53 Fender Stringmaster

Robert Jackson · Post by **Robert Jackson** » 24 Jan 2018 2:56 am

Was the color of the 53 Fender Stringmaster Butterscotch Blonde or Blonde. Iâ€™m doing a restore on one of the Three necks. I have a D8 in original condition that was originally a Quad. I have located the original 4th neck and want to reattach it making it a T8.

Opinions?

Bob

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Jan 2018 8:41 am

The Stringmaster color was Fender Blonde.
If you are refinishing that neck to match the others, you need to finish off with a tinted clearcoat to add some "vintage" to it.
The series before the Stringmaster was Butterscotch Blonde.
Erv

Bill Sinclair · Post by **Bill Sinclair** » 24 Jan 2018 9:09 am

Hey Robert,

On your guitar I used ReRanch Fender Blonde to cover and blend the finish for the dowel in front. That appears to be the same color that Fender used on the end of the guitar to cover the dowel that they put over the hole they drilled for the pickup wires. The rest of the guitar, however, has a translucent finish that shows the wood grain. You can see the difference if you compare the back end of the guitar with the rest of the finish. One is solid, the other is see-through. I think the closest you are going to get to that is the Gibson "TV" finish. That outside neck goes in the mail today.

Bill Sinclair · Post by **Bill Sinclair** » 24 Jan 2018 9:12 am

Erv,
I don't think butterscotch blonde is translucent. Which color did you use on your long scale quad? Can you see the wood grain through it?

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Jan 2018 9:16 am

No it isn't translucent, the original Stringmaster Blonde wasn't either. I used ReRanch Fender Blonde and followed up with a tinted clearcoat.
Erv

Bill Sinclair · Post by **Bill Sinclair** » 24 Jan 2018 9:57 am

This guitar's finish is see-through. Perhaps the correct term would be tinted transparent rather than translucent. I'm 100% certain that the finish in the picture is original (the decal is not). Clearly (no pun intended) the grain is visible through the finish. Maybe you have to apply just one very light coat of the blonde and then clear (or tinted) lacquer after that? I might try it on a piece of ash and report back.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Jan 2018 10:00 am

I bought a T-8 Stringmaster new in 1954 and the finish was not transparent.
Erv

Robert Jackson · Post by **Robert Jackson** » 24 Jan 2018 10:01 am

This is going to be a fun project ... especially since I can actually play a couple of tunes now.

Both the Fender Custom Professional T8 and The Fender Stringmaster D8 ( Soon to be T8) I have sound great ... different but both real nice.

I have to admit the long s al is a bit easier for me to play right now. But I guess, having both a long and short s ale available will be a help as I move forward on the Steel.

Robert Jackson · Post by **Robert Jackson** » 24 Jan 2018 10:02 am

Ya never know tho, since Leo used every bit of supplies. This Stringmaster looks dam near close to my 52 Tele

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Jan 2018 10:04 am

What do these look like to you?

Robert Jackson · Post by **Robert Jackson** » 24 Jan 2018 10:16 am

3 different colors, wow

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Jan 2018 10:22 am

Robert,
The three different colors are a result of the "aging" of the nitrocellulose lacquer. And also varying degrees of exposure to the sun.
As lacquer ages, it has a tendency to yellow. That's why when you try to match the color of a newly finished neck to an original finished neck you need to apply tinted clear coat to duplicate the effect.

Robert Jackson · Post by **Robert Jackson** » 24 Jan 2018 11:14 am

I have the tinted Lacquer in house. I will order the Fender Blonde.

BTW, got really lucky today and located a correct Tuner Pan with The Lollipop tuners.

Now continuing the search for the bridge, nut and pickup covers. LOL

You are a walking Library my friend. Thx for your expertise.

Bobby

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Jan 2018 11:17 am

Robert,
Nitrocellulose lacquer is very easy to work with.
Just apply it in light coats, many light coats.
If you screw up in an area, you can just sand it out and start over. With lacquer there is no over spray, the new lacquer just blends in with the old lacquer.
If you go on the ReRanch site, they have some excellent instructions on refinishing, just follow them closely.

Good luck!
Erv

Bill Sinclair · Post by **Bill Sinclair** » 24 Jan 2018 12:29 pm

Erv Niehaus wrote:I bought a T-8 Stringmaster new in 1954 and the finish was not transparent.
Erv

Well, here's a neck from a '54 T-8 (long scale) that does have a transparent finish on the remaining original finish that was under the fretboard. Can we agree, Erv, that Fender used both? The big question is whether Robert can get a transparent finish on neck #3 to match the original finish on his D8 by applying a few very light coats of the Fender Blonde to be followed by several coats of clear (or amber tinted, if necessary). I say it's worth a try. Just be aware that it doesn't take much thickness at all for that Fender Blonde to lose its transparency.

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Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Jan 2018 12:32 pm

Bill,
You might be right, both finishes could have been used.
You never knew what Leo would come up with!

Erv

Brad Davis · Post by **Brad Davis** » 24 Jan 2018 1:47 pm

The surviving original finish on the top and outer neck of my 1954 quad has wood grain showing through. I wouldn't call it a clear coat, just thin.

The Steel Guitar Forum

53 Fender Stringmaster

53 Fender Stringmaster

Thx Erv & Bill

Colors

Lol

Thanks ERV