Who coined this Telecaster term?

[Fenderdad1950]

In 1951 at the Fender factory, what if and only what if, the salesman from the paint company was given a disclaimer on the clear nitro lacquer. Stating that the product would discolor with time and sunlight? Then to definitely make a large sale to this guitar company, purposely looses the disclaimer. We may never had the pale white guitars turn a legendary color of yellow ... ok I'm grasping at straws. Anyways, who first tagged the color butterscotch for the guitars that changed color?

 

[Telekarster]

In 1951 at the Fender factory, what if and only what if, the salesman from the paint company was given a disclaimer on the clear nitro lacquer. Stating that the product would discolor with time and sunlight? Then to definitely make a large sale to this guitar company, purposely looses the disclaimer. We may never had the pale white guitars turn a legendary color of yellow ... ok I'm grasping at straws. Anyways, who first tagged the color butterscotch for the guitars that changed color?

Actually, from what I understand, Leo went with the paints and finishes he used cause they were cheaper than the new fangled "acrylic" finishes, and plus nitro dries quicker to the touch so he could push em out the door faster. I don't think it was a factor in terms of the discoloration i.e. it was what it was. As far as the butterscotch name, I have no idea. I don't remember anyone using that term back in the day, but that's just me. FWIW, my 51 Nocaster that I built is 3 years old now, and I followed 51 spec as close as possible. It was stark white when first done. Here's a before and after to show how fast they can turn naturally, if one is patient. She's my #1 guitar and I've gig'd/played her regularly since she was built. She's also getting all the natural wear in all the right places, just like the originals.

When she was just finished and done

3 years later.... note the color diff And she'll continue to darken as time goes on no doubt.

 

[Toto'sDad]

Actually, from what I understand, Leo went with the paints and finishes he used cause they were cheaper than the new fangled "acrylic" finishes, and plus nitro dries quicker to the touch so he could push em out the door faster. I don't think it was a factor in terms of the discoloration i.e. it was what it was. As far as the butterscotch name, I have no idea. I don't remember anyone using that term back in the day, but that's just me. FWIW, my 51 Nocaster that I built is 3 years old now, and I followed 51 spec as close as possible. It was stark white when first done. Here's a before and after to show how fast they can turn naturally, if one is patient. She's my #1 guitar and I've gig'd/played her regularly since she was built. She's also getting all the natural wear in all the right places, just like the originals.

When she was just finished and done
View attachment 942442

3 years later.... note the color diff And she'll continue to darken as time goes on no doubt.

View attachment 942443

Beautiful guitar!

 

[Tele-friend]

3 years later.... note the color diff And she'll continue to darken as time goes on no doubt.

Wow, I didn't know that todays guitars still change color like that. Cool!

 

[Telekarster]

Beautiful guitar!

Thanks TD!

 

[Telekarster]

Wow, I didn't know that todays guitars still change color like that. Cool!

Yep, they do if they're nitro laquer... and rather quickly too, if they're played and experience different environs like mine does i.e. like the originals did. If poly finish not so much, if ever

 

[Tele-friend]

Yep, they do if they're nitro laquer... and rather quickly too, if they're played and experience different environs like mine does i.e. like the originals did. If poly finish not so much, if ever

Yeah, poly finish is bullet proof But it can be a good thing if you want your guitar to stay the same.

 

[Milspec]

I would not be surprised if it was Les Paul while having lunch with Leo.

 

[1293]

It was me.

 

[Flyboy]

Wow, I didn't know that todays guitars still change color like that. Cool!

You should have seen my Rickenbacker 4003 Blue Boy. Inside of a year it went from the ice blue colour to mint green. Then it started developing faint nicotine-stain patches, randomly across the guitar.

John Hall's personal intervention on my thread about it on the official RIC forum blamed me for keeping it in view of sunlight or under UV lamps. Nice try, champ!

 

[Telekarster]

RIC forum blamed me for keeping it in view of sunlight or under UV lamps. Nice try, champ!

LOL!!!! Yep! I've not done a thing to my 51 un-natural either. It's all legit aging 100%. Whatever it gets exposed to, it gets exposed to. For me it is kinda cool to see the transformation, cause I can really understand now why the originals that are 100% untouched condition look like they do today. If I had to guess, all these "relic" guitars out there are gonna look totally worn out in 50 years LOL!!!

