Relics: To the past or the future?

Old guitars just have a different feel – cracked finish, smoothed edges, and worn knobs & tuners that tell a life story. What if you could fast-forward your guitar to the future for a played-for-decades look – or send it into the past, stripping away its modern features to create a vintage classic?

We offer two basic options: Vintage Classic and Aged Modern.

Over the last few decades, designs, parts, and finish have evolved to keep modern guitars looking new. This includes most lacquer finishes as well as polyurethane. No matter what they endure over the years, most will never naturally age like vintage models from the 1950’s and 60’s.

Vintage Classic – back to the 1950s
The only way to get a look that’s truly reminiscent of those vintage guitars is to start with body, neck, and parts that physically match those old designs and finish them with the authentic paints used in that era. We’ll apply the same conditions that turned those guitars into the vintage treasures so many of us love.

Aged Modern – ahead to the 2050s

The “vintage classic” approach is not for every guitar or every owner. Our other option is to accelerate your guitar’s aging, making it look like it will in the 2050’s and ‘60’s. If you like the way your guitar looks but wish it didn’t look so new, this is the approach for you.

VINTAGE CLASSIC

Back to the 1950s

Les Paul relic back to the '50sDanelectro relic back to the '50sDanelectro relic back to the '50s

Click to enlarge. More relic galleries below.

  • Refinish usually required – we’ll strip the existing paint and refinish using vintage-correct nitrocellulose lacquer that ages like guitars of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
  • With correct features and parts, a true vintage look is possible. Depending on your guitar, this may require purchase of historically correct parts.
  • Natural finish checking & vintage patina
  • Cost usually $1000–2000 including disassembly, stripping of old finish, refinish in lacquer, aging of neck/body and parts, reassembly, and setup.
Chicago Fret Works time machine

AGED MODERN

Ahead to the 2050s

Les Paul goldtop relic ahead to the 2050sDanelectro relic back to the '50sDanelectro relic back to the '50s

Click to enlarge. More relic galleries below.

  • Refinish not required – we’ll age your guitar with whatever finish it came in. Even polyurethane.
  • Results will look like your guitar after 20-30 years of regular use.
  • Worn patina
  • Natural finish checking and vintage appearance sometimes happen but not guaranteed.
  • Results will vary widely depending on existing finish, parts, and hardware.
  • Cost usually $500–1000 including disassembly, aging of neck/body and parts, reassembly, and setup.

GALLERY

Back to the 1950s

Stripping a Les Paul for Vintage Classic refinish & relic (1)

CFW Relic Les Paul

Stripping a Les Paul for Vintage Classic refinish & relic (2)

CFW Relic Les Paul

Completed “Vintage Classic” Relic Les Paul (5)

CFW Relic Les Paul

Completed “Vintage Classic” Relic Les Paul (6)

CFW Relic Les Paul

Refinishing Les Paul for Vintage Classic relic (3)

CFW Relic Les Paul

Completed “Vintage Classic” Relic Les Paul (4)

CFW Relic Epiphone Coronet

Epiphone Coronet Refinish Relic Restoration (1)

CFW Relic Epiphone Coronet

Epiphone Coronet Refinish Relic Restoration (2)

(2020s) Firebird back to the '50s

2020s Epiphone Firebird stripped & refinished in custom green metallic lacquer, lightly aged. (1)

CFW Relic Firebird

2020s Epiphone Firebird stripped & refinished in custom green metallic lacquer, lightly aged. (2)

CFW Relic Tele Bass

Tele Bass lacquer finish & relic (2)

CFW Tele Bass relic back to the '50s

Tele Bass lacquer finish & relic (1)

CFW Relic Les Paul Junior

Les Paul Junior / TV Yellow refin and aging (1)

CFW Relic Les Paul Junior

Les Paul Junior / TV yellow refin and relic (2)

GALLERY

Ahead to the 2050s

CFW Relic Stratocaster

2020s Fender American Vintage Re-issue Strat – aged factory lacquer finish. (1)

CFW Relic Les Paul pink

2020s Fender American Vintage Re-issue Strat – aged factory lacquer finish. (2)

CFW Relic Stratocaster pink

2020s Fender American Vintage Re-issue Strat – aged factory lacquer finish. (3)

CFW Relic blonde Telecaster

American Vintage Telecaster relic

CFW Relic Les Paul

Hand-aged Custom Shop Les Paul (1)

CFW Relic Les Paul

Hand-aged Custom Shop Les Paul 2

CFW Relic Les Paul

Hand-aged Custom Shop Les Paul (3)

CFW Relic Les Paul

Hand-aged Custom Shop Les Paul (4)

CFW Relic Stratocaster

Factory Nitro Stratocaster relic (2)

CFW Relic Stratocaster

Factory Nitro Stratocaster relic (2)

CFW Relic Poly Stratocaster

Poly Stratocaster (before)

CFW Relic Poly Stratocaster

Poly Stratocaster (after)

CFW Relic Les Paul Goldtop

Les Paul Goldtop (1)

CFW Relic Les Paul Goldtop

Les Paul Goldtop (2)

CFW Relic Poly Stratocaster

Poly Strat relic (before)

CFW Relic Poly Stratocaster

Poly Stratocaster (after)

 

GALLERY

Lacquer Over Original Finish

 

CFW Relic Stratocaster polyurethane overspray

1990’s Fender American Standard Strat, oversprayed with Fiesta Red in vintage lacquer. (1)

CFW Relic Stratocaster polyurethane overspray

1990’s Fender American Standard Strat, oversprayed with Fiesta Red in vintage lacquer. (2)

CFW Relic Stratocaster polyurethane overspray

1990’s Fender American Standard Strat, oversprayed with Fiesta Red in vintage lacquer. (3)

 

CFW Relic Telecaster amber

Lacquer over original finish Telecaster (1)

 

CFW Relic Telecaster amber

Aged Lacquer Over Original Finish Tele (2)

CFW Relic Telecaster amber

Aged Lacquer Over Original Finish (3)