What guitar color is Natural?

[Beanctr]

Photos show Epi ES-175, Ibanez PM2 and D'Angelico EXL-1. Big difference in "Natural".
Rick

[Klatu]

There are big differences is sunbursts as well.

[wintermoon]

natural usually refers to a clear colorless lacquer.
out of those 3 probably the Epiphone, as the others have a tint added.

[Max405]

Hey that's 3 of the roughly 658 different "natural" finishes I've seen.
8 years ago when I had my house built I loved the natural Oak hardwood floors. It was a creamy pinkish white.
Now I hate my 8 year old yellow natural hardwood floors and wished I had gone for the travertine...
Most wood will change color over time. Nothing you can do about it.
JD

[docbop]

Most people don't own one guitar long enough anymore for the lacquer and wood to age and change color, so most "natural" finishes have some tint added so they don't look so pale.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

The Epi is a "blonde".

[pubylakeg]

Different woods ?

[skykomishone]

Each of the guitars have different wood, which leads to different colors to begin with. The Epi is maple. It looks like maple. The others look like spruce, and like the PM2 has some tint, maybe. Spruce does vary, and the D'A looks the color of my spruce paneling in my home for 20 years, w/o anything done to it. As JD and Docbop said, age changes it too, especially if it get's any sunlight. I also have Eastern Hardmaple floors in much of my home, that when new looked the color of the Epi. Now it looks more like the D'A. That's the beauty of wood, and natural, untinted wood can take on a myriad of colors.

[jasaco]

Question reminds me of this...

[Archie]

Id like the D'angelico to be described as Vintage, the PM as Amber and the Epi as natural.

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

Question reminds me of this...

Axshuly, Flesh was renamed Peach in 1962.

[mikeSF]

i hate that pale maple look, always let mine get a little UV tanning when they are new.
Also some spruce can look very pinkish like the one in the example. lots of lovely natural shades in the wood. As mentioned, the resins in the wood can darken over time as can the lacquer itself, so a combination of both can lead to much variation.

[OldGuitarPlayer]

My Epi Emperor Regent has the same "natural" finish as the EXL-1. I prefer that tint

[vinlander]

As much as I always prefer natural guitars, I am not so fond when it is too pale.
I prefer when they age and get nicely amberish vintage over time.
Type of wood and thickness or type of finish will affect this of course.
I hang my 2 Epi Archtops on the wall in our humidity controlled sleeping room, on an interior wall not far from the windows, but not direct sunlight neither.
In just one year on the wall, the "Natural" Regent that was already not so pale (made in 2003) is now getting like the
EXL-1 in the OP post.
When I swapped the TOM last weekend to put back a wooden bridge, intonation of the bridge revealed a real difference in shade where the bridge was before; sunlight truly affect the color over time.
Guitars kept in cases might age slower

[fumblefingers]

looks like Natural, Blond, and Pink Chablis, to me.

[Longways to Go]

yellow, pink, & clear IMO

[339 in june]

The Epi is a "blonde".

Can it be a "natural blonde" ?

(Epi Broadway 2014)

[BigMikeinNJ]

​"Only her hairdresser knows for sure" to quote an old hair product ad.

Clairol, right? "Does she, or doesn't she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure."

[Beanctr]

The XL-1 really is'nt pink in person. I do think it's the most attractive finish. The other two look about right on my monitor. Rick

[BigDaddyLoveHandles]

​"Only her hairdresser knows for sure" to quote an old hair product ad.

Clairol, right? "Does she, or doesn't she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure."

Funny you should bring that up. Should the carpet match the drapes? Er, should the pickguard match the top?

[Klatu]

That may be the best looking natural finish I've seen. Lovely.

[Longways to Go]

I actually like them all. As to the issue of which is "natural", a comparison between the outside finish & the color of the unfinished wood on the inside might be informative.

But really I'm a vintage burst kinda guy.

[Jabberwocky]

Axshuly, Flesh was renamed Peach in 1962.

Oh, really. Loves me some fleshy peaches.

[fws6]

The Epi is natural

Clear (nitro) discolors over time, which is why guitar builders nowadays use slightly amber tinted lacquer like on the DA copy

the Ibanez is not natural but a IMO the color which was popularized by Benedetto, the "honey blonde". This is made by using a honey colored dye directly rubbed into the wood before applying the clear lacquer

[Patrick2]

i hate that pale maple look, always let mine get a little UV tanning when they are new.
Also some spruce can look very pinkish like the one in the example. lots of lovely natural shades in the wood. As mentioned, the resins in the wood can darken over time as can the lacquer itself, so a combination of both can lead to much variation.

Here's an example of what you're saying about the lacquer and the wood darkening. You can see the shape of the bridge base I took off of this guitar. It was a bit to fancy fopr my taste I had the points taken off of it and re installed it. The base you see on here is a temporary one.