Honey Blonde/BSB difference?

[BAM!101]

is there a difference between the 2? they look the same on the comp screen. Any help would be nicepics are also lol thanks

[cc9cii]

The way I like to think is - Honey Blonde relic'ed becomes Butterscotch Blonde

i.e. NOS Honey Blonde is quite pale

YMMV (and there would be lots of differing opinions on this)

[New2Teles]

Originally Posted by cc9cii

The way I like to think is - Honey Blonde relic'ed becomes Butterscotch Blonde

i.e. NOS Honey Blonde is quite pale

I would agree with this. It's "typically" easier to see the wood grain through Honey than Butterscotch. Because of this, Honey can sometimes look "streaky" and even have hues of green or pink to it. I've seen a couple of Highway 1 Tele's with a distinctly pink tinge. Not that I think they look bad at all.

In stages of "whiteness" (most to least) for me, it goes:
White Blonde - Honey Blonde - Butterscotch Blonde.

[sonny wolf]

Honey blonde is actually beige.Butterscotch is more yellowish...the classic Tele finish.The butterscotch finish is actually an aged type of honey blonde color.The nitrocellulose lacquer ages very easily and yellows with time.I've seen some photos of mint condition blackguard teles and they were a somewhat beige like color...not much yellow like we usually associate butterscotch Teles today.In 1954,the finish became even more beige like and gradually paler throughout the 1950s.

[aztwang]

I beleive it depends on the amount of amber coats that are applied. White, Blonde, Honey, and butterscotch...but honey blonde is not blonde...IMO

[Telemarkman]

Fender had only one standard finish from 1950 to 1974. At first it was called Blonde, but the name was changed to Blond.
There never was a color called "Butterscotch Blonde" or "Honey Blonde".

A Blond(e) finish is more or less transparent - if it is opaque it isn't Blond(e)!

At first the Blonde color resembled the background color of this website, but in 1954/55 the Blonde got gradually whiter, more like the one we call "White Blond" today.

A lot of the early ones - notably those exposed to UV light, smokie bars and other environmental influences - got a more darker yellowish or orange color due to the yellowing of the nitro lacquer over decades. This color was named "Butterscotch Blonde" after the color of the candy. It's this color that the '52 RI is trying to replicate.

"Honey Blonde" is Custom Shop's name for the early 50's Blonde, used on some of the '51 Nocaster finishes (Closet Classic and Relic). It is lighter than the "Butterscotch" but darker than the "Vintage Blonde" used on the NOS Nocasters.

[KevinB]

I agree with Telemarkman, "in the beginning" there was just "Blonde". How that colour aged - differently because of different paint formulations - is the issue.

Anyway, from Fender's current website...

[Ronkirn]

+1 on what Telemarkman said.....

what happened, is over the years the lacquer that was used used, became more and more amber, thus turning the initial pale "yellow" darker, a more amber shade. That’s what nitro and most other older “clear” finishes did. It comes with the territory.

Further complicating matters is that Fender used a number of suppliers for the Lacquer. Dupont is generally considered as THE supplier, but other paint manufacturers were used too. Those differing lacquers could turn different shades... Vintage finishes ranging from Orange to Green have been seen.

Another factor in the color equation is the environment... Tobacco smoke, very prolific in the 50's and 60's, could do its thing too.

SO there is no "correct" shade... just squirt your "stuff" wait till it dries and play the booger...

Ron Kirn

[Telemarkman]

Originally Posted by Ronkirn

SO there is no "correct" shade... just squirt your "stuff" wait till it dries and play the booger...

You have a way with words ... Hee, hee!

[Ronkirn]

I took creative writing at Bubba Buddy's Transmission repair and ritin' skule... where their moto is, " Ifin you kaint rite no werds, well just shucks.... let's go fishin' then."

rk