Warmoth discontinues Butterscotch Blonde and Mary Kay White

[barorik]

    Hello fellow craftsmen. I wanted to make a post on this as Warmoth has yet to post it on their official page. As of roughly mid-month December 2021, Warmoth discontinued Butterscotch Blonde and Mary Kay White as a paint option. I was told that this is due to two things: 1. The process for those colors is much longer than any of the other available colors. 2. They are backed up on orders due to the pandemic. So I imagine those two things alone slow the process immensely. Eliminating the colors lessens the headache of hearing from frustrated consumers and never-ending catch up.
    I have contacted them numerous times about when they think they may have the options available again. I have received at least 3 different responses as of now. I have been told:
.no idea
.beginning to mid-spring
.fall 2022
As of now, there is no consistent answer.
I completely understand the reason and hope for their getting back on track. However, this is rather frustrating and has put my first build on indefinite hold.
I hope that Warmoth does eventually post something about this, as well as some sort of timeline, so that future calls are unnecessary.
      Which brings me to a couple of questions I would ask all of you:
If I were to try and paint it myself(which I do not want to do), what would be the best paint brand that is or resembles Butterscotch Blonde? Any worthwhile tutorials or trainings to provide insight and lessen the failure ratio.
OR can anyone on here recommend a reputable craftsman, in the Austin area, that can do the translucent Butterscotch Blonde we have all come to know and love? Thanks for any input and help. If this has already been addressed, please share your links.

 

[TBurst Std]

Reach out to Tonar here on the forum.  Does excellent work that I’ve seen. Enough I already have a W naked body I want in MK white (before this news), and want Tonar to do it.

 

[DuckBaloo]

I sprayed Mary Kaye white just this year, there is a bit of a learning curve with translucent colors and I don’t think I am around the bend yet. I’m happy with it, but wouldn’t be happy charging for it. Not sure what would be the hold-up for Warmoth on those finishes though.

If you just need a recommendation, I would ask Marty Bell, who is just a professional in every sense of the word. I’ve heard he has been slowly working toward retirement but he might have a recommendation.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Joe Riggio in Tacoma is another paint expert and specializes in vintage finishes and authentic relicing.  I refer all local paint to him.

 

[aarontunes]

Translucent colors like Butterscotch and Mary Kaye are a pain in the butt and extremely finicky. We end up have to re-spray a very high percentage of those two colors, and in the current climate we simply don't have the time for it. Our paint department is backed up to the moon with standing orders already, so we made the decision to discontinue, at least temporarily, any colors that require extra babysitting and time.


The third color we discontinued was Alpine White.


We don't know if or when they will return. Our hope is that they will, but any dates posited by anyone are purely speculative at this point.

 

[AcrylicSuperman]

Translucent colors like Butterscotch and Mary Kaye are a pain in the butt and extremely finicky. We end up have to re-spray a very high percentage of those two colors, and in the current climate we simply don't have the time for it. Our paint department is backed up to the moon with standing orders already, so we made the decision to discontinue, at least temporarily, any colors that require extra babysitting and time.


The third color we discontinued was Alpine White.


We don't know if or when they will return. Our hope is that they will, but any dates posited by anyone are purely speculative at this point.

I also recently noticed that Fuschia Flake is no longer an option either. What is the story on Fuschia Flake?

 

[swarfrat]

Alpine white? I lack experience here but why is that one of the outliers?

 

[bruzanhd]

Alpine white? I lack experience here but why is that one of the outliers?

All the mentioned colours require a private spray booth so that other colours don’t contaminate the white.

 

[mayfly]

Translucent colors like Butterscotch and Mary Kaye are a pain in the butt and extremely finicky. We end up have to re-spray a very high percentage of those two colors, and in the current climate we simply don't have the time for it. Our paint department is backed up to the moon with standing orders already, so we made the decision to discontinue, at least temporarily, any colors that require extra babysitting and time.


The third color we discontinued was Alpine White.


