what do Daphne blue and Sonic blue actually look like?

axisus

I fancy making a blue strat but I'm not sure which colour out of Daphne blue or sonic blue. If I type either into a google search it brings up all kinds of totally different colours. An ebay search of Daphne blue guitar shows about 20 wildly different colours. Does anyone actually have a guitar with either colour? I was hoping that someone in the know could find and post a picture of a guitar image that defines the colours realistically 

richardhomer

Sonic’s very pale - Daphne is a lot darker.

There’s a lot of variation in real vintage examples - as if they were finished with a clear coat, it tends to yellow leading an almost greenish look to some guitars.

Funkfingers

Daphne Blue is based on a flower colour. Sonic Blue is a pale sky-blue sort of colour. 

Alnico

Satin Daphne Blue in daylight...

https://i.imgur.com/J0pfq9O.jpg

and at night with a flash....

https://i.imgur.com/qRiD883.jpg

guitars4you

side by side and easier to tell the difference - sometimes when viewed on their own it is harder to tell which is which - especially when aged/faded/original 

GoldenEraGuitars

.

Lebarque

^ Sorry, I don't agree with that. The sonic is too light and is akin to Fender's modern 'pale sonic blue' (like Mick's strat) and the Daphne is too vibrant. To me, the vintage examples are closer in colour, like this: https://imgur.com/gallery/SxuMvvU

thegummy

See, to my eyes, @lonestar 's post is almost perfect to how I see those colours in person. Maybe the Sonic being a bit on the pale side.

Maybe this is our version of that dress thing? lol

Probably best to go to a guitar shop and see for yourself; I have a suspicion people see colours slightly differently.

Daphne blue has always been one of my dream Strat colours. One of the only reasons I didn't get one was fear of the 7.25 radius on the affordable model available in that colour. If I was getting a custom Strat built it would be Daphne blue.

I had the same trouble you're having with the whites that Fender offers. When I checked in person, the "Arctic" white was a sterile bright white and the "Olympic" was the lovely warm off-white colour I love. I've often thought that Fender deliberately use a worse looking white shade on the cheaper guitar so that getting the nice shade is a premium feature. Am I mad to think that?

StuartMac290

Sonic Blue isn't that pale - this issue has been confused by the so-called "Sonic Blue" used on Mexican strats, which is actually a very FADED sonic blue. I've seen Mexican strats that were so faded they were almost white.

I have a K Line Tele in proper Sonic Blue (Chris Koenlein used to finish cars before he became a luthier) and it's nowhere near that pale. It's much more like the original Fender Relics in that regard, and not far off Daphne Blue, which is a bit greener or richer blue, a bit more vivid or garish. Lebarque is dead right here.

This is Sonic Blue:

StuartMac290

This is Daphne Blue

lasermonkey

My Daphne Blue guitars, both 2008 "thin skins".....






As you can see, the colour changes somewhat depending on the light, but it's definitely a stronger blue than Sonic Blue. I'm pretty sure that mine have a slightly yellow-tinted clear coat, which gives a subtle greenish cast in certain lighting conditions. Personally, I think it looks gorgeous!

impmann

Tbh, my old 1965 Strat was pale blue - the dealer I bought it from called it “Sonic/Daphne blue” because it had faded and yellowed to the point it was impossible to know for sure which it was!!

Jez6345789

I have tended to referene Curtis Novak’s article for vintage colours

http://http//curtisnovak.com/restorations/FenderColors/index.shtml

mistercharlie

It’s almost impossible to show subtle colours accurately in photos, especially when they’re close to white, and the camera gets confused with the white balance. Daphne is darker than Sonic, though. 

IvisonGuitars

Jez6345789 said:

I have tended to referene Curtis Novak’s article for vintage colours

http://http//curtisnovak.com/restorations/FenderColors/index.shtml

Yes, wis awarded, this is an excellent reference for Fender colours.

JerkMoans

FWIW here's my Daphne Blue strat.  I'd say the picture is pretty true under fairly strong artificial light; it's certainly darker than the sonic blues that I've seen.

DiscoStu

The original Fender colours came from DuPont Automotive paint. Sonic Blue was a colour from the 1956 Cadillac range; Duco 2295.

1961 Fender colour chart:

https://www.hagley.org/sites/default/files/colorchart-crop.jpg

1956 Cadillac colour chart:

https://www.hagley.org/sites/default/files/sonic blue BookScanStation.jpg

My preferred modern take on Sonic Blue is the paler variety. I got my nitro paint from @SteveRobinson at Manchester Guitar Tech.

xchrisv

Daphne is to Sonic what Sea Foam is to Surf...

Voxman

JerkMoans said:

FWIW here's my Daphne Blue strat.  I'd say the picture is pretty true under fairly strong artificial light; it's certainly darker than the sonic blues that I've seen.

My 2010 limited edition use Strat with matching headstock is a bit different. Having a problem adding pic from mobile, I'll add later.

Bridgehouse

Sonic blue = yanni

Daphne Blue = Laurel

guitars4you

miserneil said:

Jez6345789 said:

I have tended to referene Curtis Novak’s article for vintage colours

http://http//curtisnovak.com/restorations/FenderColors/index.shtml

Yes, wis awarded, this is an excellent reference for Fender colours.

have you noticed how many Fiat 500's look like the Fender colour schemes