75 YEARS IN THE MAKING: A VISUAL HISTORY OF FENDER’S GREATEST GUITARS

What if Enzo Ferrari had not only created some of the greatest sports cars in history but also built some of the best motorcycles and bicycles? As improbable as that sounds, Leo Fender achieved something of the same order with Fender’s musical instruments. From the Telecaster to the Twin, from the Precision to the Princeton, it’s astonishing how much Fender got right so early in the electric era and how enduring his designs have become, be they amps or guitars. Leo may not always have been first, but he was uncommonly good at being best and he always had his eye to the future, not the past. For example, it’s arguable that his most influential invention was the electric bass: the transition away from upright basses to electric solidbodies changed the very pulse of music and ushered in the rock era. Again, just that one contribution would have assured his status in posterity, yet it was just one of many strides forward in music that Fender’s inventions enabled. So, as the company celebrates its 75th anniversary, join us as we take a walk through some of the most iconic and beautiful instruments to come out of Fullerton (and later Corona), California – from the early years to the present day. We also talk with Justin Norvell, Fender’s executive vice president of products and a 25-year veteran at the company, about how guitar making at Fender has changed and where it’s going next. We hope you enjoy this celebration of seven and a half decades of beautiful Fender guitars – and here’s to many more.