A name synonymous with quality guitars is Fender. Fender guitars have had a major impact on the advancements and popularity of guitars since the mid 1940s. The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation was started by Clarence Leonidas Fender, commonly known as Leo Fender and is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. Fender guitars were not the main focus of the company when Fender first started out. The original product line featured amplifiers. However, Hawaiian steel guitars were also part of the Fender repertoire of the early days. The company was called Fender Electric Instrument Company when Leo Fender first started out on his own. In 1965, however, Leo Fender sold the company to Columbia Broadcasting System. He later founded Music Man in the mid 1970s and designed electric guitars and bass guitars under another company he named G&L.
Fender guitars gained fame with their mass production of the solid body electric guitar. Before Fender released their electric guitar model, electric guitars were made with hollow bodies much like acoustic guitars. The solid body electric guitar was not invented by Fender, but Fender guitars produced the first commercially available models. The solid body electric guitar is now a standard instrument in the majority of musical genres, and its influence can be seen in every era of music since its creation.
Changes to the original electric guitar design were made after CBS took control of Fender. The changes seemed to be an effort to reduce manufacturing costs, and the quality of the guitars suffered. However, Fender guitars are still some of the most popular guitars on the market today. Fender offers acoustic guitars, bass guitars, mandolins, banjos, violins, steel guitars, pianos and amplifiers in addition to its electric guitars. Fender has also purchased and branched out into several other companies, such as Tacoma, Squier and the Guild Guitar Company. In 2003, Fender got permission to sell Gretsch guitars, as well.
In 1985, Fender was purchased by the employees of CBS and officially became Fender Musical Instruments Company. The original guitar models were offered in addition to new models. Many notable musicians have made Fender guitars their guitar of choice. Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Holly, Waylon Jennings, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton are just a handful of the many artists who were seen on stage playing Fender guitars. Fender even developed a signature line of guitars named for Eric Clapton.
Japan, China, Mexico, Korea, Indonesia and the United States all have factories that manufacture Fender guitars. The original guitars built in the United States are the most popular Fender guitars, but the Japanese guitars produced in the 1990s are also popular. The Japanese factory mainly manufactures guitars for sale in Japan now, though.
There are very few musicians who are unfamiliar with the Fender brand name and for good reason. The innovations and advancements that Fender has contributed to music, and guitars in particular, can be seen throughout the history of music and the guitar. Fender continues to grow and offer quality, affordable products to musicians in many different genres and styles.
