Which one is the real blonde ?

kuma52 · January 16th, 2007, 10:35 AM

I bought a few days ago one of these new Mexican Baja tele. I don't want to talk here about her sound or fit and finish,(superb by the way).

Having in my little collection a Nocaster, a 52RI and a few others strats and tele, i realized that the Baja color was in my opinion the real blonde color i was searshing for years.

Not orange pumkin like the 52ri nor too yellow like the nocaster, it's that subtle light yellow like the one in the TDPRI pages.

What do you think guys?

Stefan · January 16th, 2007, 10:47 AM

Which one is which?

Is that the Baja in the middle?

GTO · January 16th, 2007, 10:48 AM

They are all 'accurate' in terms of how old Fender paint finishes age in different ways, so none are like the original colour (which is closer to what the MIM Classic series blonde Tele's are painted) and I agree with you, I like the colour of the Baja best. Nice selection of guitars Kuma52.

Stefan · January 16th, 2007, 10:51 AM

In my opinon, the one in the middle is the authentic Telecaster blonde.

0le FUZZY · January 16th, 2007, 10:54 AM

...The won inna middow iss closest tew the original shade as it waz whence the finish first came out.

...Add 50+ years and the won on the rite iss closest.

...Dependin on the cornditions it waz played it the won onna leff could be the color.

...Many here wood be suprised iffin we could show a bran-canoe won the day after the boyz and gurlz at Fenner shipped it out in 51. Then again suprised iffin we could show a 55 the day after.

(deranged internet-based alter ego, with my own lexicon and all.)

Please visit my page

sidneystreet · January 16th, 2007, 11:28 AM

That '52 reissue stands out like a sore thumb. It is flat out orange, and I don't believe it looks representative of a 50 year old tele at all. The 50's telecasters in Nacho's book, and others, don't look like that.

Who among us could be fooled by that pic into believing that the '52 reissue was actually a vintage telecaster?

kuma52 · January 16th, 2007, 11:41 AM

Sorry, i forgot to tell which is which;

On the left you got the Nocaster, then the Baja, and on the right side the 52ri.

Lostheart · January 16th, 2007, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidneystreet

That '52 reissue stands out like a sore thumb. It is flat out orange, and I don't believe it looks representative of a 50 year old tele at all. The 50's telecasters in Nacho's book, and others, don't look like that.

Who among us could be fooled by that pic into believing that the '52 reissue was actually a vintage telecaster?

Keep in mind that photos can really mess with the color (especially if it was shot with a point-and-shoot camera). The pics in the Nacho book were done by a professional with pro gear and lighting...and still...there's always the chance that the colors come out different in the printing process.
Monitors also need to be precisely calibrated as well...
I'm past the point where I judge a color by a photo because it can have a certain color space embedded and my monitor might have a different one.

sidneystreet · January 16th, 2007, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lostheart

Keep in mind that photos can really mess with the color...

It's funny how the Nocaster and Baja weren't impacted by the same photo anomalies. These guitars were photographed under the same conditions. Everything else in the photos is consistent: the color of the sky, the background wall, the shadows.

I'm sure that Kuma52 can confirm which guitar is the most orange of the three. It ain't just a trick of photography.

kuma52 · January 16th, 2007, 12:17 PM

All the photos were taken at the same moment with a professional camera and the white balance being calibrated exactely.

I can tell that in my monitor the guitars looks exactement as they are in real. It took me a lot of time to achieve the propper balance with the camera and the natural light.
As some of you pointed, in another light or another monitor the perception may varry a lot.

But each one can tell a Nocaster from a 52 ri. The Baja being new in our eyes it's more difficult to tell. But as i said the three of them look as they are.
Sheers.

Darrell · January 16th, 2007, 12:27 PM

Nocaster - vintage blonde
Baja - blonde
52ri - butterscotch blonde

Only one is just...blonde. I think Fender labelled them correctly.

Dan R · January 16th, 2007, 12:37 PM

The one in the middle (Baja) is what I would call classic blonde.

Dan R

Jellecaster · January 16th, 2007, 03:03 PM

Its funny you should post this. I always thought that I liked butterscotch the best. Lately I have only been playing my Baja and took-out my Nocaster and '52 to look at them. I really didn't like the look of the '52 at all in comparison. The Baja really is the best looking of the three.

