Fender

Celebrate the legendary guitars and amps of Fender®with this authoritatively written, lavishly illustrated, and officially licensed history of the company and the culture it inspired.

Originating in Leo Fender’s modest radio and amplifier repair shop in Fullerton, California, Fender Musical Instrument Corporation went on to become the world’s preeminent name in musical instruments. Today, Fender guitars and amplifiers are icons in popular culture, their shapes and sounds instantly recognizable even to those with only a casual interest in music.

From Fender’s first instrument—a 1946 lap steel guitar—to Leo Fender’s groundbreaking early six-string guitar designs like the Esquire that set the standard for the electric guitar explosion to follow, Fender: The Official Illustrated History traces the company’s entire history to the present. All the innovations and landmark models are here, as well as legendary players who became synonymous with Fender instruments across musical genres.

Among the instruments author Dave Hunter examines:

• The instantly recognizable Telecaster® and Stratocaster®
• Fender’s legendary offset guitars like the Mustang®, Jazzmaster®, and Jaguar®
• Lesser-known models such as the Coronado and Bronco™
• The Jazz Bass® and Precision Bass®
• Fender’s acoustic guitars and workhorse amplifiers like the Bassman®, Twin Reverb®, and Princeton®

• Rock ’n’ roll pioneers like Hank Marvin and James Burton
• Classic-rock icons like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton
• Blues legends Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Buddy Guy
• Alt-rock figureheads like J Mascis, Johnny Marr, and Kurt Cobain
• More recent guitar heroes like Courtney Barnett, beabadoobee, and H.E.R.

It’s the definitive look at the Fender’s first three-quarters of a century and a must-have for every guitar enthusiast.