Focus On: Fender Musical Instrument Corporation

The Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is a manufacturer of stringed instruments, such as solid-body electric guitars, including the legendary Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster. They were originally formed in 1946 in Fullerton California by Leo Fender however their current headquarters are based in Scottsdale, Arizona with manufacturing facilities in Corona, California USA and Ensenada, Baja California (Mexico).

Fender produced the first mass-produced solid-body Spanish-style electric guitar, which is now known as the Telecaster but was originally named the 'Broadcaster'. They also designed and manufactured the first mass-produced electric bass, which was and still is called the Precision Bass (Sometimes referred to as the P-Bass) and helped to change the face of popular music forever with a guitar that has reached legendary status - The Fender Stratocaster (Often called a "Strat") guitar.

However Fender actually manufacture a whole host of other instruments and accessories including acoustic guitars, electric basses, mandolins, banjos, and violins, as well as guitar amplifiers, bass amplifiers, and PA (public address) equipment. Nonetheless it is undoubtedly their guitars and basses that Fender have become world famous for as many celebrity musicians and artists over the past 40 years have endorsed their products, users of Fender guitars are as wide ranging as Buddy Holly, Hank Marvin, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton right up to modern guitar icons.

Fender Differentiators

So why have guitars that were designed back in the 1940's and 50's remained just as popular into the new millennium ? There are basically two reasons, firstly Leo Fender achieved the optimum design from the point of view of cosmetics, playability, weight and balance, tone and importantly the commercial price point.

The second reason is simply a blend of versatility and adaptability, the Fender Stratocaster for example has a particular sound that can be adapted to many genres of music from Rock through to Funk, R & B, Country and many derivatives of the aforementioned styles. This is largely due to the design of the single coil pick-ups used on most Fender guitars, the single coil pick-up provides a bright sound which in a live situation can cut through many of the frequencies supplied by the other instruments in the band.

Fender Today

Fender instruments are just as popular today as they have been over the last four decades, in October 2007, Fender acquired the Kaman Music Corporation to add their product line to the current Fender portfolio (Kaman
were owners of Hamer Guitars and Ovation Guitars
along with many others, and exclusive distributor
for Sabian cymbals and Takamine Acoustic Guitars.) They have utilised new manufacturing technologies
to enhance the sound, look and general quality of
Fender Instruments and are still the instrument of
choice for many musicians, which means they will
undoubtedly be around for many years to come