Pre-soiled hats... heheheh

[Mark G]

I build guitars for a living and I find it kind of interesting that a whole market has been mined for guitars that are distressed. I spend a lot of time on making these instruments to a very high level of fit and finish and to think of it being relic'd is kind of sad. I'd like to think that all the dings and stains (getting back to hats) are part of my history, not a fauxstory. Having said that I do agree with RedBeard that age does improve sound on some instruments, but I can make them comfortable without making them look like they spent 40 years in a bar room. Stratoliners, Stratocasters, love anykind of Strat.

It just seems silly to me that you pay extra to pretend you have horse sh*t on your hat.

 

[Dinerman]

Marc, what kind of guitars do you build? Archtops? Electrics? Acoustics?

 

[Mark G]

Dinerman, I mostly build steel string acoustics now, but I started building electrics about 30 years ago. I've also built classicals as well as ukuleles, and dulcimers. You can see my website in my profile.

 

[tonyb]

Dang, Bruno, look what you started here.
Lest I get too darned self-righteous (who, me?) over my general aversion to faux-aged stuff, I had better remind myself that I did indeed place an order with U.S. Wings for one of their on-sale jackets in "antique" lamb. This was after receiving an on-sale goat leather (not "antiqued") A-2 jacket from them which, for the price, proved entirely satisfactory. And you know, that antique lamb didn't look at all fake, at least not in the photos, anyway. But the gods must have intervened, because several days after placing that order I received an email from U.S. Wings saying they were unable to fill the order on account of that particular item being out of stock. Seeing how I'm a superstitious sort, I take this as a sign that the cosmic forces don't want me seen in an artificially aged anything.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

what a remarkable thread for such vehemence.

Is this heading to the annals of FLounge fame to reside a'side the men's silk undies thread?

bk

 

[tonyb]

Gotta love those silk undies, man.

 

[Mark G]

Silk undies... Are they relic'd?

 

[jamespowers]

Silk undies... Are they relic'd?

After you wear them once.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

As we discuassed at the time, they're a bit girly. I believe the Immortal Bob of Blessed Memory (Hallowed be His name . . .) pointed out that they just don't have the absorbency. Unilke these hats, apparently - see, i'm ON TOPIC!! No bartender can take away my knickers comments.

bk

 

[akaBruno]

Dang, Bruno, look what you started here.

I've been doing forums for years. I know how to start stuff. All ya gotta do is yank the proverbial chain and let it go. There's a lil bit o' mad dog in all of us.

BRUNO

 

[dr greg]

veneer

Did anybody notice that the ad for the"pre-soiled" hats features a hatbox!!??!
If you spend good money on a hat that looks dinged then WWHHYY would you want to protect it from any further soiling...?? That defines ridiculous to me!
As to guitars...I'm a pro musician, and "distressing" an axe DOES NOT improve the sound; just your posing attitude. If you buy a new top-line guitar it will only sound good IF YOU ARE A GOOD PLAYER, not if some clown took it out the back of the shed and dumped on it...what is wrong with the world...if you want an old jeans look...buy a second hand pair...or better still, get a NEW pair and WAIT.

 

[Mark G]

Bravo Dr Greg , I couldn't agree more.

 

[Red Beard]

I agree, Mark. There's always exceptions for Luthiers, you guys can build a guitar using the same high quality woods and with finishes that feel just like a well played guitar.

But I've got to say, most modern finishing techniques used for guitars don't allow the instrument to age in a normal fashion and the wood used today in factory made guitars isn't even close in quality.
Just fifty years ago with nitrocellulose laquer can't be compared to the plasticized polyurathane of today, which over the next 50 years may just haze over. . . if you're lucky. But there's no chance for the natural aging of the wood or finish, at least in most cases.
For the most part, I think modern guitars will end up looking like an odd blend of worn and like new components in 50 years, if only due to the changes in finishing. And they'll never sound right for hundreds of reasons, as well as hundreds of others, but I digress.

So the question for me is, can a modern, factory made guitar ever meet todays definition of what a "vintage" instrument is? Not my definition of one, unfortunately, which is why I like the (Cunetto era) Relics. To me, they're kind of like doing the best you can with what you've got. That being slightly better wood, nitro and sandpaper. Not to mention the updated fretboard radius on the pre "Time Machine" models.

What does that have to do with hats? Nothing, but this does. . .
When I buy hats with stains and general wear and tear, i never try to fix them. I think it gives character. I don't search them out, but a little staining won't keep me from buying and wearing. In fact, the favorites of my collection are pretty worn. I wouldn't go out and buy a NEW one like that, of course.
I do remember seeing a distressed homburg that a member was buying in a recent thread, though, that looked pretty good.

 

[Dinerman]

Dinerman, I mostly build steel string acoustics now, but I started building electrics about 30 years ago. I've also built classicals as well as ukuleles, and dulcimers. You can see my website in my profile.

Beautiful work. I'm from a family of musicians and artists; I spend a fair amount of time around that whole scene. Right now, my dad's up visiting this guy, taking pictures and the like. I don't know what it's like actually doing it, but it's facinating to me how instrument makers can do what they do.

 

[MrPumpernickel]

Wow, those pre-soiled hats look about as good and believable as those pre-worn jeans that have been oh so popular over the last few years. If you like filth, and I don't look down on anyone who does, at least have the decency to make it yourself.

 

[akaBruno]

Again... I love pre washed jeans. Comfy says it all.

Guitars though? Hell no. I gota bunch I beat the hell outa myself. The one that got away, you say? My 1959 Gibson Double cutaway Les Paul Special. I made over a Grand on my original deal. The guy who bought it from me wishes he'd never sold it. You always kick yourself later, hindsight being 20/20.

 

[Tango Yankee]

Well, if you're gonna get the pre-soiled hat you gotta get the Imitation Blood Initials, too! lol

I guess if you're gonna have someone pre-soil your hat for you you're not going to prick your own finger to put your initials in blood on it, either. Of course, putting my initials on a hat in blood isn't something that would have occurred to me in any case. I prefer the gold embossing or punched letters on the sweatband, thanks!

Cheers,
Tom

 

[akaBruno]

...

 

[akaBruno]

I think that these days they can get your DNA off the sweat residue. At least they do on TV.

 

[akaBruno]

sorry about the double up.