Stratocaster Colors – The Blues

Featuring Gombrelli Guitars (GG USA)

Welcome to the FENDER STRAT BLUES

A page devoted to Fender Stratocaster BLUE colors that are standard and not so standard.

Disclaimer: I did the best I could to find accurate color images but not all are perfect. Due to variances of lighting and such the colors on this page may not be an exact match but they are generally pretty close.

Most of these are typical color issues. It’s not uncommon on the internet to have individual sellers that mislabel the color on their Stratocaster so the best TRUE reference is the Serial Number and verify on the Fender Website. if possible. I went to some effort to try to validate these colors when the models were not in production.  I’m slowly starting to add years and models.

A lot of these colors look very similar. I can tell you that web picture can vary wildly at tie. I did notice that many models look VERY similar, especial in the “Lake Placid Blue” color range so you’d almost need them side to side to compare. In some cases I included more than 1 photo to show the differences. Because of the pigment change of the top coat of polymer these can move toward the green side as time marches on. (Yellowing on the top coat of polymer)

SATIN FINISHES: A LOT of these also come in Satin finishes, usually an FSR. Satin is simply an unpolished finish. In fact as it ages, it will get wear that will actually POLISH areas that you rub a lot against, lijke the top back area.

BELAIR BLUE

On the newly released Player Plus (2022+) – Not sure if this was released before but I’ve never found one otherwise.

It’s a mix of Electron Blue with Opal Spark with Artic White.  Very unusual. As beautiful as it is, it’s a love it or leave it mix.

BLUE BURST

Plus Top – This look much better live than it does in the picture. – This has been an FSR favorite of Fender for years now.

Fender Player Stratocaster Plus Top (2020’s) and other years.

BLUE AGAVE

Standard Stratocaster – (Looks a bit like Iced Metallic Blue) – This color is heavily affected by Lighting.

This was very populate in the early 2000’s

BLUE FLOWER (Fender Japan)

BLUE FOTO FLAME

This color is on a JPN ST-54 Fender Stratocaster. Nice Neck on this one but the body has seen better days.

BLUE FROST (1993)

Fender Deluxe Plus Stratocaster in the 90s

 

 

BLUE GUNMETAL (rare)

This very much looks like a 2000’s color dunno what decade these were popular in. A darker Ice Blue Metallic. I’ve never seen one live.

These did show up on MIM 2000’s and other years and models.

BLUE MARLIN

H.E.R. Limited Edition color

Looks a bit like Lace Placid Blue but with a strong hint of white – Looks nice.

BLUE PEARL BURST (1994) (rare)

I only found one of these. Nice color!

BLUE SPARKLE

1960s

CALIFORNIA BLUE

This showed up on the Aerodyne Strats of the 2020’s – Looks a bit like Miami Blue but with more white. Nice color.

CHROME BLUE

American Series – Looks a lot like Cobra Blue but without some of the underlying sparkle.

COBRA BLUE

More blue than Lake Placid Blue – A beautiful color. It has a “Mystic” undercoat that gives it a bit of sparkle.

Maybe a new color. On the newly issued Ultra’s (2022)

DARK NIGHT

New Fender American Professional II color (2020s)

Kind of like a reverse of a Blue Burst, fun color.

ELECTRON BLUE

A standard color in the 2000’s for MIM – Good color.

ELECTRIC BLUE

This color looks a LOT like Lake Placid Blue. It has a slight Mystic look to it. Great Color.

FADED SONIC BLUE

I’ve never owned one of these but it looks fun, this one if very much a white with a hint of blue.

This was on a Kenny Shepard Stratocaster. Nice Soft Blue/White color.

ICE BLUE METALLIC (Deluxe 2012) FSR

Ice Blue Metallic (not the same as Blue Metallic or Ice Blue) is a lighter color of blue. This is a COMMON release/re-release color. It’s slightly whiter than the Blue Metallic.

The Metallic almost looks “buffed” but not all the way, sort of look. We aren’t talking “sparkles” in the paint like the MYSTIC colors. Bright light washes it out a bit.

THE one below appears very light and white influenced. Almost like it was a Sonic Blue but more white and buffed. This is a AM Deluxe.

This one looks like a buffed mystic blue. but it’s Ice Blue Metallic for sure. Vintera series. Notice how it has a dull sheen to it.

 

JUPITER BLUE

This was a Japan release only. never seen one live.

LAKE PLACID BLUE

They’ve been making this one forever. I have two pictures here because the lighting makes a huge difference with some of these colors. These tints seemed to be all over the place.

  • They also make a SATIN version of this.
  • Very confusing because it can be a light typical version (top picture) or a darker more blue version (see lower pictures) which looks more like COBRA BLUE but it just a lighting issue.

Standard MIM

American Performer SATIN version of Lake Placid Blue (basically unpolished) – NEW

NOTE: THIS PICTURE IS DARKER THAN NORMAL, other pictures show this is a much lighter blue. (see lower picture, same model guitar)

SATIN

A very TRUE picture of the Lake Placid Blue color – NOTE the difference between the top picture and this picture below!

LUCERNE AQUA FIREMIST

Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster

Rather a cross between Lake Placid Blue and Ocean Turquoise

MAUI BLUE

JPN Limited Edition Model (2023 to ?)

It’s rather like Daphne Blue with more blue added, again, I like this color a lot.

 

MIAMI BLUE

American Professional II – New color for the most part. (2020s)

 

MIDNIGHT BLUE

(Popular in the 2000’s) – This one is VERY Unique and recognizable. It’s got purple mixed in with the blue. I’ve also notice that this color is VERY light sensitve and can  appear like a deeper blue with less purple under low lighting.

OCEAN BLUE CANDY

This is a Satin Blue finish, very blue, almost like Cobra blue. Sexy.

 

OCEAN BLUE METALLIC

Looks a lot like Cobra Blue with a hint of purple. Nice shade.

OCEAN TURQUOISE

This is really green blue but because there’s blue in it I included it.

OPAL SPARK (Player Plus)

This looks a lot like Lake Placid Blue but slightly lighter in color.

 

SAPPHIRE BLUE TRANSPARENT

They also make a Sapphire Blue without the Transparent, and I believe they make this with a 2 tone paint. I’ll get a pic of that later.

This is a DELUXE MIM version, and came on Deluxe Players Strat.

DAPHNE VS SONIC BLUE

DAPHNE BLUE

Very common “retro” color and very popular.

SONIC BLUE

Not quite as common as Daphne Blue but also a good Relic color. Lighter than Daphne Blue (like it was made with some added white)

JET STREAM BLUE

Classic 50’s FSR – Looks a lot like a cross between Sonic Blue and Daphne Blue

 

SKYBURST METALLIC

Fender Ultra’s color – Also found in Mod Shop (as are most color lines that are in any of the current strats) (2020s)

 

 

 

MYSTIC ICE BLUE

Came on upscale American Strats and some upscale MIM like the Roadhouse, also on the Deluxe Plus in the 2010’s. Very much like the Ice Blue Metallic but the silver sparks are much finer in detail. Good color for a silver or aluminum pickguard.

 

 

 

 

TAOS TURQUOISE

I found this in some custom shops and a 57 Eric Clapton Fender, might be in others but not a standard color. Looks a bit like Miami Blue (same color, new name??)

TIDEPOOL

New for the 2022+ Player Series – Two different pictures, quite a color difference between them!

Tide Pool photographs a lot like Ocean Turquoise but the later has more green in it.