Does white blonde go pink, or is it shade of blonde?

[Babaluma]

Hi all,
I am considering getting a White Blonde body for a project for that vintage vibe. The colour seems to vary a great deal in pics, some look almost light pink. Does White Blonde go pinker with age, like Olympic White can go custardy, or is there a particular pinky shade of White Blonde paint? Or is it just the way it photographs?

Any pics would be welcome

Thanks in advance!

 

[brookdalebill]

It can, if the spray gun used to finish it wasn’t cleaned well.
Perhaps it still had some red in it from a previous spray.
I briefly had a white blonde/pink partscaster.
Though I actually like pink, pink/blonde not so much.

 

[JustABluesGuy]

I have heard complaints in the past about pink teles.

 

[Blues Twanger]

Most original white blonde Teles have turned butterscotch. I can foresee a thin white blonde finish showing pink die to the wood it is used over, but if it all ages the way people want it should turn yellow as well

 

[rze99]

I’ve seen some look pinkish in pics too.

 

[Sgt Pepper]

I prefer Olympic Pearl to all the off white Fenders. This is a guitar on Reverb....

 

[archetype]

It's optical physics at work.

A transparent White Blonde picks up some color from the wood. Incoming light bends at an angle as it comes into the clear coat, again when reflecting off the color coat, and again as it comes out through the clear coat. Each bend is an opportunity for the light to refract out into distinct colors instead of a blended color.

Just like a prism splits sunlight out into a rainbow of distinct colors, add the wood color visible through the white color coat and the refracted light may show a predominant color. Thus, a transparent White Blonde finish can be anywhere from a stark white to slight shades of grayish, pinkish, or lavenderish.

That's the physics angle. All physics majors can pause and indulge me by chuckling warmly at the very minor joke.

The color of the light affects this, and you may see a slight color difference between artificial+natural light indoors and natural light outdoors. Blonde shades change if the clear coat yellows. Older examples are sometimes yellowed out to an old Tele blonde.

It's always been like this, but that doesn't seem to be widely known. Some folks buying new white blonde guitars are surprised or even bent out of shape when their guitar isn't a stark white. It can be a surprise because the color is generally called White Blonde. Older white blonde Strats and Teles were like that, too, because... optical physics. Add in the clear coat yellowing and they appear in a range of color, now.

 

[Esquire Rod]

Whatever it is, I've seen antique blond roadworns that look pinkish. Not for me.

 

[Babaluma]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone, very interesting. I quite like the look so will take a punt on a body and see how it turns out!

 

[985plowboy]

My ‘01 American Standard is white blonde over ash.
Looks pretty much the same as when it was new.
Understand this is a poly finish and the guitar lives in its case when not in use.
Nitro???…ymmv.

 

[stxrus]

My white blonde MIM C-50s has aged to a more butterscotch color. Definitely different under the pick guard.

I vaguely remember a pinkish (very faint) seeing a white blonde tele but I have no idea the age or model. This was 10-12 years ago

 

[regularslinky]

My Rick Kelly T-style is on the pinkish side. White blond over Swamp Ash. I like it!

 

[boneyguy]

I like it when blondes show a little pink............

 

[acoustic rob]

All physics majors can pause and indulge me by chuckling warmly at the very minor joke.

Nyuk nyuk nyuk.