Best translucent Fender color

[Aqualung60]

I may be a little biased, but I like the Greenburst.

 

[Deleted member 271037]

You left out Mary Kaye

Yeah, that's my favourite Fender transparent finish too, White Blonde over ash. I wouldn't personally go for the Mary Kaye configuration as I'm generally not a fan of gold hardware. Chrome hardware with gold anodized or mint pickguard can be beautiful with White Blonde too.

 

[Grinderman]

You left out Mary Kaye

Very nice.

Nonetheless, Mary Kaye's are all blonde, the same blonde as the ones without any accompanying gold hardware.

 

[Grinderman]

Mr. K?

 

[J-Bass RMR]

My 1st of course!
1978 P - Wine

 

[mongo2]

IMO, Blonde preferably with a brown tort guard.

 

[pbass74]

I haven't seen one in person, but this Umbra finish makes me drool!

 

[Warpeg]

A Sienna Jazz Bass with maple fingerboard and white pickguard/pickup covers/knobs is my favorite Fender look of all time!

 

[sethlow3]

Blue
Blonde
Crimson Red

I’ve basically got two out of three of those on a guitar and bass, but very much want something blue next.

Sweet finishes, but I agree that some are kinda dark… even the bursts.

 

[Plain Old Barry]

I have a transparent blue over ash PJ that is simply gorgeous. It was a Sweetwater exclusive.

 

[rojo412]

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Blue burst with the metallic outside

Candy Red Burst, same kind of vibe.

Always loved those.

 

[fretno]

Some real beauties up in here Fellas!

 

[ADHD librarian]

Transparent Wine Red!

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(not mine, just one I lust after)

 

[Fat Nermil]

I miss my American Special P in Honeyburst. I loved that finish.

 

[B-Mac]

I was checking the mod shop for non sunburst translucent colors. They just have drawings, but I tracked down some pictures to get a better idea. Thought I’d share to save someone the wondering or work.

Which is best? Just original sunburst?

By best, I mean your favorite. Relativism!


Sienna sunburst on alder I think, looks kind of funky 1970s overtly orange.

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But on roasted pine, sienna looks much more classy (it’s a strat)

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Tobacco sunburst on alder, mod shop P. Very nice.


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Walnut is like another one of those funky 1970s colors. Kind of too brown?

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Crimson red transparent. Funky? Not as nice as the dark red like Gibsons?

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Butterscotch blond on roasted pine. Yum. Could be 50s or 70s vibe….

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The mod shop never seems to have that nice trans blue but here is one anyhow

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‘Transparent’ is the correct term. ‘Translucent’ means light can shine through it and cast light to the other side like light shining through tiffany glass as opposed to ‘opaque’ which blocks the light entirely. Albeit similar, but not the same. Was hesitant to post this as most here won’t understand, but here it is anyway.

This is translucent

 

[LadyLoveStingRay5]

You left out Mary Kaye

Absolutely beautiful !!! White and gold !!!

 

[Doug4321]

I usually like Tobacco Sunburst best.
My Squier CV 50's P has a pine body and I think they faded it to black just right.

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I’ve seen this called tobacco sunburst but seems Fender calls it two color sunburst. Versus the three color sunburst with a red orange between the black and yellow. Tobacco has a brown instead of the black.

 

[Doug4321]

‘Transparent’ is the correct term. ‘Translucent’ means light can shine through it and cast light to the other side like light shining through tiffany glass as opposed to ‘opaque’ which blocks the light entirely. Albeit similar, but not the same. Was hesitant to post this as most here won’t understand, but here it is anyway.

This is translucent

Oh right, correction, I forget why I was typing translucent. Translucent is like bathroom glass, light goes through, but you can’t see through it.

Although, some of those blonde finishes could almost be called translucent!

 

[Root 5]

You left out Mary Kaye

There’s something about Mary

 

[58kites]

I’ve seen this called tobacco sunburst but seems Fender calls it two color sunburst. Versus the three color sunburst with a red orange between the black and yellow. Tobacco has a brown instead of the black.

Fender may be calling it two-color sunburst these days but that two-tone yellow to black has been called tobacco burst by a number of companies for 50 years.
If you Google: Tobacco burst you will immediately get images of Les Pauls, Strats, Teles, various Epiphones, Les Paul Juniors, Firebirds and Thunderbirds, Gibson and Epiphone hollow bodies and acoustics, G&L guitars, Fender Precisions and Jazzes, Stingrays, and lots of lesser iconic guitars and basses with that paint scheme.