It holds up well against the other two as far as playability (considering the price) but that's another thread.

RomanS · January 16th, 2007, 05:29 PM

Actually, to me the butterscotch blonde 52RI looks best, the others are just a tad too yellow...

Telemarkman · January 16th, 2007, 06:05 PM

They all look BLONDE to me, and even if the Baja Tele is closest to a new '51 or '52, I'm sure you can find originals that today look more like the '52RI or the '51 Nocaster. It all depends on the life of the guitar.

Blonde isn't defined to one shade of the color - my old '65 blonde Tele was almost white !

TeleTurkey · January 16th, 2007, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidneystreet

That '52 reissue stands out like a sore thumb. It is flat out orange, and I don't believe it looks representative of a 50 year old tele at all. The 50's telecasters in Nacho's book, and others, don't look like that.

Who among us could be fooled by that pic into believing that the '52 reissue was actually a vintage telecaster?

To me the Nocaster stood out with it's flamed neck. I doubt you would find one of those on a Baja or 52RI.

aznrambo481 · January 16th, 2007, 07:36 PM

in this pic, the one in the middle seems to be the tele-y color. the others look... synthetic.

Mark N · January 16th, 2007, 07:48 PM

I like 'em all...here's my 24year old 52ri...

depends on the lighting with this old guitar...sometimes it looks darker and sometimes lighter, if that makes sense

sidneystreet · January 16th, 2007, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark N

I like 'em all...here's my 24year old 52ri...

depends on the lighting with this old guitar...sometimes it looks darker and sometimes lighter, if that makes sense

Now that is an awesome looking '52 reissue! If I ever see one in person that looks like that, I will buy it immediately.

Twang Tone · January 17th, 2007, 03:05 AM

Looks to me like the Baja is about the right shade of Blonde. Is the Nocaster a Cunetto?

Couldn't pick a favourite, so here's what I'd do:

I'll take the neck from the Nocaster....
...the body from the Baja....
....and the OV pickups from the '52ri....

Now, that's a guitar!

markothefish · January 17th, 2007, 03:37 AM

Man !!!!! all three look great ... P.S> can come and hang out on your balcony and play your guitars . Your livin the GOOD LIFE !!!!

kuma52 · January 17th, 2007, 06:05 AM

thanks to all of you for your answers.
Sidney, your 52 is one of the nicest i ever seen. The shade on those old ones was far better.And the wood quality better too. All of the 52ri i tried 20years ago was litght and very well finished with 2 pieces body center seam.

Twang tone the nocaster is a 2000, they still had flammed birdeyes neck. (very stable)

Markothefish you're welcomed on my balcony whenever you want , and you know what , bondes have more fun .

Lostheart · January 17th, 2007, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidneystreet

It's funny how the Nocaster and Baja weren't impacted by the same photo anomalies. These guitars were photographed under the same conditions. Everything else in the photos is consistent: the color of the sky, the background wall, the shadows.

I'm sure that Kuma52 can confirm which guitar is the most orange of the three. It ain't just a trick of photography.

That's not what I meant...I agree with you and we all know that 52 RI's turned real orange at some point in time.
What I meant was:

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuma52

As some of you pointed, in another light or another monitor the perception may varry a lot.

Exactly...and as long as we all do not use something like this http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/c...owerbook_1.jpg it's useless to talk colors (i.e. "...one looks really yellow...") on the web because I'm pretty sure that if we take 10 TDPRI members and set up their monitors side by side we probably get 10 different looking pics.

Lostheart · January 17th, 2007, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidneystreet

Now that is an awesome looking '52 reissue! If I ever see one in person that looks like that, I will buy it immediately.

Have to agree...beat up Teles look sweet!
There was one 52 RI on eBAy a short while ago that was even more beat...I saved the photos somewhere on my HD...have to dig them back out.

Mark N · January 17th, 2007, 10:52 AM

Hey thanks for those comments on my tele Sidneystreet....yeah I love that old guitar. I held it up at an angle the other day by the body and you could see all the little dings, dents and the finish starting to sink into the grain. The vibe in this guitar is incredible. It's super light as well. I'll never part with her. My friend also has one of the older ones and it has been played and played over the yearz. The finish on his has checked soooo nicely. Mine has yet to check as I keep it inside at all times (not left in the car)when I am not gigging so it doesn't see a lot of temp changes.

