Refinish - good idea or not?

[B-Mac]

Thanks man! I got it for half of that! An older guy was selling it at an estate sale and said he just wanted it to go to someone who would play it and appreciate it. I’m going to look into costs and to whom may be my best bet for a refinish!
And I was leaning more towards LPB since I already have a red bass!
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I don’t want to be a party pooper, but I’d say leave it alone. You may have gotten it for a steal, but once you refinish it you’re never going to get much for it, especially not $800 to $1,000

Now if it were a Squier or a MIM Fender I’d say go for it

Just my opinion

 

[Iridescentone]

The white-blonde started in '54. The butterscotch blonde was the standard finish before that (though in nitro - these reissues are poly). However, the white blondes were more scarce as at about that same time the standard finish switched to sunburst (first 2-tone tobacco, of course).

Agree with what others have said about LPB, there are so many Squiers in that color that it would make it look too much like one of those.
Fiesta was a later 50s color. If it were me, I'd consider something more like a Dakota Red.

Whether it's called "butterscotch blonde" or "white blonde", the point is that the dark yellow Japan RI's don't look like the original blonde Fenders. Evidently, someone at Fender Japan decided to make the RI blonde finish look like an extremely discolored, smokey-bar-played guitar. They went way overboard with the darkening effect, to the point that it barely resembles an original early 50's blonde Fender. Hence the moniker "school bus yellow".

I believe the Japan RI '51 with the lighter, more authentic looking finish, came before the dark yellow version. They nailed it pretty good with the lighter finish, then apparently Fender Japan made a conscience decision to make it dark, which looks wrong. Fender Japan may have called both RI versions Butterscotch Blonde, but who cares?....only one looks authentic.

 

[QweziRider]

I know that it’s a reissue and all, but I don’t want to hurt the future value.

I've never been one to worry anything about value (4-2-5ed a Rick once, taking a drill to the head stock was painful, but once I got over that...), but I've always wanted to enjoy what I own. So if a refinish would make you happier, I'd say go for it.

 

[whero]

The covers? It came with them, and I like them, so I left them!

It's just that in the photo, the finish on the bridge and pickup covers looks like it's lifting or cracking or something. Or is that just a weird reflection?

 

[Dynacord]

Whether it's called "butterscotch blonde" or "white blonde", the point is that the dark yellow Japan RI's don't look like the original blonde Fenders. Evidently, someone at Fender Japan decided to make the RI blonde finish look like an extremely discolored, smokey-bar-played guitar. They went way overboard with the darkening effect, to the point that it barely resembles an original early 50's blonde Fender. Hence the moniker "school bus yellow".

I believe the Japan RI '51 with the lighter, more authentic looking finish, came before the dark yellow version. They nailed it pretty good with the lighter finish, then apparently Fender Japan made a conscience decision to make it dark, which looks wrong. Fender Japan may have called both RI versions Butterscotch Blonde, but who cares?....only one looks authentic.

Cool if the MIJ/CIJ were made in different shades with different runs. All of them I've seen have been too exaggerated with the yellow so I get what you're saying there.

Talking about the original 1950s versions - there were two distinct versions: the original "butterscotch" (also associated with the black guard Teles) and then the white-blonde - that used to sometimes be called cream or limed - starting in '54-'55. Of course, further confused by various degrees of yellowing since.

 

[Peeks]

It's just that in the photo, the finish on the bridge and pickup covers looks like it's lifting or cracking or something. Or is that just a weird reflection?

Just reflection! Everything is mint on this bass!

 

[Peeks]

Cool if the MIJ/CIJ were made in different shades with different runs. All of them I've seen have been too exaggerated with the yellow so I get what you're saying there.

Talking about the original 1950s versions - there were two distinct versions: the original "butterscotch" (also associated with the black guard Teles) and then the white-blonde - that used to sometimes be called cream or limed - starting in '54-'55. Of course, further confused by various degrees of yellowing since.

The picture does no justice to just HOW bright the yellow really is... I find it quite ugly.