How do YOU break in a new jacket?

[leopardstyle]

The other thing about this particular pic is that it's reliced in the wrong place. What's with all that wear right above the pick guard and the bridge. A guitar wouldn't wear out so much in those places. The place where you rest your arm and insert the guitar cable are normal wear spots. The place above the pick guard where you strum would be but over above the bridge. No way.

If you want to see an awesomely worn guitar check out Willie Nelson's, Martin nylon string that he's had since the late 60's. Now that's a guitar that's lived more of a life than most people. And you can hear it on his recordings. That guitar sings like and angel.


http://www.google.com/imgres?q=will...=169&start=0&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0,i:113

Edit: Ps, notice where it's worn the most.. in the places he strums and where his arm hits the guitar.

 

[Edward]

Most "real" musicians say bah to those. I know when my son was starting guitar after bass, I asked him about the Joe Strummer Tele, and he looked at me like I was drunk. I was glad he felt that way personally. That whole thing is part of the immediate gratification many are addicted to today.

Meh. I'm more live and let live. I don't care for them myself, but then I don't want a guitar that looks like a 50s Strat that's had a hard life - I want one that looks like Buddy Holly's did, in the 50s. What is "wrong" to me is not the pre-relicing, but the very notion of wanting your guitar to look bashed up.Still, if that's what other folks want, it doesn't bother me - their choice. The folks for whom I have no time whatever are those who decry relics, but then want to buy a used guitar with all that wear on it (you didn't "earn" that either, Buster!), or - worse - damn relic players as "poseurs" but yet want a thin nitro finish for the specific reason that it will wear faster.... Me, I like modern polyurethane finishes that won't wear out much, if at all....

If they'd made 'em left handed, though I'd have loved one of Joe's signature models. Closing in on a decade on, still mourning Uncle Joe's passing every December. One of the men who changed my world, and never sold out.

You know what Edward, I'm right in the midst of the reliced guitar debate. I play and love fender telecasters. I just bought an American Standard recently. I bought it without the relicing because I just couldn't bring myself to get one pre-reliced. With that said, I really like the look of worn down guitars with the bare wood showing through.

I'm the opposite... not much keen on the look, but I can see the attraction of a relic from POV of not worrying about every little ding you put in it yourself.... Looks aside, though, I hear great things about the relics as playing instruments. The Mexican-assembled Roadworn series receive consistently high praise. I quite like the look of... I think it's the Closet Classic finish? Tiny little bit of wear, just enough that they look like a guitar that's been looked after but not by someone unafraid to play it. The full on relic jobs, like the above, aleays look too far gone for my tastes.

Unless it's the lighting not giving it up, the pristine scratch board gives it away.

Maybe the lighting... I don't know. I've had a Strat for closing in on eighteen years now that isn't all scratched up on the plate. [huh]

The other thing about this particular pic is that it's reliced in the wrong place. What's with all that wear right above the pick guard and the bridge. A guitar wouldn't wear out so much in those places. The place where you rest your arm and insert the guitar cable are normal wear spots. The place above the pick guard where you strum would be but over above the bridge. No way.

If you want to see an awesomely worn guitar check out Willie Nelson's, Martin nylon string that he's had since the late 60's. Now that's a guitar that's lived more of a life than most people. And you can hear it on his recordings. That guitar sings like and angel.


http://www.google.com/imgres?q=will...=169&start=0&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0,i:113

Edit: Ps, notice where it's worn the most.. in the places he strums and where his arm hits the guitar.

Trigger.... yeah...

Wear will probably vary a lot depending on who plays it, and how they hold it, whether they play it standing up or sitting down, all the rest. I had the imprssion too that with ntiro once it starts to wear thorugh in one spot, that spreads pretty fast? [huh]

 

[ButteMT61]

These are my two favorites. Joe Strummer and The Boss.

 

[GriffDeLaGriff]

What about Walter Trouts guitar that is kinda used and also there is talk that its white underneath a layer of nicotine from playing in clubs.

 

[Edward]

If all that smoke in clubs over the years did that to his guitar, what must his lungs not look like??

 

[Don Tomaso]

I still remember how we adored Mr. Rory Gallagher from Cork because he used to play such a beaten-up Fender all the time. that gave us the feel of "authentic". Long gone.

 

[Rudie]

Funny how a thread about breaking in leather jackets has transitioned to artificially aged guitars...

 

[Edward]

Funny how a thread about breaking in leather jackets has transitioned to artificially aged guitars...

