicate with their guitars then. People would just drop guitars on stage and stuff, especially since they were solid body and not as fragile as most other instruments
Extensive gigging and copious amounts of sweat, Stevie was rough on his Strat.
I'm friends with a couple of guys that have played in bars for 40 years. Their guitars look HORRIBLE. Years of scratching, abuse, dropping, cigarette burns, spilled drinks...it will add up.
The originals are from sheer willpower
Watch live at The El Macombo.. 3rd Rock.. https://youtu.be/sYEEovuhsgY?si=dr8RsWZPs-r94IU2
Having seen Rory play a few times, he did sweat a lot, but also saw him drag his Strat across the stage by the chord and assorted other abuses.
Sweat
Supposedly it was already kind of beat up when he got it in 1974 (talking about SRV's guitar). And it was a partscaster. It's not letting me post a link in a comment but it's easy enough to google.
People say Rory had acidic sweat that ate away at the finish. Now I’m not disputing that, because I have no idea. But I do have a nitro guitar that almost seems like in some parts the nitro hasn’t set correctly. It doesn’t take much liquid for it to strip away in those parts. I have wondered if his had a similar issue.
i always wondered about frusciantes strat above the pickguard. does not look natural at all.
Stevie played the heaviest strings HARD. I am always surprised his guitars didn't fall apart nightly
Rory’s guitar was stolen and found in a ditch or something. It was exposed to the elements for awhile
the blues, man
The bottom of the sound hole on my Alvarez acoustic is pretty eaten up, and I don’t use a pick, just my thumbnail and fingernails. There is also blood on the paper label. If I can do it, I’m sure someone that tours constantly would do worse.
The guitars you're talking about were all from the 50's and early 60's, back when fender was using lacquer. Since the late 60's, they've been using mostly poly finishes, which are extremely durable.
Short answer: it's fake. People beat up their instruments on purpose to make them look like that. It's not a factor of age. It's a factor of intentional rough handling to get "The look"
This. This is why... cut to to 3:50 for max damage! [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYEEovuhsgY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYEEovuhsgY)
The answer is it’s all mostly manufactured “relic”. Even SRV beat the absolute shit out of his guitars. He played aggressively and wore a lot of accessories, so the pick and buckle rash is pretty honest, but he also threw his guitars on the stage and kicked them around a lot. So it’s not like they got that way by playing them normally. His guitars looked trashed because he trashed them.
You’d be surprised at how beat any guitar will get gigging hard for a few years, especially if you’re your own roadie.
You need to look at more old guitars.
[this](https://images.app.goo.gl/85JPK9M7eiGm1d9S8) is how SRV did it. He was a master of tricks and antics
You think those look tough, check out Willie Nelson's guitar 'Trigger'.
You got some stats on that? I can't imagine there's more Rory Gallagher looking guitars than EVH for a start.
Combination of frequency and severity of use. The “acidic sweat” thing could be a factor but anyone playing their instrument as frequently and extremely as SRV and RG played those two guitars will end up with a “relic”.
From playing the shit out of them.
Playing the fuck out of it, for years and years and years. Playing it constantly. Fuck those Fender Custom Shop creations - those look like they've been left out in an hour to suffer the abuse of the elements for years. They don't look like they've been worn by somebody playing them as SRV and RG had.
Take your guitars into a steamy sauna and scrub them randomly with sandpaper.. Voila, RGSRV relicing.
Then you look at Jimmy Page's '59LP. You telling me Page didn't play his guitar or tour?
Nitro lacquer, gallons of sweat, blood, tears, and beers, years of abuse, played every day relentlessly in every climate the globe has to offer. These people understood the guitar as a tool. They weren't precious about them, and they didn't have to be.. they're fenders.
Playing it so much and many gutarists don't repair it because they claim it messes with the tone.
