How to: Fender "Blonde" vintage?

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 30 May 2005 1:17 am

I am trying to get a vintage look (darker yellow) "Fender Blonde" finish on maple... I think that when the originla blonde got aged and turned yelloish it's called "butterscotch"(?). I don't want to recreate the original whitish color but directly the darker yellowish look.
Are there any ready to use paints on the market yet?

Thanks for the help!... J-D.

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 30 May 2005 2:57 am

Hi J-D. Here is a good site. http://home.flash.net/~guitars/ReRanch101.html
Good tutorials & supplies.
StewMac is cool too http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Finishing_supplies.html
but that Reranch gets right to your needs.
They have both the original pre-aged blonde color and the color of a 50 year old blonde that has gone butterscotch with age, smoke & whiskey.[This message was edited by Jon Light on 30 May 2005 at 04:04 AM.]

Jennings Ward · Post by **Jennings Ward** » 30 May 2005 3:09 pm

MIN WAX,,, GOLDEN OAK STAIN WORKS WONDERS ON BARE WOOD......[ NO FINISH ] THIS IS NOT A COMERCIAL, BUT ON CURLY MAPLE,BARE WOOD....IT BRINGS OUT THE GRAIN AND BEAUTY AS WELL AS FRENCH POLISHING... USE THE LIGHT OAK,, THEN AS MANY COATS AS YOU WAND TIL YOU ARE SATISFIED.........IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING,,,WITH ANY STAIN OR COLORING TRY IT ON A PIECE OF SCRAP LIKE WOOD.... I.E. EXPERIMENT FIRST,,,, SAVES A LOT OF GRIEF......JENNINGS......

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EMMONS D10 10-10 profex 2 deltafex ne1000 pv1000, pv 31 bd eq, +

Jennings Ward · Post by **Jennings Ward** » 30 May 2005 3:15 pm

P.S. BE PREPARED TO USE LOTS AND LOTS OF " ELBO GREASE " IF THIS IS YOUR FIRST TRY... THERE IS NO SUB FOR GOOD USE OF ELBO GREASE.... LOL.......JENNINGS

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EMMONS D10 10-10 profex 2 deltafex ne1000 pv1000, pv 31 bd eq, +

James Sission · Post by **James Sission** » 30 May 2005 4:35 pm

You wont really get the true vintage look on maple because the blondes were all made from Ash. Go to this link scroll to the very bottom where it says "Reproducing a Fender Blonde finish". This guy has helped me a couple of times and he KNOWS his business. this article tells you step by step what to buy and how to apply it...
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/fenderc.html

Hope this help you...James

Per Berner · Post by **Per Berner** » 31 May 2005 6:12 am

I would recommend Dan Erlewine's "Guitar Finishing", available from Stewart-McDonalds. He covers a number of techniques for recreating various vintage finishes, among them butterscotch blonde. It doesn't get more in-depth than this very well-written book. I believe they have a video too.
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´75 Emmons p/p D10 8+4, '96 Emmons Legrande II D10 8+5, ´74 Sho-Bud Pro III Custom SD10 4+5, Peavey Nashville 1000

Mark Herrick · Post by **Mark Herrick** » 31 May 2005 10:00 am

Hope this help you...James

Wow! Everything you ever wanted to know about Fender guitar finishes but were afraid to ask...

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James Sission · Post by **James Sission** » 31 May 2005 10:52 am

Yes, and he is really a good guy. He GIVES away a ton information that would otherwise take months of research to find on your own. I used the color codes to re-do a foam green tele. and it came out really nice. His page is full of useful information, glad you enjoyed it......James

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 31 May 2005 11:16 am

There is a company in Texas called www.reranch.com
You can obtain Fender Blonde in the original nitrocellulose lacquer and then to get the "aged" lacquer look, apply some tinted clear coat over the blonde. Once you have it the color you want, use the regular lacquer clear coat. I have refinished several Stringmasters using this method and they turned out excellent. It doesn't make any difference what kind of wood you are covering. The Fender Blonde is a heavy pigmented lacquer and you can cover anything! ReRanch has all the products you need to do a good job. Excellent instructions also.

Erv

BTW: Butterscotch blonde is NOT the color you want. [This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 31 May 2005 at 12:17 PM.][This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 31 May 2005 at 12:19 PM.][This message was edited by Erv Niehaus on 31 May 2005 at 12:20 PM.]

J D Sauser · Post by **J D Sauser** » 31 May 2005 1:06 pm

Thank you so much for all the helpfull answers. I am just in the process to digest all the information and visit the sites you have provided.

Erv, why do I not want "Butterscotch Blonde"? I ask because until your response that's the one I had my heart set on.

Thanks! ... J-D.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 31 May 2005 2:02 pm

JD,
I thought that was the color I wanted also until I started to spray it on and wound up using paint stripper and taking it all off. I have some older, pre Fender Stringmasters I am going to use it on however.

Erv