Iconic 70s Fender Colors: Timeless Choices That Defined Classic Guitars

The 1970s marked a golden era for Fender guitars, where bold colors and innovative finishes turned instruments into art. From deep burgundies to sunburst brilliance, these hues captured the spirit of a transformative decade in music history.

During the 70s, Fender embraced a diverse range of finishes that blended durability with style. Key colors included the deep, rich tone of "Bone Black", the radiant sheen of "Sunburst", the warm depth of "Medium Moonlight", and the striking contrast of "Medium Pop"—each chosen to enhance both aesthetics and brand identity.

Fender’s color choices mirrored the era’s vibrant music landscape—from psychedelic rock to funk and blues. Sunburst and metallic finishes stood out on stage, reflecting the energetic performances of legends. These colors weren’t just paint; they were visual anthems of a cultural movement.

Today, vintage-inspired 70s Fender colors enjoy renewed popularity. Collectors and players seek out original pieces and modern reproductions of classic finishes like "Cactus Green" and "Burgundy Flash", honoring the legacy of a decade when color became a signature of Fender’s enduring appeal.

The rich palette of 70s Fender colors remains a timeless testament to innovation and passion. Whether restoring a classic or building a dream guitar, embracing these iconic hues connects musicians to a legacy that still shapes sound and style. Discover the perfect 70s Fender color and carry forward a tradition of excellence.

Fender 1970 guitar and bass catalog. Page 95. Fender Color Chart.

Fender guitars were available in a wide range of finishes, though not all Fender colors were available for all guitars. The following Fender colours are shown, with associated codes. When it was time to choose the palette for the Player II Series, they paid a visit to the color archives.

The team paged through dozens of dusty vintage color catalogs from our paint supplier's library before landing on four colors from the 50s, 60s and 70s: Birch Green, Aquatone Blue, Coral Red and Hialeah Yellow. Hi al I'm planning a refin on my 82 Jbass, it has a crappy white refin on it now.I been searching all day for a 70's or early 80's Fender color chart and. Standard fender colors for the early-70s? by jrkirkish Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:47 am I've got a Jazzy project in the works, bound and blocked, CBS headstock and all that stuff, and I'm wondering what were the standard colors to come on Fenders at the time.

Of course we've got sunburst, but beyond that it's up to you guys. This is a question that matters more to collectors than players, but there is an answer so you may as well know it! On most production guitars up to a certain price point, Fender uses polyurethane lacquer. On top-priced guitars, Custom Shop instruments and certain retro-themed series, Fender will use nitrocellulose lacquer.

What's the difference? Fender custom colors as used on Fender vintage guitars until 1970. Complete analysis of the colors used and how they were applied.

1971 is when Fender switched to the infamous 3-bolt neck with mirco-tilt feature. Late 70's Strats will have a giant 'F' along with 'FENDER MICRO-NECK-ADJUST PAT. 3550496' stamped on the plate.

The idea itself is actually quite good (and currently used on some models by Fender), it was just poorly executed with *sloppy neck joint routings. Discover the history and inspiration behind classic Fender colors, from automotive influences to surf culture staples. Just curious what colors were used by Fender in the 70's for Strats? I came across a Strat neck from the 70's and I'm going to put it on a Warmoth body I want to keep the body color true to the period but don't want to paint it black or Olympic White.

I'd love to paint it Candy Apple Red. The original Fender color chart, released in 1960, included fourteen chromatic offerings that played directly off the colors being used in the automotive industry, which made for a lot of beautiful photos of a Tele riding shotgun in a Bel.