Looking for a great custom relic guitar? Then check out Rock N’ Roll Relics! Billy, the owner, hand-builds every relic guitar he sells. He uses bodies that are locally hand cut, then adds in reissued Fender hardware and gives the guitar an amazing nitro finish. The end result is a high-quality guitar that looks like it’s been around for years! While he does create some relics to sell at local guitar shops, he will also hand-build a guitar to your specifications. He will find the pickups, neck, and more that you want.
Billy has been playing rock and roll for more than 25 years, so he knows what players want. He was actually part of Jetboy, a rock band formed in 1983. Although the band broke up for some time, they have recently re-formed and are working on a new album. He also worked as a guitar tech for Chris Isaak during the late 90s. It was during this time that he started buying and selling vintage guitars. Eventually, he decided to build his own instead of simply restoring damaged relics.
Recently, Billy has been building a large number of relics to meet growing customer demand and to keep dealers stocked with instruments. He has built two guitars for James Hetfield of Metallica: a Les Paul re-fin and a 52 b-bender Tele reissue. He’s also done two custom builds and a refin for Stevie D. of Buckcherry. Country star Keith Urban hand picked one of Billy’s Jazzbastards from one of the dealers who stocks Rock N’ Roll Relics instruments.
Many of Billy’s relic guitars can be found on the Rock N’ Roll Relics website, which is currently undergoing a re-design so that it will be viewable on iPhones and iPads. If you’re interested in ordering one of his fine instruments, check it out at www.rocknrollrelics.net.
Guest Post By Billy From Rock N' Roll Relics:
For all my Rock N' Roll Relics I use reissued Fender hardware, all bodies and necks are sprayed with nitro from Guitar Re-Ranch, the bodies I get hand cut from a local Luther here In town. I've also used Guitar Mill bodies which are great. I use all Ash and Alder to match vintage specs unless a special request from a customer for say Pine or Mahogany. Necks I get from various sources like All Parts or I get my Luther to cut them for me, Depends on what the customer Is after. Most customers want the vintage profiles and what Is the most popular Is the standard 7-1/4 C shape neck from All Parts.
With pickups I've used all sorts from Duncan, Fralin to Fender etc, I always leave that up to the customer. But now I have a guy who hand winds me pickups, Nunley Custom and they are hands down the best I've come across and Is what I've used exclusively for about 10 builds now, I use em' myself as well ! I also use Luxe capacitors when I do a 'Period Piece' to give It that complete vintage look Inside and out ! Also for a 'period piece' guitars (mainly Tele's) I'll use Glendale milled jack cups and slot head screws.
I've been doing mainly custom builds for about 5 years now and there's been more and more orders coming In each year. As for stores, there's a great vintage one In SF here that have sold a few Rock N' Roll Relics and they sell In about a week ! I also have a store In Canada that have sold around 7 so far In the past few months. My goal now Is to get as many dealers as I can and move more Into that direction of having stores carry Rock N' Roll Relics.
The players I've built for so far Is one for my long time friend Gilby Clarke from Guns N' Roses and two builds for my buddy Stevie D. from Buckcherry. I have a few more prospects In the works like this but nothing I can mention just yet.
I don't have any you tube videos up yet but I plan on getting something together soon. There may be some footage of Stevie D. playing the Strat I built him online but I'm not really sure. I know he will be rockin' this Strat on the KISS tour they are about to embark on next month.
As for my history, I've been playing Rock N' Roll for over 25 years. I'm one of the founding guitarist from the 80's glam/Rock outfit JETBOY formed 1983 and went on to sign two major deals and tour the world and sold around 300,000 albums worldwide. We've actually re-formed and are back In full swing working on our first album In 19 years ! After JETBOY ended I started a pop punkish Rock N' Roll band called American Heartbreak In 1996 who released a few CD'S, singles and vinyl on Indie labels and toured Europe 5 times.
Also In the late 90's I was the guitar tech for Chris Isaak and worked on his 'Speak Of The Devil' album. After that I started an online Rock N' Roll collectible business on the what was new at the time ebay ! I occasionally sold vintage guitars when I came across them and one find was a really messed up 66 blond Tele which I restored (relic style) and sold at a good price for It's time. That's what lead me to start building relic guitars ! I was always messing with my guitars when I was a kid and through the years. I built an Eddie Van Halen star guitar clone In the 9th grade so I was always Into working with my hands. So after restoring the 66 Tele I built a clone/Relic of It and here I am doing It as a business now.
Here are some of the links to my Rock N' Roll Relics site's and band sites.
www.rocknrollrelics.net
www.myspace.com/rocknrollrelics
http://twitter.com/RockNRollRelics
www.jetboyrocks.com
http://www.myspace.com/jetboyrocks
http://twitter.com/jetboyrocks
http://www.myspace.com/billy_rowe
http://www/myspace.com/americanheartbreak