Ha.... mea culpa.... still, refeshing change from pre-distressed denim, non?

I still remember how we adored Mr. Rory Gallagher from Cork because he used to play such a beaten-up Fender all the time. that gave us the feel of "authentic". Long gone.

Ah, yes... his "Number 3", his primary live guitar (if memory serves, 1 and 2 were, respectively, a Tele and another Strat, both too precious to take out on the road). A real gentleman, true scholar of music (to hear him talk about the theoretical commonalities between Irish folk and the blues was astounding), not to mention one of the very few big name artists prepared to play Belfast every year, even at the height of the Troubles (something Van Morrison refused to do for years on end, despite being from there).

 

[Slevin]

I don't know if it's the correct thing to do, but I soak my jacket in cold water, let it drip dry and then wear it while damp to let it mold to my body. Helps the breaking in process/creasing

 

[leopardstyle]

I don't know if it's the correct thing to do, but I soak my jacket in cold water, let it drip dry and then wear it while damp to let it mold to my body. Helps the breaking in process/creasing

Slevin, when you do that, do you feel like the jacket ends up with a different texture to the leather? Or do you feel it is simply a faster means to get to the exact same end?

 

[Don Tomaso]

I just got my first HH-jacket and I try it like this: From time to time I spray it with a bit of water, just before wearing it. I have the impression that helps.

 

[JoeNiblick]

A long-time lurker, I finally purchased my first heavy weight jacket--A Schott 613S. I've been reading and re-reading the posts about breaking in, and I'm still a little horrified that the Schott/Horween Steer isn't the worst to break in. I was going to just wear it in the house, but after two days, I need a break. I tried to sleep in it, but that was impossibly uncomfortable. I may resort to spritzing it with water. I can see why the guy who offered to break in your jacket wasn't so far off. And as much as I dislike wearing other peoples' clothes, I can see the value in buying one second hand.

With that said, after two short days, the sleeves ARE more comfortable (I swear I had bruises after the first day), and the jacket isn't quite so boxy. Maybe I'm also a bit self-conscious about wearing a brand new jacket--As a kid, I hated wearing new shoes to school.

But now I'm having second thoughts about getting that FQHH Aero I've had my eye on for years...

One last note, I was pretty happy with Schott's online size estimator. It seems to be pretty spot-on, at least for me and the 613S.

 

[Peacoat]

But now I'm having second thoughts about getting that FQHH Aero I've had my eye on for years...

One last note, I was pretty happy with Schott's online size estimator. It seems to be pretty spot-on, at least for me and the 613S.

I have three Aero FQHH and didn't find them difficult to break in. Sure, they were stiff at first, but within a few days of wearing around the house and doing some arm/shoulder exercises in them, they were comfortable enough to wear. Driving a car in town is a good way to loosen them up without thinking about it. Moving the steering wheel gets them loosened up better than most anything else. When fully broken in, they are as soft and pliable. Compared to my Vanson Competition weight and my Johnson Leathers Motorcycle jacket, the Aeros were a breeze to break in.

 

[AeroFan_07]

Wow! A thread from 2012 revived! That's cool in and of itself.

Like Peacoat mentioned, go drive around some in it, gor for a hike, got the gym and lift weights in it (in Alaska no-one would look at you funny) and just generally try and spend time with it. And Aero's with FQHH are also not bad at all to break in. But remember, these are jackets that you should have for decades, so don't rush it.

 

[Turnip]

Very nice thread, just in time.
I’ll wear mine to work daily for a few weeks for breaking it in, that’s at least what’s planned.
About 60min daily drive plus some more outdoor activity on daily base should be sufficient then.

Cheers

Turnip

 

[sweetfights]

I wear mine to bed at night to break in.
Works.

 

[Superfluous]

I can see why the guy who offered to break in your jacket wasn't so far off.

@Hh121 might be willing to break-in other people's jackets for a reasonable fee -- say, $150 per jacket. In fact, given his personal preference for 6oz leather, he could probably double-up and break-in two 3oz jackets at the same time (no two-for-one discounts).

 

[Psant25]

My most recent JL broke in very well wearing on a 1000 mile motorcycle ride (3 days). Some rain, wind, sun, repeat did wonders. Other jackets I usually dunk in water first to get fully wet followed by my proprietary break in process

 

[JMax]

I hop on my bike.

In this heat, my natural juices also break -in the lining.

 

[Hh121]

Of course