I really hate to ask a stupid question, but are there two different "Surf Green" colors? When I look at the current American Vintage '57 Strat Reissue in surf green, it appears to be a baby blue. However, the Fender '72 Pawn Shop guitar in surf green is clearly green. Also, I've seen some surf green customer shop strats that are obviously green. Its just a nitpicking thing that I wish I had the answer to!

Tossing yet another monkey into the wrench, there's also Sea Foam Green which is periodically mis-identified as Surf Green.

Ain't "Fenderology" a gas?



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

You might check Brother Dave's Resource page (http://brotherdave.com/resources.htm). In the Index, click on the link for Instrument Historic Data. Scroll down, and there's a section on Vintage Guitar Colors. Perhaps it will be of help.

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Photography white balance is critical and plays funny tricks when not set properly or compensated for correctly.

Surf Green is green.

I had a '65 Sonic Blue Strat that faded to a very nice shade of Surf Green....not quite as green but even a better look...imho.

Green is a combination of blue and yellow pigments. The balance of the two pigments affect the coloration, so by altering that balance you can make it more more green or more blue. "Surf Green" can be said to be a blue-ish shade of green, because it has more blue in it than it does yellow. However, when photographing such a color, both lighting conditions and the camera's settings can and will affect how it looks in the final photo. It can go either way, based on those conditions.

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"It's about sound and sound alone. Looks are irrelevant. You can have the best-looking guitar on earth, but if the sound isn't there it is nothing more than a beautiful piece of trash. The sound it makes is the soul of any guitar."

And of course the amount of fade of the clear top coat...or the lack of one...But I think we all agree it is one BEAUTIFUL color!

T2

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Mine looks more blueish, unless it's in direct sunlight

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Thanks for all the great input guys! Since a picture is worth a thousand words, are you guys basically saying that the difference between this:
and this: is just the color variation from the two cameras and that they are actually the same color? I ask because these pictures are what piqued my curiosity in the first place as they are both listed as being surf green.

The Strat looks to be Sea Foam Green.

The......uh, er (whatever it is) seems to be Surf Green.

(but my eyes ain't what they used to be)



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

The 72 is the better approximation of Surf Green.

thanks! cool pic!

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

Lighting does make a difference. Here's an indoor pic and an outdoor pic of my Surf Green Classic 50s Strat.
000_0427 by John Bohn, on Flickr
000_0288 by John Bohn, on Flickr
Bright sunlight does make the green look darker.

John

Sunlight is the true lighting source to judge colors by. Studio lighting and strobes can shift the perceived colors. Keep in mind that most people do not have calibrated computer monitors, so colors are often off a bit.

Nice pics John. PV is a great place.

John,really nice guitars...love the one on the left,looks like my old '65....of course on this computer it looks Sonic blue.