Link to my 52 ri - Pumpkin barf?

[Cam]

My 52 RI. 2002
Is this the pumpkin puke colour that some folks don't like? No offense taken by the way as the axe plays so fine and is 7 lbs.
52RI
It is at Roel's Telecaster gallery by the way.

[J-man]

No, that one looks to have the older, more eye pleasing finish, this is what I consider the horrible 52ri finish:

[tdu]

The on in the first photo looks too green and the one in the second photo looks a weird orange. Both look nice, but they don't look like the traditional colour I picture in my head.

[Ian]

Having played Cam's 52', rest assured that the word "barf" was the farthest thing from my mind when I played it.. It's a lovely guitar.....it'll be even better when routed out for a Floyd Rose and Super Distortion Humbuckers.... .
CHEERS!!!!

[harlycarly]

Originally Posted by Cam

My 52 RI. 2002
Is this the pumpkin puke colour that some folks don't like? No offense taken by the way as the axe plays so fine and is 7 lbs.
52RI
It is at Roel's Telecaster gallery by the way.

Not IMHO, Cam. That one's a beaut. I do, however, know what folks are talking about. Just a thick, orangey, pudding llooking finish that many don't care for.

Regardless...... if people are happy with their particular guitar, that's all that counts. I played a friend's 52 RI, which was pretty nice. Played a few others in the stores I wasn't crazy about, and some had the pudding finish. I went with a 50's Classic after reading about them here and seeing a decent price on a used one. I'm pretty happy with it.

[Cam]

with a swede saw and then re- build the whole guitar for the headless look. I will then use my circular saw to make the body rectangular and it will then be a much improved instrument. I've decided to not sand the cuts as the rasp file will work much faster. It will then be more functional on my canoe trips. I've designed a particle board attachment (of which I am waiting for the patent on) to help accomodate the Floyd Rose.
Seriously though, I did last nights gig with the 52ri and my ES335. They both had about 50% of the gig. There are certain songs that the ES335 doesn't like to do.....For example Rodney Crowell's She's Crazy for Leavin' just isn't a 335 tune (at least in my hands). Whereas I believe the Tele can do all tunes. By the way, Mike installed an SD JB HB in the bridge on my 335. It has been much improved (in my aging hearing opinion). I've been playing the 335 quite a bit since he upgraded it for me. But the 52 RI would be the one I'd keep if I was only allowed 1 guitar by forces unknown and unseen.
2nd by the way: Ian I can't believe you haven't snagged that super reverb at the toy store yet.
Thanks for the colour opinions everyone.

[dhdfoster]

The one at my local GC looks worse than the one in that second photo. From a distance, I assumed it was some cheap copy. I was surprised to see it was a '52RI. Really thick and ugly finish.

[johnspierce]

So, exactly how does one determine a finish is "thick and gloppy" by looking at it sitting on a stand. Is it because it's shiny? Or is it because the grain is heavily opaqued? The fact is, you can't tell how thick the finish is without popping off the neck or pulling the pickups.

I can understand someone saying they don't like the color of the new 52 RI's or they think they are too glossy, but there is actually no factual basis for saying the finish is thicker just by looking at it sitting on a stand. By that standard, the new "satin" finish guitars must have a "thin" finish, right? But in reality, the satin finish will probably be thicker because it was never sanded and buffed.

A lot of people posting here seem to think the finish on a MIM tele or a CIJ tele is thinner than the new MIA guitars. Is this just an unsubstantiated observation or has someone actually taken all 3 apart and measured the thickness of the finish?

JP

[GuitarJonz]

Its like pornography... I know goop when I see it :D

[Ian]

I'm workin on that Super!!!
I visited the shop last week when I was in town on a Medevac, I had an hour to kill while waiting for the patient and popped in . I saw it and swooned!!! I'm trying to get the $$$$ together. I doooo want that amp..it will be mine.....oh yes....it will be mine!!!
I loved that Blue 335 too.
So much gear...so little $$$$!!!
BTW, I'm sending down my pedalboard to Mike so they can try the Visual Sound pedals ( J&H,RT-66,H2o) I'm using, feel free to take it for a spin.
CHEERS!!!

[jed]

Is that orange or pumpkinny? In some lighting, it looks yellowy.

To me, the more important things are the neck, weight (7 lbs) and sound. I'm lovin' it.

[moondoggie999]

[GUITARmole]

Originally Posted by johnspierce

So, exactly how does one determine a finish is "thick and gloppy" by looking at it sitting on a stand. Is it because it's shiny? Or is it because the grain is heavily opaqued? The fact is, you can't tell how thick the finish is without popping off the neck or pulling the pickups.

I can understand someone saying they don't like the color of the new 52 RI's or they think they are too glossy, but there is actually no factual basis for saying the finish is thicker just by looking at it sitting on a stand. By that standard, the new "satin" finish guitars must have a "thin" finish, right? But in reality, the satin finish will probably be thicker because it was never sanded and buffed.

