Fiesta Red???

[geoff1711]

Hi All

I've been looking at the 50's Strats in Fiesta Red, actually I'd prefer a 60's but they don't seem to do one in that colour, but I digress, my pal Chris bought one of these earlier this year, it's not quite as vibrant as my Jap Marvin Strat from '95, a bit more pastel and muted.

But this new batch in the shops now, Guitar Guitar, Andertons, Nevada, PMT all look like somebody has poured some brown into the mix.

Fender say that it's a more accurate match to the original 50's colour, however, I note that their £2K job is what we would call Fiesta Red and the Squiers come pretty close.

Fender also say they've not had any other complaints or comments, but I guess they would say that.

So what do you think, am I gong colour blind or do they really look more like Coral?

Geoff

[RUSSET]

Hi Geoff,
I guess we are never going to find the perfect Fiesta Red, or what each of us individually believe is the true colour we remember. I too have the '90s version of the Jap Marvin Strat, which I believe is probably about as near as you will get. Having said that, my mate bought a Jap regular '50s Strat in F. Red a few years ago & that was distinctly Redder than my Marvin. Strange ? But I guess Fender does not not put so much importance on the authenticity of shades of paint as we anoraks do. My nostalgia shade is the 'Pink' we used to get in the '60s in our music stores here in the UK. If it was actually repaints by the importers (Jennings or Selmer) , then what we remember was not actually Fender's original Fiesta Red. I remember it as being a bright, light, shiney, milky PINK. The nearest shade I can compare it to is that Pink seaside rock. It was definately NOT Red. I guess Hank's original '59 Strat probably was Fender's original Fiesta Red & probably nearer to what we get these days.
I also have a Squier 'Simon Neil' Biffy Clyro signature Strat in F.Red. This is a decent guitar with a decent finish, & in bright light looks quite Pinkish. It is sort of a Squier 'Classic Vibe' '60s model with a Rosewood board & Alnico pickups.

Tony.

[neil2726]

Probably the nearest we will get to the shade we all (think) we remember is the Burns Shadows Custom shade of red?

[JimN]

... what we remember was not actually Fender's original Fiesta Red. I remember it as being a bright, light, shiney, milky PINK. The nearest shade I can compare it to is that Pink seaside rock. It was definately NOT Red.

Coral Pink.

I've recently seen perfect original examples of both, side by side. In a photo, there's hardly any difference, but in the flesh, seen together, there's such a difference. I remember both from the sixties.

JN

[geoff1711]

Mind you what we now think of a Fiesta Red used to be called Salmon Pink by many, and that's probably a more accurate description.

Geoff

[Martyn]

Mind you what we now think of a Fiesta Red used to be called Salmon Pink by many, and that's probably a more accurate description.

Geoff

When I bought mine back in the sixties (sadly sold it a few years later) it was marketed as being Salmon Pink in one shop and Flamingo Red in another - both were identical shades. I'd also agree the Burns colour is a fair representation of that same colour, assuming my memory is correct, that is . . .

Martyn

[dave robinson]

To save all the speculation and argument, we have an untouched original '59 Strat in the fiesta red of the period -it's valued in excess of £50.000, check it out.
gallery/image.php?album_id=18&image_id=625&view=no_count

[neil2726]

Ford's red used on the Ka sems pretty close from the pics!

[RUSSET]

Dave,
You have two beautiful examples of Fender's true USA-painted 'Fiesta Red', & I am very envious. I am sure that was probably the colour of Hank's original Strat . However, the ones we saw in our stores over here in the UK in the early '60s, to my old man memory, was slightly different to those delightful instruments. I believe they were definately nearer to what has been described as 'Coral Pink'. I remember it as being a definate Pink & without really having a trace of Red in it. I saw these in UK music stores in the sixties, all with the Rosewood boards, & remember guitarists in my Brum locality saying 'have you seen those Pink Strats like the ones the Shads play'. I am inclined to believe the tales of many of them being re-painted over here in the UK, & possibly being the colour of the matching set that the Shads switched to after the initial '59 Strat, sunburst Prec. Bass & sunburst Jazzmaster set that they had in the early days. I do remember seeing some examples of this 'Coral Pink' shade for sale in vintage guitar dealers stands at the NEC Music Live show some 7-8 years ago. They were quite 'well worn' & very expensive, but very definately Pink.

Tony.

[dave robinson]

From what you are saying Tony, it's clear that there were some Strats' for sale in your neck of the woods that had been re-painted the colour that you say, but here in Sheffield the only examples of red Strats' were being played by local bands and I never actually saw one for sale in a Sheffield store (believe that they were bought in Barrats of Manchester), only sunburst or white, then a little later there were some in ice blue (my one). I got to see first hand the red Strats' played by Roy Barber of The Cruisers and Mal and Brian of The Cadillacs, as well as John Harding's example when he was with The Ray Kennan Combo who came from Leeds. All of these colour wise, looked like the ones that Hank & Bruce had when I saw them at The City Hall at the same time.
I did however see a red Strat around 1963 in a shop in Bridlington when we were on a Sunday trip, but only through the window as the shop wasn't open. That one was the same red as ours and had a rosewood fingerboard. The one we have in my photo is owned by our rhythm guitarist Mal's son, being one of the first '59 Strats to be fitted with a Brazilian rosewood board, but still the single ply pickguard. I was delighted to see that the colour is 99% identical to my own USA '62 reissue which is next to it on one of those pictures. .
For what it's worth, I believe that all of the various manufacturers have the colour but sometimes the mix may contain more white or more yellow which results in the vast variation.