wilson-brothers-venture-vm-10-relic-guitarThe VM-10 is one of two models that are made in China (the other is the VPB-30).  All other Venture style guitars are crafted in Korea.  The Wilson Brothers Venture VM-10 is a strat-style guitar that looks amazingly retro and sounds even better.  This electric guitar features an agates, flat top body and has a neck made from maple that is bolted on using a smooth joint.  It features 22F frets and a rosewood fingerboard.

As far as the rest of the hardware goes, everything on the VM-10 is top quality.  It features three single coil pickups and chrome hardware.  The guitar has one volume control and two tone controls, plus a five way selector switch.  For finishes, you can get the Venture VM-10 in five different styles: black, red, white, sunburst, or wine red.  This is one of the first Venture guitars to be made, and while it may lack some of the extra features that other models have, it’s certainly a classic.  You just can’t go wrong with a Wilson Brothers Venture VM-10.


danelectro-2009-dc-12-relic-guitarDanelectro has a number of great guitars available on their website, and one of their newest relic guitars is the Danelectro 2009 DC-12.  This new guitar is very affordable, which is one of the things Danelectro is known for.  Their relic guitars don’t cost thousands of dollars, so even amateur players can often afford one of these beautiful instruments. Read more


If you’re looking for a great classic looking guitar that sounds amazing, then you want to take a look at the Suhr Retro. suhr-retro This guitar, which comes in a classic 2-tone sunburst, is a great updated version of the relic guitars first designed and produced back in the 50s.  These guitars combine the best of the old with the best of the new.  For example, while older guitars may not have been as consistent in tone and sound, today’s modern guitars are more stable.  However, they bring in that great broken-in, used feel that older guitars have.  Some of these Suhr Retro guitars even incorporate some interesting new concepts and changes to make them amazing instruments.

The Suhr Retro features several different options for the player who wants to design his guitar from the ground up.  Suhr lets players select the neck shape, the fingerboard radius, and much more.  Their guitars also feature the SSC System.  This is one of Suhr’s unique additions that removes that 60Hz hum without touching the vintage tones.  The Retro is rounded out with V60 pickups, Medium SS frets, and a reliced finish to make it look like it’s been around for years.


While K-Line makes a great number of standard guitars, they also make some amazing relic bass guitars as well.  k-line-j-style-bass-guitarThe J-Style Bass Guitar is just one of their many different designs that are based on the early Jazz Bass guitars that were made and played during 1961 and 1962.  This outstanding relic comes with a custom case and is made using only high quality vintage parts by top K-Line craftsmen.  K-Line is known for its dedication to top notch instruments, and the J-Style basses are no exception.

The J-Style Bass relic features a rosewood or maple neck that is done in a C-shape.  It has 6150 frets, and the body is done in alder.  The hardware is done with standard parts, but the bridge is Gotoh vintage, and the tuners are Kluson reproductions.  The picguard is tortoise, and the pickups are Lollar J-bass.  It has aged concentric knobs and comes in an oly white color.  All of these parts and vintage pieces combine to create a look and style that very few vintage or relic bass guitars have.  You won’t want to pass up one of the K-Line J-Style bass guitars if you love relics or basses.  You can order a J-Style Bass Guitar directly from K-Line or from a number of other sites that sell relic guitars and basses.


There are many different websites out there that focus on teaching you how to make your own relic guitar.  One of these is a part of the Wonder How To website.  srv-stratocaster-relic-guitarWonder How To has many different instructional videos on all sorts of topics—you can learn everything from how to cook certain dishes to how to do magic tricks and use computer programs.  Wonder How To also has a section on guitars, including how to play various songs and how to create your own SRV Stratocaster relic guitar.

The Wonder How To SRV (Stevie Ray Vaughn) Stratocaster video series consists of ten different videos.  Each is narrated by Rolijen, the creator of the series.  He begins by talking about how to select the proper body to use in building your relic guitar.  He then moves on to outline the various parts and tools you’ll need.  He will then guide you step by step through the entire process of creating your SRV Stratocaster relic guitar, even giving you some tips on tuning it at the end.

The videos themselves are fairly clear and easy to follow.  Rolijen does a pretty good job of detailing how to make your relic guitar.  Unless you have a laptop or a good sized work area near your desktop computer, though, you may find it easier to follow instructions that you can print out.  Also note that part one of the series actually contains both part 1 and part 2 (bodies and necks, respectively).