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FDP Forum / Miscellaneous and Non-Fender Topics / Why is Sunburst,particularly tobacco sunburst, such a popular colour for guitars

Next 20 Messages

windmill Contributing Member ********** ******** Australia older,better	Sep 8th, 2018 05:51 PM   Edit   Profile   In my relentless quest for knowledge I seek the help of the FDP to answer this question. Why is tobacco sunburst the dominant colour for guitsr ? Other traditional instruments like violins and double basses don't come in sunburst. I have ended up with a stable of black guitars because the only other colour available for those models was sunburst.
reverendrob FDP Data Goon Moderator We all want our time in hell	Sep 8th, 2018 06:06 PM   Edit   Profile   It's a case of boring safe sells faster. I hate Fender whites (Gibson Alpine White, I'm aok with, go figure) and reds. I don't *mind* their sunbursts but don't love them either. I only have a few guitars I like the color on, honestly, and not a one is a Fender.
littleuch Contributing Member ********** ******* Ocala, Florida Outrage is the new twinkie	Sep 8th, 2018 07:17 PM   Edit   Profile   I have a 2 tone sunburst strat, 3 tone sunburst strat and a 3 tone sunburst Tele. In addition I have a greenburst strat and a somekindofburst Dano 12 string. My wife calls all my sunburst guitars "your brown guitars". I think my infatuation started with Clapton's Brownie. Lately I've been thinking about a 3 tsb Strat build with no grain showing, maple board like an early 59 (birth year).
archiestone Contributing Member ********** *** El Californio	Sep 8th, 2018 07:39 PM   Edit   Profile   Blame Gibson. They popularized bursts and tobacco is the most macho hue, imo.
LeftyMeister Contributing Member ********** * Buckeye Country, USA Tone is in the lingers	Sep 8th, 2018 08:19 PM   Edit   Profile   I'm not a fan of burst guitars. I've always thought their finishes look incomplete or like a mistake.
Viera Contributing Member ********** ********** *** Boycott Amazon Thank you FDP sponsors	Sep 8th, 2018 08:48 PM   Edit   Profile   Because tobacco sunburst is one of the coolest color schemes ever. Fender did a heck of a job with... This one
Viera Contributing Member ********** ********** *** Boycott Amazon Thank you FDP sponsors	Sep 8th, 2018 08:51 PM   Edit   Profile   IMO Gibson does it best with their J-45s and AJs. Like this (This message was last edited by Viera at 10:52 PM, Sep 8th, 2018)
stratcowboy Contributing Member ********** **** USA/Taos, NM	Sep 8th, 2018 08:58 PM   Edit   Profile   I gotta admit, I'm not a super big fan of 3TSB or even 2TSB. That said, 2 of my 3 electrics are sunburst guitars. But that's because I like how they sound and play. That's still my most important aspect of keeping a guitar. My favorite guitar is my #1 Strat that happens to be Inca Silver--'cause it plays great and sounds unbelievable. However...I do like this... Tobacco Burst
Viera Contributing Member ********** ********** *** Boycott Amazon Thank you FDP sponsors	Sep 8th, 2018 09:08 PM   Edit   Profile   Nice Strat stratcowboy. I agree, playability and sound comes first.
Peegoo Contributing Member ********** ********** ********** * Head down, ears back Headed for the bar	Sep 8th, 2018 09:29 PM   Edit   Profile   "Other traditional instruments like violins and double basses don't come in sunburst." Ah, but that is precisely the look Gibson wanted to replicate on their early mandolins in the late 1800s: the finish appearance of a fine, well-worn violin. Light toward the center and darker around the edges (recessed on a violin) along the purfling. Gibson wanted to create the look of a classic, expensive instrument. That shaded finish also carried over to their archtop hollowbody guitars. Fender followed suit with their sunburst on the Stratocaster in 1954, at