Think guitar and you think of Fender. The name that has been synonymous with electric guitars for over fifty years, Fender Guitars have been instrumental in bringing about the rock revolution of the 50s and 60s.
The Fender electric guitar was born out of the need to eliminate feedback. In the 1930s, manufacturers had experimented with amplifying traditional hollow body guitars.
Try as they might, none of the electric guitar manufacturers then, had been able to cut out the feedback which was generated by the speakers and pickups. The amplified sound was not exactly music to the ears.
Leo Fender, a California radio repairman used existing technologies and his own knowledge of sound engineering to give shape to a radical idea. The idea, when implemented in the factory, resulted in a guitar which when amplified, produced a lush and clear tone without the accompanying harsh feedback.
The Fender Telecaster
In 1951, Leo Fender created a prototype solid body electric guitar, which he named the Fender Broadcaster. Legal issues with a company that manufactured drums under the name of Broadcaster, led to the guitar being renamed the Telecaster.
The Fender Telecaster was the first commercially mass produced, solid body, Spanish style electric guitar. Affectionately called the Tele, it was a hit among musicians from the day it was introduced. The Fender Telecaster guitar has become a classic and continues to enjoy a loyal following.
The Telecaster has an Alder wood body, a Maple, bolt on neck and two single coil pickups which deliver a clear, bright tone. The lower pickup has more windings than the neck pickup, creating a greater output at that point. A capacitor is inserted between the two to dampen lower ranges. The result is a lively, clear sound that shouts – Fender. But the real beauty in the Fender family is the Fender Stratocaster.
Although the Telecaster was a success, Leo Fender was not about to rest on its laurels. By early 1950, Leo Fender, Freddie Tavares & Bill Carson began to formulate the blueprint Fender Guitar that would revolutionize the world of music if successful. Bill Carson was one of Leo’s friends and a successful touring musician. He felt that the Telecaster could be improved by giving it an arm contour to make the guitar more comfortable. In addition, he suggested the inclusion of individual saddles for each string to help the instrument intonate and stay in tune properly. Freddie Tavares was of the opinion that the Telecaster needed a facility for vibrato and tremolo, much in vogue those days.
Incorporating all these elements into the Telecaster, a new Fender Guitar with a sleek body shape, a six saddle bridge, three pickups and a tremolo was born. Fender Stratocaster as it was christened, was launched in 1954. It went on sale at a price of 249.50$ with vibrato and 229.50$ without.
The Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster or Strat had a sleek, streamlined body, contoured for maximum comfort (officially referred to by Fender as comfort contour body) with flowing sensual curves.
The flat slab like design of the Telecaster was given two deep cutaways for better access to the higher frets. It had an Alder body, a Maple neck and a Rosewood fret board. Initially it was available in a two tone sunburst finish. It featured a synchronized tremolo system which would give the player the added variety of a shimmering vibrato.
The Stratocaster also had three single coil pickups, each with staggered magnetic poles, a three way selector switch, two tone controls and a volume knob. The three pickups- one each at the neck, middle and bridge- provided a wide variety of tones. The cutaway body also made the Stratocaster lightweight thus rendering it easier to handle.
All these features contributed to making it a very versatile guitar and very soon, the Stratocaster became the favorite with guitarists from all genres of music, including some of the great guitarists of the present, such as John Frusciante from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who is a big fan of the 1962 model sunburst Fender Stratocaster.
Don’t forget to read the next chapter on The Making Of Fender Guitars Part 2.
Until next time…Rock On
Scotty Smith
Guitarist Rock ©2008-2009