It's not all original as the tuners have been replaced, once it had Schaellers, I put the Kluson style back in, it's been routed for a humbucker in the neck, the frets are jumbo, the original bridge plate is long gone(I got this guitar used about 9 years ago) but the neck, pups, body, electronics etc are all original. It plays so nice!

January 16th, 2007, 10:35 AM	#1 (permalink)
kuma52 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: South France Posts: 149	Which one is the real blonde ? I bought a few days ago one of these new Mexican Baja tele. I don't want to talk here about her sound or fit and finish,(superb by the way). Having in my little collection a Nocaster, a 52RI and a few others strats and tele, i realized that the Baja color was in my opinion the real blonde color i was searshing for years. Not orange pumkin like the 52ri nor too yellow like the nocaster, it's that subtle light yellow like the one in the TDPRI pages. What do you think guys?

January 16th, 2007, 10:47 AM	#2 (permalink)
Stefan Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sweden Age: 29 Posts: 1,810 36 Photos	Which one is which? Is that the Baja in the middle? __________________ 1981 Capri Orange Fender Telecaster 1976 Fender Stratocaster 2007 Martin Backpacker 2005 Martin HD-28 Last edited by Stefan : January 16th, 2007 at 03:40 PM.

January 16th, 2007, 10:51 AM	#4 (permalink)
Stefan Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Sweden Age: 29 Posts: 1,810 36 Photos	In my opinon, the one in the middle is the authentic Telecaster blonde. __________________ 1981 Capri Orange Fender Telecaster 1976 Fender Stratocaster 2007 Martin Backpacker 2005 Martin HD-28

January 16th, 2007, 12:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
Darrell Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Houston, Texas Age: 48 Posts: 2,445	Nocaster - vintage blonde Baja - blonde 52ri - butterscotch blonde Only one is just...blonde. I think Fender labelled them correctly. __________________ "Yeap, I like the American Standard Telecaster, I can even live with one a them PCB amps, and I even use one a them mul-tie-effects things too."

January 16th, 2007, 07:36 PM	#17 (permalink)
aznrambo481 Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla, California Age: 17 Posts: 2,823 6 Photos	in this pic, the one in the middle seems to be the tele-y color. the others look... synthetic. __________________ "Never age. Never die. Live forever in that one last white-hot moment, when the crowd screamed. When every note was a heartbeat. Burn across the sky."-Terry Pratchett, Soul Music.

January 16th, 2007, 10:48 AM	#3 (permalink)
GTO Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Peak District Posts: 775	They are all 'accurate' in terms of how old Fender paint finishes age in different ways, so none are like the original colour (which is closer to what the MIM Classic series blonde Tele's are painted) and I agree with you, I like the colour of the Baja best. Nice selection of guitars Kuma52.

January 16th, 2007, 10:54 AM	#5 (permalink)
0le FUZZY Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kolly-forn-knee-ya Posts: 10,001 6 Photos	...The won inna middow iss closest tew the original shade as it waz whence the finish first came out. ...Add 50+ years and the won on the rite iss closest. ...Dependin on the cornditions it waz played it the won onna leff could be the color. ...Many here wood be suprised iffin we could show a bran-canoe won the day after the boyz and gurlz at Fenner shipped it out in 51. Then again suprised iffin we could show a 55 the day after. (deranged internet-based alter ego, with my own lexicon and all.) Please visit my page

January 16th, 2007, 11:28 AM	#6 (permalink)
sidneystreet Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,233	That '52 reissue stands out like a sore thumb. It is flat out orange, and I don't believe it looks representative of a 50 year old tele at all. The 50's telecasters in Nacho's book, and others, don't look like that. Who among us could be fooled by that pic into believing that the '52 reissue was actually a vintage telecaster?

January 16th, 2007, 11:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
kuma52 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: South France Posts: 149	Sorry, i forgot to tell which is which; On the left you got the Nocaster, then the Baja, and on the right side the 52ri.

