Arctic or Olympic?

Whats whiter? Sometimes I see Arctic white mexican standards and they look pure white, other times they look cream. Same with olympics (I'm talking pictures of new guitars not those which have changed with age), sometimes they are very white sometimes more of a cream.

Thanks.

I agree that it's confusing. It's hard to predict which will start out whiter and which will end up creamier. I have an Olympic White 1995 MIM Standard that's mellowed to a pale cream (except under the pickguard, where it's still fishbelly white). I tend to find Arctic White is whiter, but I'm sure there are individual samples that prove me wrong.

This has always bugged me too. I prefer a creamier looking strat to the pure white. I think artic white is supposed to to be the whiter or the two. I have a 99 hardtail am stnd that has turned to a nice creamy white. When I bought it I was told it was Olympic.

Fender says

http://www.fender.com/resources/colors/images/05_lg.jpghttp://www.fender.com/resources/colors/images/41_lg.jpghttp://www.fender.com/resources/colors/images/80_lg.jpg

My olympic white Jimmie Vaughan is more ivory that the above arctic white sample, at one year both near and under the pickguard. Beautiful.
I think FMIC's color sample card is a shame.

Checking out an NOS acrylic blonde Highway One Texas Tele in a store yesterday; that color is exceptionally easy on the eyes, way nicer than the beige of the nitro Highway One guitars. More translucent, a true blonde.
The Texas Tele, even tho acrylic, had some wear on the finish. I wonder if the dealer would let me install a new set of 11s on there; I wouldn't buy it with the old wires on there, too many questions.

Bubbanov

My olympic white Jimmie Vaughan is more ivory that the above arctic white sample, at one year both near and under the pickguard. Beautiful.
I think FMIC's color sample card is a shame.

I agree. A few years ago I tried a Jimmie V in the store and loved two things, the neck, and the cream color. I looked up the specs to find that it was Olympic White. But when I found a Tele in Olympic White, it was bright white-white. Same spec color name, different color.

And my 1st generation Hwy1 Honey Blonde is almost like banana pudding. The 2nd gen Hwy1 Honey Blonde I've seen is almost that tan putty color of office file cabinets.

:confused:

My Olympic White 60's Classic Telecaster is the same color as my JV Strat - I just put them side by side - the Tele is a few years older - has its whiteness mellowed in that time?

I'll have to remove the pickguard and see.

Just removed the tele pickguard - no "shadow" so no fading or dulling.

Both it and the JV look more mellow than the Arctic White above - between it and the vintage white - at least on my monitor - not like that stark white Olympic white.

Funny as I wanted a more pure white but it seems the creamier white is more popular. That vintage white shouldn't really be described as white at all though. Just got me an Olympic white MIM 70s strat reissue. A steal at £260 (the cheapest UK price seems to be about £450). And it looks pretty white. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=320167768499&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=011

I've had three Olympic White Fenders in the last few years, and none have been the bright white that is shown on the Fender colour chart, each has been the same colour as the 'Artic White' example. One was an NOS Custom Shop Strat, one was a Classic series 60s Tele, and one was a 70s series Strat. I'd expect the CS to get it right, and the chances of two separate dealers mislabelling the two other guitars is therefore unlikely. In fact I have never assumed the creamier colour was anything other than Olympic White, and have never been surprised when browsing in shops into thinking something has been mislabelled.

So I would guess the Fender colour chart is wrong. In fact on a psychlogical level of what the colour names tell 'me' about the colour, the Arctic White on the chart looks like a Polar bear has pee'd in the snow.

My Arctic white MIM P Bass is a great very slightly creamy white, like ivory. My favourite white.