Strat Avenger
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Does anyone here know what colors besides Butterscotch Blonde were available from Fender for the Telecaster from '52 to '57? I've seen the '60s color chart, but haven't found one from the '50s.
Any Vintage Fender Gurus Here??
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Cagey
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There's a very interesting article on Fender's finishes here, if you wanna know some chemistry and history of their finishes.
They don't come right out and say it, but it seems most original Fender finishes in the '50s were clear-to-black bursts (or minor variations thereof), which probably got identified by different names as time went on and the finishes deteriorated/faded/yellowed. Most of the color finishes appear to have started in the early '60s, and were GM car colors. These were also often misidentified over time for the same reasons.
I've read/heard stories over the years that many of the early Fender color finishes were actually applied over those burst finishes, as people got tired of the lack of choice.
They don't come right out and say it, but it seems most original Fender finishes in the '50s were clear-to-black bursts (or minor variations thereof), which probably got identified by different names as time went on and the finishes deteriorated/faded/yellowed. Most of the color finishes appear to have started in the early '60s, and were GM car colors. These were also often misidentified over time for the same reasons.
I've read/heard stories over the years that many of the early Fender color finishes were actually applied over those burst finishes, as people got tired of the lack of choice.
rgand
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Here's an article about a 1955 Strat in the original blonde color.
Rick
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What you need is the Fender Telecaster by A.R. Duchossoir with a special forward by James Burton and Alber Lee
To quote from page 56, Aside from the black paint tentatively offered on the Esquire in the early 1950 catalog, Blond(e) remained the sole standard finish between 1950 and 1974. Starting in 1961 the number of available colors really increased.
Prior to 1957 a musician, if he was in the know, could get a custom color. This custom color option made it's way into the 1957 catalog which provided same for an extra 5% cost. In the conservative 50's this would be a car color probably blue or red. In 1957 a few Tele's were painted a custom 2-tone sunburst. Starting in about 1957 you could get Shoreline gold, Lake Placid Blue and Black.
Prior to 1954 the blonde had a butterscotch color, after 54 it took on a creamier look, and even later it became more off white. Leo was just using available furniture laquer.
The book has loads of tidbits on finishes, and mentions gold sparkle (in the 60's).
Personally, my favorite tele finishes are natural (clear) (1970's) or three color sunburst (1960's). Once I owned a butterscotch blonde tele but sold it at a time I needed the dough. Oh well.
To quote from page 56, Aside from the black paint tentatively offered on the Esquire in the early 1950 catalog, Blond(e) remained the sole standard finish between 1950 and 1974. Starting in 1961 the number of available colors really increased.
Prior to 1957 a musician, if he was in the know, could get a custom color. This custom color option made it's way into the 1957 catalog which provided same for an extra 5% cost. In the conservative 50's this would be a car color probably blue or red. In 1957 a few Tele's were painted a custom 2-tone sunburst. Starting in about 1957 you could get Shoreline gold, Lake Placid Blue and Black.
Prior to 1954 the blonde had a butterscotch color, after 54 it took on a creamier look, and even later it became more off white. Leo was just using available furniture laquer.
The book has loads of tidbits on finishes, and mentions gold sparkle (in the 60's).
Personally, my favorite tele finishes are natural (clear) (1970's) or three color sunburst (1960's). Once I owned a butterscotch blonde tele but sold it at a time I needed the dough. Oh well.
Rick
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Shoot ... I just noticed I have over 1000 posts! Happy 1000th post to me! I joined this forum on the first day you could post, I think, on May 8, 2007. Holy Cow! 
ccasion14: That's 12 years, 83 posts a year and 2 warmoth builds. (I did two builds before that and bought a couple of necks, was there even internet back then? I can't remember)
ccasion14: That's 12 years, 83 posts a year and 2 warmoth builds. (I did two builds before that and bought a couple of necks, was there even internet back then? I can't remember)
Cagey
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Happy 1000th post to you!
