Faded Sonic Blue

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Is this a colour, or is it achieved by spraying something over normal sonic blue?

Sonic Blue can look a bit baby blue, (or even worse Man City blue) at times, so looking to take the edge of it towards the Baja 60’s tone.

Any ideas?
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Comments

  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    The Ducco car paints that Fender used did vary slightly from batch to batch. The solid colour can fade with time but the main variable in its appearance is the yellowing of the clear top coats. Hence, the confusion between Sonic Blue, Daphne Blue and the greens.


    Be seeing you.
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  • menamestommenamestom Frets: 4641
    The Ducco car paints that Fender used did vary slightly from batch to batch. The solid colour can fade with time but the main variable in its appearance is the yellowing of the clear top coats. Hence, the confusion between Sonic Blue, Daphne Blue and the greens.


    Yes, I think the colour I'm after doesn't really exist, I'm sort of looking for a tone downed sonic blue rather than a colour which sonic blue might have aged to from the 50's/60's.

    I'm thinking a thin layer of white over sonic blue may do the trick, or it will just end up white.
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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    I sprayed my strat sonic blue and used light tint lacquer to give an aged feel. As mentioned above, it yellows the finish a bit. All sprays bought from Manchester guitar tech. 
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  • CasperCasterCasperCaster Frets: 760
    I think the faded Sonic Blue which Fender uses on some modern guitars is just a colour they dreamed up, and achieved by adding more white to regular Sonic Blue. Whilst some people really love the original Sonic Blue shade, many more find it too strong, hence Fenders creation of the 'faded' version. As others have said, vintage sonic blue guitars are more likely to take on a green hue. In reality I don't think any vintage instruments 'faded', it's just a name dreamt up by someone in marketing. 
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  • lovestrat74lovestrat74 Frets: 2489
    axisus said:
    I sprayed my strat sonic blue and used light tint lacquer to give an aged feel. As mentioned above, it yellows the finish a bit. All sprays bought from Manchester guitar tech. 
    Stick it in the sun (when it turns up!) for week of sunbathing maybe?
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  • GoldenEraGuitarsGoldenEraGuitars Frets: 8820
    tFB Trader
    I think the faded Sonic Blue which Fender uses on some modern guitars is just a colour they dreamed up, and achieved by adding more white to regular Sonic Blue. Whilst some people really love the original Sonic Blue shade, many more find it too strong, hence Fenders creation of the 'faded' version. As others have said, vintage sonic blue guitars are more likely to take on a green hue. In reality I don't think any vintage instruments 'faded', it's just a name dreamt up by someone in marketing. 
    Nope. The term may be applied to modern equivalents of naturally aged colours but fading (rather than yellowing) does and can happen.

    There was an original early 60s Strat for sale not too far from me last year. In every single photo it looked like oly white. However, it was shell pink. The owner admitted keeping it in the sun room/conservatory for years and instead of yellowing... it faded. To almost white. 

    @menamestom unfortunately you won’t be able to achieve this shade out of a can unless you find someone who already retails these niche colours. You’ll need to mix it and have it sprayed through an HVLP setup or the likes.
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  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14324
    Sonic Blue ...
    ... has a pallid, greyish look about it. Almost like a white finish photographed under poor light conditions.

    baby blue or, even worse, Man City blue
    That is Daphne Blue. Bold, bordering on camp. 

    you won’t be able to achieve this shade out of a can unless you find someone who already retails these niche colours. You’ll need to mix it and have it sprayed through an HVLP setup or the likes.
    Use a Pantone™ chart to identify the exact hue and saturation you desire. A specialist should be able to formulate the correct blend of pigments to arrive at an accurate match.

    https://www.pantone-colours.com
    Be seeing you.
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  • sw67sw67 Frets: 228
    The telecaster in my sig is faded sonic blue. Its almost green to emulate the nitro yellowing
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  • SteveRobinsonSteveRobinson Frets: 6915
    edited May 2019 tFB Trader
    Sonic Blue is the only colour that appears to get lighter when you overspray with a light tint.

    My Sonic is already on the lighter side as that's what most people prefer.

    And it will fade in sunlight.
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  • LebarqueLebarque Frets: 3755
    Sorry, Mickhere, but I don't like it. Either go for proper sonic blue, or preferably Oly White (the best strat colour ever. Official).
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