A reason Fender used grey flatwork?

[voodoochild]

I thought someone may know the real reason. I assume it was because they could see the plain enamel wire better to tie through the eyelets.

[Spence]

Fender used to pencil dates on the black flats but it often came off in the wax. Later they used yellow ink stamps on black. The grey flatwork showed up black ink stamps very well. I'm assuming that it's just about traceability rather than anything else.

[PAF-Boy]

I think it had been used because the grey stuff was cheaper.Black Fiber was used for cases and cupboards back then and mostly they used the black fiber for those.

[belwar]

I think it had been used because the grey stuff was cheaper.

I'd bet money on that explanation.

[Jim Darr]

Maybe their supplier ran out of black die and substituted grey since it wouldn’t be seen!!!!!!!!! Hey, we should call these Greybra bobbins and get tons more for them.

Jim

[PAF-Boy]

They still use the grey fiber.
I had a set of Mayer and Texas Special Pickups here and they used black sprayed greyfibver bobbins.

[Chadheckler1]

Better question is why do most use black fiber now?

...because it is cheap and readily available...that has my vote.

[Spence]

So how come strat pickups still had a black top flatwork?

[Chadheckler1]

So how come strat pickups still had a black top flatwork?

So you have a point. But it could be like the zebra bobbin deal where they used whatever was available because it was under the cover and would go unseen and then it evolved to always being the bottom piece of flatwork.

...or you could right about the grey making it easier to see the lot/ID stamp!

It just seems that Fender was all about creating guitars with materials that were easily available and with minimal waste. Having to stock two different colors of fiber by choice doesn't make much sense to me... I would much rather keep my part inventory to a minimum by having one color. Especially when there is no diference in sound or final appearance...so maybe thats why they eventually got rid of the grey.

[Spence]

I'll ask Sam Lee Guy. He will probably know the answer.

[Dave Kerr]

I would much rather keep my part inventory to a minimum by having one color.

Wouldn't make much difference if they're different thicknesses, anyway. In fact, it might make it less prone to error, for example having tops cut from the thick stuff by mistake.

[Jim Darr]

It just seems that Fender was all about creating guitars with materials that were easily available and with minimal waste. Having to stock two different colors of fiber by choice doesn't make much sense to me... I would much rather keep my part inventory to a minimum by having one color. Especially when there is no diference in sound or final appearance...so maybe thats why they eventually got rid of the grey.

Don’t forget that the bottom flatwork for Fender style pickups is thicker than the top flatwork piece. So, they would have to stock both thicknesses. Only the bottom, from this era, was grey.

Does anybody know if Fender cut their own flatwork back then or bought it preshaped? I would guess they cut their own since they used pin routers a lot in the 60s and 70s.

Jim

[David Schwab]

Does anybody know if Fender cut their own flatwork back then or bought it preshaped? I would guess they cut their own since they used pin routers a lot in the 60s and 70s.

I think they were die cut in house.

Spence would know.

[jonson]

Leo loved his punchpresses. His pride and joy and no probs keeping all the sheeting in stock. Scratchplates same method. Nearly finished the casting write up David so will post soon as new thread for all to chuck thier own bits in.

[David Schwab]

Leo loved his punchpresses. His pride and joy and no probs keeping all the sheeting in stock. Scratchplates same method. Nearly finished the casting write up David so will post soon as new thread for all to chuck thier own bits in.

Punchpress... I couldn't think of that word!