When I got to 20,000 posts, Warmoth sent me the candy apple red Corvette I'd been dreaming about. Then I woke up... :laughing7:
Speaking of red cars, one day I was shooting Dakota Red (or something close to that) on an old Mercury Capri I'd rebuilt, as I didn't care for the original silver just about all of them came dressed with. One of my brothers, knowing I was painting that day, comes over with an old '58 Tele one of his buddy's had, wanting me to shoot that as long as I had paint mixed. We thought nothing of it since at that time (late '70s), it was just an old, used guitar. "Vintage" wasn't a thing yet. Kinda feel bad about it now... the guy would probably have taken $100 for it and considered himself lucky :doh:
When I got to 20,000 posts, Warmoth sent me the candy apple red Corvette I'd been dreaming about. Then I woke up... :laughing7:
Speaking of red cars, one day I was shooting Dakota Red (or something close to that) on an old Mercury Capri I'd rebuilt, as I didn't care for the original silver just about all of them came dressed with. One of my brothers, knowing I was painting that day, comes over with an old '58 Tele one of his buddy's had, wanting me to shoot that as long as I had paint mixed. We thought nothing of it since at that time (late '70s), it was just an old, used guitar. "Vintage" wasn't a thing yet. Kinda feel bad about it now... the guy would probably have taken $100 for it and considered himself lucky :doh:
stratamania
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Rick said:
Regarding the quote on page 56 mentioned. As a point of order, one cannot have by definition a sole standard finish but have other available colors.
As someone who can remember those years of the 60s and 70s I can remember seeing Teles generally but not solely in Blonde, but also in Sunbursts, Black etc.
Here is an edited version.
Aside from the black paint tentatively offered on the Esquire in the early 1950 catalog, Blond(e) continued as the standard finish between 1950 and 1961, however, starting in 1961 to 1974 in addition to Blond(e) as a standard color a number of other color options became available.
And happy 1000th post to Rick...
musicispeace
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This thread is really interesting. Thanks to all. There is one vintage focused shop in the city where I live and I have had a chance to see some very yellowing with age Tele's. I have personally not seen any other colors in what has passed through their door. Personally I am a sucker for white Tele's. Mine is translucent white over Poplar. Its a Warmoth build.
Strat Avenger
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Thanks, Rick ( and everyone else) for the info.
My "dilema", which is really quite trivial, is that I'm building a Tele that's based on the 1952 model with some personal preference upgrades (frets, pickups, nut, bridge saddles, neck contour & radius, etc). The idea here is to retain everything I like about a Tele and change everything I don't like about it. I got the idea from G.E. Smith's signature Tele from Fender. While I think the butterscotch blonde finish is beautiful, it's not what I want for this guitar. I originally wanted a Tele that appears like a '52 until more closely inspected. Unfortunately, it will be instantly obvious when it's a color that was never available back then. Of course these are custom guitars we are building here, so we shouldn't really worry about that, right?
Right now, I am torn between two colors; the 1968 GM Butternut Yellow on my Warmoth Strat, or a really dark red 1967 Volvo color called "Oxblood" (darker than Dakota Red).
Leaning more toward the latter at the moment.
My "dilema", which is really quite trivial, is that I'm building a Tele that's based on the 1952 model with some personal preference upgrades (frets, pickups, nut, bridge saddles, neck contour & radius, etc). The idea here is to retain everything I like about a Tele and change everything I don't like about it. I got the idea from G.E. Smith's signature Tele from Fender. While I think the butterscotch blonde finish is beautiful, it's not what I want for this guitar. I originally wanted a Tele that appears like a '52 until more closely inspected. Unfortunately, it will be instantly obvious when it's a color that was never available back then. Of course these are custom guitars we are building here, so we shouldn't really worry about that, right?
Right now, I am torn between two colors; the 1968 GM Butternut Yellow on my Warmoth Strat, or a really dark red 1967 Volvo color called "Oxblood" (darker than Dakota Red).
Leaning more toward the latter at the moment.
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