What is the "true" '52 Tele color?

PFDarkside

PFDarkside

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I've seen '52 style Teles in probably 4 colors, what is accurate? Or is it like the Burst Les Pauls, where new they were one color, well maintained examples out of UV look another way and well worn models look yet a few other ways?

I really like the transparent "yellow" my CIJ '52 is... but were real '52s transparent or translucent? Amber, Yellow, Clear or Blonde?

Tele.jpg
 
Re: What is the "true" '52 Tele color?

they were blonde ... Fender used a translucent "limed" finish to match a popular furniture finish of the time

the finish varied from year to year as Fender sorted things out. Things were not so set in stone back then. If you take a 50 year old guitar with varying formulas of lacquer, then yes, you see a LOT of variation. Bar rooms and sunlight also took their toll.

one of the best sources is the Black Guard Book, sold by JK Lutherie
 
Re: What is the "true" '52 Tele color?

So that whiteish translucent color was closest to real color? Was it glossy or matte?
 
Re: What is the "true" '52 Tele color?

when they were new, they were closer to what is nowadays called "vintage blonde":

BGB.jpg


it was a gloss lacquer finish when new, but some have dulled and flaked with age

the "butterscotch" that Fender uses on their '52 RI looks to me like they were simulating an aged original finish. Fender tried different lacquers over the early years, which created different degrees of yellowing

you might look at some of the Fender custom shop finishes on early tele models ... try looking on Wildwood's site ...

early tele
 
Re: What is the "true" '52 Tele color?

I think the closest Fender gets to the actual 50-55 blonde is probably the honey blonde you see on the NOS 51 Nocasters. I don't think white blonde was used back then. But as Curly said, there weren't really standards of consistency back then.
 
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