But a modern guitar will never acquire the kind of wear that an actual '50s or '60s guitar has, because the finishing process is different. You can play your brand new 2008 Tele in smoky roadhouses every night for the next 20 years and it won't wear like an older instrument. Relics are for people who want the older look. Sure, maybe it's cheating, but it's still fun. And the great thing is that if you still don't like it, no one's going to force you to you buy one.