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Post subject: blonde finishes?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 8:31 am
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I checked out a new '50's Classic Telecaster - the blonde color is very light - almost a pearl white. Did Telecasters come in that color in the '50's? I've only seen old Tele's in the butterscotch blonde and the classic yellowish blonde. How many 'blonde' finishes have there been through the years?


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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:14 am
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I'm not sure about how many shades of blonde there were, I'm thinking it started out as one and varied by degrees depending on use.

I would really like to see a standard with the same color finish as the blonde roadworn series. That would be my next Tele purchase.


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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:52 pm
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My cuz checked one out the other day and said it was more of a transparent white color. You could actually see the wood grain through it. I'm really not sure but I do believe this was an original option.


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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Tue Dec 20, 2011 7:50 am
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Redfarfisa wrote:
I checked out a new '50's Classic Telecaster - the blonde color is very light - almost a pearl white. Did Telecasters come in that color in the '50's? I've only seen old Tele's in the butterscotch blonde and the classic yellowish blonde. How many 'blonde' finishes have there been through the years?


I'm pretty sure that the finish was called "cream" in the 50s and 60s. After having it and playing in the bars which used to be very smoky, the finish would turn to a yellowish looking color.

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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:57 pm
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Redfarfisa wrote:
I checked out a new '50's Classic Telecaster - the blonde color is very light - almost a pearl white. Did Telecasters come in that color in the '50's? I've only seen old Tele's in the butterscotch blonde and the classic yellowish blonde. How many 'blonde' finishes have there been through the years?

That is because of the yellowing of the clear coat. I have had people tell me there olympic white guitars are blond and I show them there incorrect and that the clear coat has just yellow.

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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:10 pm
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I suppose we're all partial to what we own, but I really like Fender's Honey Blonde color, such as on the MIM Nashville Teles. To my eye, the MIM '50s Classic is too white and some (but not all) '52 RIs are too yellow. And it works well with a black or white pickguard for the early '50s or late '50s look. But that's just me.

I bet the MIM '50s Classics will yellow nicely over the years, even with a poly finish.


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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 7:38 am
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New Telecasters in the '60's had a very nice, creamy blond color. It had a bit more yellow than the 'White Blonde' they use today and a lot less yellow than today's 'Vintage Blonde'. The 'White Blonde' seems to be the closest to the '60's blonde color.


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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2011 8:47 am
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I found the receipt for my '68 Tele and it's listed as
Fender Telecaster/HS black tolex case/Cream/Maple.

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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:26 am
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my tele has quite a yellow blonde finish but its also quite a light coat as the grain is visible, love it to bits :mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Sat Dec 24, 2011 2:26 am
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As per below, I love my sexy blonde :mrgreen:

I am looking forward to my sexy crimson red very soon as well.


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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 11:18 am
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I'm pretty sure White Blonde was the standard finish from 1955-1959, with a white pickguard. Butterscotch Blonde with a black pickguard was through 1954.


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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:18 pm
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HP Hovercraft wrote:
I'm pretty sure White Blonde was the standard finish from 1955-1959, with a white pickguard. Butterscotch Blonde with a black pickguard was through 1954.

This may be true, but only for the open grain bodies, but not the closed grain bodies. I have reason to believe that the closed grain bodies we either painted opaque colors or were finished with a white blonde semi-translucent stain (w/white pick-guard) very early on (i.e. from day one).


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Post subject: Re: blonde finishes?
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2012 6:56 pm
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The 50's RI does have a "whiter" look than the traditional blonde....but I love it just the same. Here are a few shots of mine:

Image

Image


And then with the new black guard:

Image

Image

Image


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