Dakota Red in the Wild

[Ignatius Reilly]

I like early '60's teles and Dakota red. I've seen examples of '61-'62 Stratocasters in Dakota but on teles I haven't seen one prior to about '66. Any examples out there? Anyone know why?

Thank you.

 

[hamerfan]

Since those colors were only built on customers demand, there is no rule or probability that they exist and how much of them. And since the Telecaster folks were more conservative, i guess that the number of custom colored telecasters are a lot lower than the number of stratocasters.

 

[Antoon]

Since those colors were only built on customers demand, there is no rule or probability that they exist and how much of them. And since the Telecaster folks were more conservative, i guess that the number of custom colored telecasters are a lot lower than the number of stratocasters.

Or offsets

 

[hamerfan]

And don‘t forget about the basses.

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

Perfect under appreciated custom colour imo.

 

[teletimetx]

I like Dakota Red. Looks good on a tele, IMO. You can get a Sire version on the Sweetwater for $349 at the moment. Mahog body and rosewood board, most of them a little on the hefty side at about 8#s plus, but there was one at 7# 8oz. I'm not a shill for SW or Sire but there it is.

I imagine an older actual Fender might cost a fair amount more.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LCT3DR--sire-larry-carlton-t3-electric-guitar-dakota-red?mrkgadid=&mrkgcl=28&mrkgen=gpla&mrkgbflag=1&mrkgcat=amps&effects&acctid=21700000001645388&dskeywordid=&lid=58700008833413041&dsproductgroupid=&product_id=LCT3DR&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=x&matchtype=&adpos=largenumber&locationid=9028925&creative=&targetid=&campaignid=22083900465&awsearchcpc=&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD_RQYk3kqhqKIzweVwDW7nrC6Pmw&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgpro_NLJjAMVRdXCBB3v-jClEAQYAiABEgKfefD_BwE

or the Fender version, a little more pricey

Chris Shiflett Cleaver Telecaster® Deluxe

Night after night the Foo Fighters' Chris Shiflett carves his way through a full brigade of guitar tones on the biggest, loudest stages in the world. This tour-tested son-of-a-gun is named "The Cleaver" for a reason - it positively slashes through the mix with a voice that snarls dirty as well...

www.fender.com

or even pricier

Fender Custom Shop 61 Telecaster Journeyman Relic in Faded Dakota Red CZ556959

This Fender Custom Shop 61 Telecaster Journeyman Relic in Faded Dakota Red is a much-needed breath of fresh air! We tend to focus on the 50s Tele and their Swamp Ash body, so we've kinda neglected the Alder and Rosewood combo. The late 1950s and early 1960s saw some notable changes in the Tele...

musicgalleryinc.com

 

[teletimetx]

oops, doubled.

 

[fernieite]

Here's a crumby old Polaroid shot of my 1963 Esquire. It was red, but I'm not sure which type...maybe Dakota? This was taken back in the late 70s or early 80s, when I had it.

 

[msalama]

my 1963 Esquire

Nice! Looks like Fiesta Red to me.

 

[Sea Devil]

You'd think there would be more, since James Burton played a red Tele before switching to the pink paisley. His guitar had several refinishes, only one of which was Dakota, but they were always darker than fiesta. Then again, most photos and broadcasts of him during that period were black and white.

 

[ivanivanivan]

Lov

Here's a crumby old Polaroid shot of my 1963 Esquire. It was red, but I'm not sure which type...maybe Dakota? This was taken back in the late 70s or early 80s, when I had it.

View attachment 1338611

Love these '60s colors against the rosewood board; beautiful guitar. Looks similar to the Fiesta Red Telecaster that was evidently owned by Giorgio Gomelsky, and used by Clapton when he was in the Yardbirds.

 

[Twangandy_]

Here's a crumby old Polaroid shot of my 1963 Esquire. It was red, but I'm not sure which type...maybe Dakota? This was taken back in the late 70s or early 80s, when I had it.

View attachment 1338611

Seems Fiesta red but anything can be

 

[Twangandy_]

Is Dakota the color of Muddy Waters Tele?

 

[Sea Devil]

I saw the real MW Tele in person. It looked much darker than Dakota.

 

[Kiapolo1971]

This is what becomes of Dakota Red after 60 or so years.

 

[FenderScott]

Mr. Bonamassa has one. He posted this '67 on IG recently.

 

[Ignatius Reilly]

Thanks for the examples and suggestions folks. Going to have one refin'd in Dakota. It'll be finished in nitrocellulose. It's nothing special-- not an old one or anything, but it'll be mine. If it looks half as good as some of the above examples, I'll be pleased.

MW's tele was a CAR refin; a '57-8 with a swapped '61-ish neck. They say CAR but it sure is hard to tell Dakota from the CAR that Muddy played. Both gorgeous.

 

[Matthias]

Anyone know if the finish simply advertised as “Red” on Musicmasters and Broncos was the same as Dakota? It doesn’t look like Fiesta to my eyes, but also not necessarily as dark as Dakota. A third non-metallic red?

 

[bumnote]

Here's a crumby old Polaroid shot of my 1963 Esquire. It was red, but I'm not sure which type...maybe Dakota? This was taken back in the late 70s or early 80s, when I had it.

View attachment 1338611

Are the other colors in the photos correct, even if faded? If so, it's a Fiesta. I'd bet money on it. I've seen a lot of photos of vintage, aged Fiesta Strats and that looks like that shade to me. As that finish ages, it can vary widely from still obviously red to almost orange-ish. Pretty much like how some Lake Placid Blue guitars turn almost green while others keep that vibrant blue.

 

[fernieite]

Are the other colors in the photos correct, even if faded? If so, it's a Fiesta. I'd bet money on it. I've seen a lot of photos of vintage, aged Fiesta Strats and that looks like that shade to me. As that finish ages, it can vary widely from still obviously red to almost orange-ish. Pretty much like how some Lake Placid Blue guitars turn almost green while others keep that vibrant blue.

Yes, I think the colours are correct. You and the other ones before you that suggested Fiesta are probably correct. Thanks.