A lot of people posting here seem to think the finish on a MIM tele or a CIJ tele is thinner than the new MIA guitars. Is this just an unsubstantiated observation or has someone actually taken all 3 apart and measured the thickness of the finish?

JP

Believe me...the finish is SOOOOOOOO thick you can tell by both appearance and feel.

In the case of the HWY Teles (w/the satin finish) it is definitely thinner...I believe the reason it isn't sanded and buffed is because you'd break through the finish down to the wood with little effort.

[FraKo]

modified the color of the blackguard tele on the TDPRI T-shirt accordingly. It's orange. Last year it got the proper butterscotch color. :?

[johnspierce]

In the case of the HWY Teles (w/the satin finish) it is definitely thinner...I believe the reason it isn't sanded and buffed is because you'd break through the finish down to the wood with little effort.

You can tell yourself that if you want, but the reason the HWY series are not sanded and buffed is to keep the cost down. Again, people are confusing glossy with thick and satin with thin - nobody can tell how thick a finish is by just looking at it.

The one thing I do know is that a manufacturer puts as little finish on a product as possible to keep costs down. A buffed-out clear coat can look like it is a foot deep if it is done properly.

Take it from someone who custom paints motorcycles and cars (me) and has also done a considerable amount of nitro and lacquer painting. The new American ash tele has every bit as much finish on it as the 52 RI, but nobody is complaining about it being gloppy because it is finished in "natural" and doesn't have the semi-opaque butterscotch stain the 52 RI has.

Also, as someone else has noted either in this thread or another, Guitar manufacturers all over the world have used polyurethane finishs, fillers and primers for years and the pores of the wood are absolutely filled up. There is no "breathing" of an MIJ/CIJ/MIM/USA guitar. If an electric guitar sounds good acoustically, it's because of the wood, not the finish.

[genelovesjez]

All this concern about finish thickness when it has no effect on the sound of the guitar?

I love the way the Vintage Natural finish looks on my CIJ TL-52, but its appearance is the total extent of its importance to me.

[johnspierce]

There are many who say a guitar with no finish is more resonant than a guitar with finish - who am I to dispute them?

All I know is that modern guitars are all using urethanes for at least part of the finish which means the wood below can't breathe at all and therefore most talk of what type of finish is best is moot. Even my Historic 57 Les Paul which has a nitro finish has a polyurethane filler underneath (according to the guys at the Gibson custom shop).

I think you'll find more sonic difference changing strings than changing the finish.

My classic example of why finish is not important is the 1968 silver metalflake tele played by Brian Holfedt of The Derailers. He has absolutely signature Bakersfield tone through his Fender twin amp -- one of the best sounding tele's I've ever heard. Being metalflake, I can guarantee it took 6 to 8 clear coats minimum to smooth out the finish and keep the flake imbedded. Since it was built in the 60's and probably used acrylic lacquer, it very likely has 14 to 20 coats total including color, primer and clear.

JMO as always,
JP

[Joel Terry]

Originally Posted by genelovesjez

All this concern about finish thickness when it has no effect on the sound of the guitar?

I love the way the Vintage Natural finish looks on my CIJ TL-52, but its appearance is the total extent of its importance to me.

Give that Moop fella a cheroot.

I'd be willing to bet that most players, using a blindfold A/B test, couldn't tell the difference in sound between a poly- and a nitro-finished guitar, ceteris paribus. I don't mean to start a flame war, but I just don't think finish affects the sound of an electric guitar all that much, if at all.

Having said that, from a strictly aesthetic point-of-view, I don't like the increasingly pumpkin finish of the AV '52 RI Teles. Like I said in another post, at the rate Fender USA is making the finish darker and more orange, "Butterscotch Blonde" will eventually be "Ruby Red Grapefruit" within a few years. 8)

Joel

[johnspierce]

Joel,it'll just look like a Gretsch :)

[Joel Terry]

Originally Posted by johnspierce

Joel,it'll just look like a Gretsch :)

Exactly!

Joel

[GUITARmole]

[quote="Joel Terry"]

Originally Posted by genelovesjez

I'd be willing to bet that most players, using a blindfold A/B test, couldn't tell the difference in sound between a poly- and a nitro-finished guitar, ceteris paribus. I don't mean to start a flame war, but I just don't think finish affects the sound of an electric guitar all that much, if at all.

Joel

You're probably right about the sound....I'd be willing to bet I could tell by the FEEL though!

[johnspierce]

I'd be willing to bet I could tell by the FEEL though!

On the neck particularly, yes that is true -- Poly is stickier than nitro and a satin neck does feel faster to me. However, I just can't bring myself to steel wool my 52 RI neck, I love that guitar so much as is, I don't want to mess with it.

My PRS CE-22 has a satin maple neck that *really* feels nice. I think PRS has the best feeling necks on the market right now... plays like butta.

JP

[Joel Terry]

[quote="GUITARmole"]

Originally Posted by Joel Terry

You're probably right about the sound....I'd be willing to bet I could tell by the FEEL though!

I'll concede that.

Joel