 

[Slip Kid]

In 1951 at the Fender factory, what if and only what if, the salesman from the paint company was given a disclaimer on the clear nitro lacquer. Stating that the product would discolor with time and sunlight? Then to definitely make a large sale to this guitar company, purposely looses the disclaimer. We may never had the pale white guitars turn a legendary color of yellow ... ok I'm grasping at straws. Anyways, who first tagged the color butterscotch for the guitars that changed color?

I believe Fender started referring to it as butterscotch blonde in the early ‘80’s when the ‘52 reissue debuted. I think they only referred to it as blonde before that.

 

[Fenderdad1950]

Actually, from what I understand, Leo went with the paints and finishes he used cause they were cheaper than the new fangled "acrylic" finishes, and plus nitro dries quicker to the touch so he could push em out the door faster. I don't think it was a factor in terms of the discoloration i.e. it was what it was. As far as the butterscotch name, I have no idea. I don't remember anyone using that term back in the day, but that's just me. FWIW, my 51 Nocaster that I built is 3 years old now, and I followed 51 spec as close as possible. It was stark white when first done. Here's a before and after to show how fast they can turn naturally, if one is patient. She's my #1 guitar and I've gig'd/played her regularly since she was built. She's also getting all the natural wear in all the right places, just like the originals.

When she was just finished and done
View attachment 942442

3 years later.... note the color diff And she'll continue to darken as time goes on no doubt.

View attachment 942443

Wow, isn't that amazing

 

[brookdalebill]

I’d bet the first guy trying to decscribe the color coined it.
Probably in the early 1950s.
It’s apt.
No?

 

[schmee]

Yep, they do if they're nitro laquer... and rather quickly too, if they're played and experience different environs like mine does i.e. like the originals did. If poly finish not so much, if ever

They do if they are Poly also. Once you lift a pickguard it's amazing sometimes, especially Olympic White gets very creamy!

 

[tubedude]

The lacquer clear coat is what yellows. When that wears through the original color coat can be seen. Until that eventually yellows.

 

[glenlivet]

"he used cause they were cheaper than the new fangled "acrylic" finishes, and plus nitro dries quicker to the touch so he could push em out the door faster."

-- sounds legit...I mean they were "just guitars", built to have the necks replaced when they wore out. It's not like people were going to collect them and put them up on some sort of pedestal or somethin'

 

[schmee]

"Fender decided to persevere with their choice of blonde finishes from the start and readily experimented with various materials and techniques to get the winning formula. “There was a hand-applied blonde very early on, before they developed the spray technique,” Principal Master Builder at the Fender Custom Shop, Ron Thorn, tells us. “They used a hand-applied stain, versus a spray stain and were using a few different brands, including McFadden and Sherwin- Williams. There were at least four different brands of lacquer, stain and sealers.”

“The original guitars we call ‘butterscotch’, weren’t necessarily that colour when they were new,” explains Mike. “I think the actual composition of the finishing materials changed and so they didn’t yellow quite as much. I’ve seen some a lot more butterscotch-coloured than others. There’re always inconsistencies in the colours, and who’s to know for sure if they changed the formula, or what got changed and why? But I do know Fender listened very carefully to customers."

“As far as why it went from ‘butterscotch’ to a much whiter blonde - it could have easily been that people requested it. Or, after a period of time, maybe they got too yellow and people complained about it. The thing to remember is, back in the day, when it was all new, there wasn’t all this history of, ‘it’s supposed to be this way’. Y’know, they were inventing it as they went along."

 

[Peegoo]

Guitar collectors and players started using the term in the 70s to desribe the darkened blondes.

 

[Telekarster]

They do if they are Poly also. Once you lift a pickguard it's amazing sometimes, especially Olympic White gets very creamy!

Yep you're right! I have seen some olympics from the late 60's early 70's that are definitely more of a yellow color today, and under the pickguard they're still white-ish It takes a longer time but yeah... it can and does happen. I suppose given enough years, everything ages.... I know I do! LOL!!!