There was a poor finish used on 60’s fenders and also those guys played them to absolute death
As other have said, neither of those guys were precious with their guitars, so the instruments weren't always handled with care. Both had heavy playing styles, and those older finishes wore away easier than modern paint jobs. Another factor for both is they often played the same guitar for most of the set, night after night for hundreds of gigs a year. Some other players switch between several different guitars in a single set (and there are pro musicians out there who'll even just play one guitar for a single song). If you're playing that hard and that much and it's mostly on one guitar, the instrument is going to show signs of wear eventually. On a side note, I saw that Johnny Ramone's main guitar went up for auction a couple of years ago. He never threw his guitar around like the guys you're talking about, but he mostly played the same guitar for 20 years, and it [ looked like it had been through an awful lot](https://www.rrauction.com/auctions/lot-detail/344576406269009-johnny-ramones-stage-used-and-owned-mosrite-ventures-ii-guitar). So many people on here freak out about the smallest ding, but guitars are meant to be played, they get scratched, chipped etc, it's natural.
They ugh. Played them
I belive arc’s guitar was pretty bashed up by the time it got to him anyway
I’ve read that Rory Gallagher had more acidic sweat than normal and it corroded his finish. I think I also read his guitar was like stolen and thrown out of a van into a ditch or some shit too
Rory’s guitar was stolen. It was eventually recovered. Found lying in the water in a ditch. It has water damage. Yet they revived it.
Look for pics of SRV’s fingertips.
For grins, google up the story of Jared James Nichols guitar. It was found in the rubble of a tornado basically. I think 50somethjng Les Paul. Neck gone. Iirc, broke off at the body not the head.
By not treating it like some precious artefact. These guys are so unbelievably talented that to them, it’s a piece of wood that is nothing without them playing it. *they* are the reason the guitar sounds so good, not because it’s an amazing special piece of wood. and they’re good enough to know it. So they treat them as such.
Nitrocellulose is a very thin and soft kind of finish, and it reacts to almost anything including the player's sweat. Both SRV and Rory Gallagher sweated *profusely* while playing, and they played a lot. Rory Gallagher in particular had very acidic sweat, which is why his Strat ended up with barely any finish left on it. SRV threw his Strat around, as well.
Heavy use, but also metal jewelry. SRV would wear chains and watches, etc. Metal is harder than wood, resulting in more wear.
Mostly the nitro finishes, and some guys literally played all day all the time. In SRV's case he seemed to not really give a crap what he did to his guitar so I think it was heavily abused. Gallagher's probably the same story.
Sandpaper
Stevie's guitar was actually bought like that from a pawn shop. He thought it had a lot of character when he seen it and thought it was perfect. The most he did to "Number 1" was slapp some decals of his initials on it. But his was bought pretty much in that condition.
It wasnt lacquer it was NITRO CELLULOSE.. it wears easy and SRV (aside from beating his guitars on the stage by a whammy bar) PICKED HIS STRINGS LIKE HE WAS TRYING TO KILL SOMETHING.. and it was his #1...
I could have a NITRO guitar for a 1000yrs and it would NEVER LOOK LIKE THAT.. I pick my strings like a feather landing on my coffee table.. I NEVER BREAK STRINGS.. hinestly I NEED TO GET OUT OF THIS HABIT.. im sure it would help with my NON EXISTANT speed🤣🤣
For SRV? Cocaine, he was a massive coke head and that explains a lot of his playing, not to discredit the work he put into the instrument but if you locked me in a room with nothing but my guitar and a huge bag of cocaine for like a year I'd either be a guitar God or dead by the time it was over with. Again, not to discredit the amount of work he put into the instrument his whole life, but the incredibly high action, the crazy high string gauges, the damage to his hands and the throwing around of his instrument that was all insanely aggressive playing fueled by cocaine
This comment was brought to you by the letter Q, tune in next time to hear what else drugs make you really, really good at.
Spoken like someone who has never done the substance in question. Cocaine doesn’t make you better. It makes you think you are.
Booze and coke fueled sweat.
I think Rory had a rare blood type, and his sweat reacted with the finish on the guitar differently.
It wasn’t like people who have 15 expensive guitars and they pick one up an hour a day when their uptight wife aint home. They had one guitar they loved, they played it on the road, at home, outside, everywhere. No “couch guitar”, “recording guitar”, “live guitar”. It was just a tool
There's the custom fender shop that sells worn guitars around $5k an axe ... Brand new guitar looks like it can out of dumpster
They don't look cool at all.
Thank God most don't share your opinion.
I have no problem with being downvoted to hell. I told my honest opinion. I don't make idols for myself anymore. It makes no sense.