Don Randall's suggestion that it would give the Strat a more sophisticated look. The colors were dark Salem brown around the edge with a gradient to a canary yellow shade in the center, with visible wood grain. An added benefit to the sunburst was the dark edge band: it concealed grain mismatches in the end grain of the ash wood on bodies made from multiple pieces. These grain mismatches were less obvious in face grain of the wood (front and back of the body) where the grain was left visible through the yellow shade. Gibson, at the time, was issuing Les Paul guitars in gold. Their rationale, according to Gibson President Ted McCarty, was that gold made it "look expensive." They started with sunbursts later in the 1950s. The original sunburst
Leftee Contributing Member ********** ********** ******** VA	Sep 9th, 2018 03:57 AM   Edit   Profile   My Bourbon Burst LP is similar in appearance to my wife’s violin. I’m building a cherry burst guitar (Strat) to sell, at the moment. Just because I think it will sell. (This message was last edited by Leftee at 06:42 AM, Sep 9th, 2018)
M Tracy Contributing Member ********* Lafayette IN	Sep 9th, 2018 06:14 AM   Edit   Profile   I’ll play. Here’s an old and a new Gibson. Gibson bursts
Ragtop Contributing Member ********** ******* The older the violin the sweeter the music.	Sep 9th, 2018 07:04 AM   Edit   Profile   I love sunbursts, probably my favorite color. Wish I had a photo to post of my MIA Strat Deluxe in SB. Very nicely done 3-color with a maple neck and a MOP pickguard. Very classy looking guitar. On acoustics, Eastman does a very nice SB. I've had 2 of their E10Ps in SB, and both were beautiful guitars.
Peegoo Contributing Member ********** ********** ********** * Head down, ears back Headed for the bar	Sep 9th, 2018 07:06 AM   Edit   Profile   Here's my 2014 "old" Gibson Les Paul '58.
Gaukdawg Ohio Say what one more time!	Sep 9th, 2018 08:52 AM   Edit   Profile   I love bursts on Les PAul and STrat type guitars but I don't care for them on acoustics or Teles. I like solid colors or a natural finish for Teles and natural for acoustics. That is reflected in my guitars.
Tall-Fir Contributing Member ********** ********** *** Redondo Beach, CA Feelin' "Beachie!"	Sep 9th, 2018 09:27 AM   Edit   Profile   I favor the sunburst over tobacco burst by a long shot. I own a G&L ASAT Classic S in sunburst. With its’ jumbo C neck, three pickups, and terrific playability, it covers all the bases for me. It’s definitely a keeper. My favorite sunburst looking rig is the early sixties Fender Precision Bass. Seems like it was made to have the sunburst finish.
scott-s Contributing Member ********** * juneau ak. If you must smoke, please smoke salmon!	Sep 9th, 2018 11:19 PM   Edit   Profile   The Tobacco Burst is my 1st pick, just like M Tracy's LP Jr there, Ive seen some old Strats that look good too. I like Cherry burst on Les Paul's but it seems a poor choice for Fenderish shaped guitar bodies to me for some reason.
HenryJ Contributing Member ********** * Bogue Falaya River is STILL dark and cold.	Sep 10th, 2018 06:04 AM   Edit   Profile   Tobacco burst on a Strat looks great, especially when it is all shiny.
Rick Knight Contributing Member ********** ********** ** St Peters, MO USA Busy doing something close to nothing	Sep 10th, 2018 06:23 AM   Edit   Profile   I see a lot more 3 color 'bursts than Tobacco.
jhawkr Contributing Member ********** ********** ******* Wichita, KS USA It's all gravy from here on...	Sep 10th, 2018 06:47 AM   Edit   Profile   I like bursts and I have several. Fender, Guild, Ibanez, Gibson. Bursts just look classy. My Favorite Burst

Next 20 Messages

FDP Forum / Miscellaneous and Non-Fender Topics / Why is Sunburst,particularly tobacco sunburst, such a popular colour for guitars

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