Anybody want to see my Swinger?

[FenderBob]

I don't think the color "Purpleburst" offically exists.  I thinks its just a Phenomenon that sometimes happens with Lake Placid Blue finishes.  I've seen it on some guitars where it is very mild and then on some it really stands out.  Something in the lacquer makes the edges look darker, as well as parts covered by the pickguard, control plates, etc.

It can also go the other way with the color turning very greenish.  If you have a guitar where the Lake Placid blue turns green, you can remove the pickguard and control plates and see the deep blue it was originally.

Can anybody explain what happens?  I assume it an equation of a few things such as the amount of clear coat, the amount of sun the guitar is exposed to, maybe heat?,  etc.

[Hellion]

I think you're right. it's probably all those factors. Even fresh LPB has a lot of different colors to it.

With the red one I would put a new pickup cover on it and call it done. But if you're going to replace them, make sure you sell them to me. Uh, I mean, keep them just in case.

[IPLAYLOUD]

Purpleburst exists. I have held many of each...LPB and Purpleburst...and they are definately different.

[FenderBob]

I agree that LPB and purpleburst look different.  Just the same as a greening LPB looks different compared to an unfaded LPB finish.
It not a question of whether they look different.  I've owned several LPB vintage fenders also and I am 100% certain that Purpleburst is just a side effect of a Lake Placid Blue finish aging.

Don't get me wrong, you are certainly entitled to your opinion...but I challenge you to get any Vintage Fender experts to agree with you.

[chrisjedijane]

I can't really see why the finish would yellow differently towards the edges of the guitar TBH, it's not like the clearcoat is thicker at the edges or anything.

[IPLAYLOUD]

"but I challenge you to get any Vintage Fender experts to agree with you."

I want to show that the color WAS original.
I emailed Paul at PM Blues guitars. He has been in the Vintage market for many years. I always say hello to him at shows and he is very peronable.
I asked him about a certain Purpleburst bass (non-matching head) that he sold to a NYC shop a few years ago at the Long Island Guitar Show. He replied:

"Who ever says that there was no purpleburst is wrong.
The blue on the bass I sold [DEALER] was un faded, as was the purple.
Check out the attached pics of this factory painted 1969 Tele Bass"


I wish I could figure out how to get the pics of this Psychadelic factory painted Tele Bass onto this site.
It has Silver, Blues, Purpleburst Purple, Gold, Red...all airbrushed. Cool "circle patterns" aound the edges. Definately 1969 era!!

[Orang Goreng]

I wish I could figure out how to get the pics of this Psychadelic factory painted Tele Bass onto this site.

You need to get them hosted somewhere, and then use the image tags in our reply box to link to where the picture is. See index.php?topic=202.0

[IPLAYLOUD]

From Rob at Chestnut Hill Guitars. He is in the biz for 20+ years and has a published book on vintage guitars.
I saw him at the Reading, PA show last month. That is the show he is referring to.

"Hi John, yes I have a 68 "purpleburst" Mustang Bass at the moment. In Fender's own literature, they were referred to as "Competition Burgundy" They WERE sprayed that way at the factory, and it is NOT any kind of fading or paint reaction. I sold a non matching head1970 Comp Blue Mustang guitar at that show on Friday, that was dead mint. It came with a 69 full color catalog which showed a "purpleburst" stang clearly. In the catalog it referred to the guitar as Comp Burgundy. It has been my experience the ones showing this trait the most were the earliest 68s, and as time went by, they sprayed less and less purple on the edges. The bass I currently have in stock has the most purple I have ever seen on any Mustang. It seems that the later non matching heads were much less to show the burst effect, though I have had a few, and I also have had some very clean to mint matching heads that did not show the burst effect at all. Fender may have actually changed the name to Comp Blue in the 70s, but I have not researched it or have looked at any early 70s literature to know for sure. I can say for sure though what ever you want to call them, blue, burgundy, or purpleburst, that they were sprayed that way from the factory!"

[IPLAYLOUD]

http://www.jag-stang.com/MrMaxima/gppho ... eburst.jpg

A Mustang with a matching purple-sunburst headstock.
These lines are all too straight and too consistent to be a reaction.

[burker]

http://www.jag-stang.com/MrMaxima/gppho ... eburst.jpg

A Mustang with a matching purple-sunburst headstock.
These lines are all too straight and too consistent to be a reaction.

It looks like purpleburst is the bigfoot of the fender story, theres only blurry/questionable photos and crazy storys.......

that said it could be real, fender did some weird shit, like UV reactive hippy flowers teles....

[flatfiver]

fender did some weird shit, like UV reactive hippy flowers teles....

I was just going to mention those.  The image shows up when you shine a black light on it, right?

[IPLAYLOUD]

http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDe ... em=1587506

Competition Burgundy.
You can see the purple on the edges.

[John Taverna]

that said it could be real, fender did some weird shit, like UV reactive hippy flowers teles....

what are you talking about?!? never heard of these finishes before!!... just like I never saw a Swinger before!