We don't know if or when they will return. Our hope is that they will, but any dates posited by anyone are purely speculative at this point.

I also recently noticed that Fuschia Flake is no longer an option either. What is the story on Fuschia Flake?

Discontinued by the manufacturer.

Yes, I follow all things flake...

 

[AcrylicSuperman]

Translucent colors like Butterscotch and Mary Kaye are a pain in the butt and extremely finicky. We end up have to re-spray a very high percentage of those two colors, and in the current climate we simply don't have the time for it. Our paint department is backed up to the moon with standing orders already, so we made the decision to discontinue, at least temporarily, any colors that require extra babysitting and time.


The third color we discontinued was Alpine White.


We don't know if or when they will return. Our hope is that they will, but any dates posited by anyone are purely speculative at this point.

I also recently noticed that Fuschia Flake is no longer an option either. What is the story on Fuschia Flake?

Discontinued by the manufacturer.

Yes, I follow all things flake...

Aww, that's a bummer. It was a lovely color.

 

[aarontunes]

Alpine white? I lack experience here but why is that one of the outliers?

Because it is the whitest of whites, every little thing shows up. The tiniest contaminant will cause us to have to sand and re-spray.

 

[J-Bones]

White Pearl is better than Alpine White anyway.

 

[aarontunes]

White Pearl is better than Alpine White anyway.

 

[musicispeace]

Good reminder about Tonar on the forum. I know Joe Riggio and he does great work. MJT will also do those colors and I have gone to them a couple of times for translucent white and was happy. So, don't panic!

 

[Re-Pete]

Translucent colors like Butterscotch and Mary Kaye are a pain in the butt and extremely finicky. We end up have to re-spray a very high percentage of those two colors, and in the current climate we simply don't have the time for it. Our paint department is backed up to the moon with standing orders already, so we made the decision to discontinue, at least temporarily, any colors that require extra babysitting and time.


The third color we discontinued was Alpine White.


We don't know if or when they will return. Our hope is that they will, but any dates posited by anyone are purely speculative at this point.

I can completely understand why you made that decision and I hope this does not backfire on the company.

Butterscotch Blonde is a staple colour option for Tele bodies & MK White is an older fashioned staple for Strats.

I'm sad they have gone for at least a while and hope they will return when things kinda get back to normal. Does anyone remember what "normal" was?  :sad:

 

[aarontunes]

I can completely understand why you made that decision and I hope this does not backfire on the company.

Butterscotch Blonde is a staple colour option for Tele bodies & MK White is an older fashioned staple for Strats.

I'm sad they have gone for at least a while and hope they will return when things kinda get back to normal. Does anyone remember what "normal" was?  :sad:

Of course we know it's a staple color, but given the state of things in the shop it's a decision that had to be made.

I'm sure we'll be fine.

Heck, Musikraft had to stop making bodies entirely. And then they had to narrow their neck offering to only their best sellers.

Businesses are having to do all kinds of things to make it through this thing.

"There's no normal life Wyatt, it's just life. Get on with it." - Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday.

 

[Rick]

Indeed, I feel like Val Kilmer these days ...

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38OnTFICP3U[/youtube]

 

[docteurseb]

Pat Wilkins Guitars is a very good place for a finish too; I've had half a dozen bodies done there the past few years.

Starr Guitars would be an option; they only shoot lacquer now.

 

[BroccoliRob]

if the world evr goes back to "normal" i guess i could finally get my DJ (short for dee jay, short for Disk Jockey) business off the ground. i'll be called DJ Slim Pickin's cause if you hired me u were obviously out of options

 

[Schneidas]

The third color we discontinued was Alpine White.


We don't know if or when they will return. Our hope is that they will, but any dates posited by anyone are purely speculative at this point.

Wow!!
So glad I ordered my custom Strat body in Alpine White in early Dec from you guys and didn't postpone ordering it.
I would have never finished that particular Strat project. So I'm probably one of the final AW orders from you guys!