January 16th, 2007, 12:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
kuma52 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: South France Posts: 149	All the photos were taken at the same moment with a professional camera and the white balance being calibrated exactely. I can tell that in my monitor the guitars looks exactement as they are in real. It took me a lot of time to achieve the propper balance with the camera and the natural light. As some of you pointed, in another light or another monitor the perception may varry a lot. But each one can tell a Nocaster from a 52 ri. The Baja being new in our eyes it's more difficult to tell. But as i said the three of them look as they are. Sheers.

January 16th, 2007, 12:37 PM	#12 (permalink)
Dan R Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Charleston, SC Age: 50 Posts: 853	The one in the middle (Baja) is what I would call classic blonde. Dan R

January 16th, 2007, 03:03 PM	#13 (permalink)
Jellecaster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: New Hampshire, USA Age: 39 Posts: 2,024	Its funny you should post this. I always thought that I liked butterscotch the best. Lately I have only been playing my Baja and took-out my Nocaster and '52 to look at them. I really didn't like the look of the '52 at all in comparison. The Baja really is the best looking of the three. It holds up well against the other two as far as playability (considering the price) but that's another thread.

January 16th, 2007, 05:29 PM	#14 (permalink)
RomanS Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Vienna, Austria Age: 36 Posts: 2,651 14 Photos	Actually, to me the butterscotch blonde 52RI looks best, the others are just a tad too yellow...

January 16th, 2007, 06:05 PM	#15 (permalink)
Telemarkman Friend of Leo's Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Norway Age: 61 Posts: 4,063	They all look BLONDE to me, and even if the Baja Tele is closest to a new '51 or '52, I'm sure you can find originals that today look more like the '52RI or the '51 Nocaster. It all depends on the life of the guitar. Blonde isn't defined to one shade of the color - my old '65 blonde Tele was almost white !

January 16th, 2007, 07:48 PM	#18 (permalink)
Mark N Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Woodstock, NB, Canada Age: 36 Posts: 465 8 Photos	I like 'em all...here's my 24year old 52ri... depends on the lighting with this old guitar...sometimes it looks darker and sometimes lighter, if that makes sense

January 17th, 2007, 03:05 AM	#20 (permalink)
Twang Tone Tele-Holic Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: London, England Age: 35 Posts: 805	Looks to me like the Baja is about the right shade of Blonde. Is the Nocaster a Cunetto? Couldn't pick a favourite, so here's what I'd do: I'll take the neck from the Nocaster.... ...the body from the Baja.... ....and the OV pickups from the '52ri.... Now, that's a guitar! __________________ TT Ridicule is nothing to be scared of!

January 17th, 2007, 03:37 AM	#21 (permalink)
markothefish Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Greenville, Rhode Island Age: 42 Posts: 1,774 7 Photos	Man !!!!! all three look great ... P.S> can come and hang out on your balcony and play your guitars . Your livin the GOOD LIFE !!!! __________________ Who are you going to believe, me or your own eyes? Groucho Marx

January 17th, 2007, 06:05 AM	#22 (permalink)
kuma52 Tele-Meister Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: South France Posts: 149	thanks to all of you for your answers. Sidney, your 52 is one of the nicest i ever seen. The shade on those old ones was far better.And the wood quality better too. All of the 52ri i tried 20years ago was litght and very well finished with 2 pieces body center seam. Twang tone the nocaster is a 2000, they still had flammed birdeyes neck. (very stable) Markothefish you're welcomed on my balcony whenever you want , and you know what , bondes have more fun .

January 17th, 2007, 10:52 AM	#25 (permalink)
Mark N Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Woodstock, NB, Canada Age: 36 Posts: 465 8 Photos	Hey thanks for those comments on my tele Sidneystreet....yeah I love that old guitar. I held it up at an angle the other day by the body and you could see all the little dings, dents and the finish starting to sink into the grain. The vibe in this guitar is incredible. It's super light as well. I'll never part with her. My friend also has one of the older ones and it has been played and played over the yearz. The finish on his has checked soooo nicely. Mine has yet to check as I keep it inside at all times (not left in the car)when I am not gigging so it doesn't see a lot of temp changes. It's not all original as the tuners have been replaced, once it had Schaellers, I put the Kluson style back in, it's been routed for a humbucker in the neck, the frets are jumbo, the original bridge plate is long gone(I got this guitar used about 9 years ago) but the neck, pups, body, electronics etc are all original. It plays so nice!