Fender 75 Years in Bloomington, MN

Ubiquitous in the music world, Fender
®
guitars and amplifiers are also icons in popular culture, their shapes and sounds instantly recognizable. Authoritatively written and lavishly illustrated,
Fender 75 Years
is the officially licensed anniversary celebration of the company and its legendary instruments.
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’s guitars, amplifiers, and script logo are 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, author Dave Hunter traces
Fender’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.
In addition to the instantly recognizable
Telecaster
and Stratocaster
®, Hunter examines Fender’s legendary offset guitars like the
Mustang
, Jazzmaster
, and Jaguar
®, and such lesser-known models as the Coronado, Bronco™, and more. The
Jazz Bass
and
Precision Bass
® also feature, as do Fender’s
acoustic guitars
and workhorse
amplifiers like the Bassman
, Twin Reverb
, and Princeton
®, to name a few.
Along the way, readers get in-depth scoops on the relationships
dozens of players
have enjoyed with Fender: rock ’n’ roll pioneers like
Hank Marvin
James Burton
; classic-rock icons like
Jimi Hendrix
Eric Clapton
; blues legends
Bonnie Raitt
,
Stevie Ray Vaughan
, and
Buddy Guy
; alt-rock gods
J Mascis
Kurt Cobain
; more recent guitar heroes like
Courtney Barnett, beabadoobee, and H.E.R.
…the list goes on. In addition, Hunter explores the work of the award-winning
Fender Custom Shop
and the guitars produced there.
Illustrated throughout with
rare images
from company archives,
treats readers to rare behind-the-scenes views of the shop floor throughout the years,
studio imagery
of the guitars, rare
period advertising
and brochures, and
performance images
of Fender players.
It’s the definitive look at the Fender’s first three-quarters of a century and a must-have for every guitar enthusiast.