Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, initially named the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company, was started by Leo Fender in the 1940s, and is one of the most widely recognised manufacturers of electric guitars, bass guitars and amplifiers in the world. Its headquarters are based in Scottsdale, Arizona, with manufacturing facilities in Corona, California, and OCONUS manufacturing facilities in Ensenada (Mexico), Korea and Japan. Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company was originally based in Fullerton, California. In 1965, Leo Fender sold his company to the Columbia Broadcasting Corporation, or CBS. In 1985, initiated by an employee name William Schultz, the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company was bought from CBS, and renamed Fender Musical Instruments Corporation.

Fender is particularly important because of its role in bringing musical instruments to the masses. The invention of the first mass-produced electric guitar, dubbed Telecaster (originally named Broadcaster, a name which was already registered by the Gretsch company for a line of drums), and the first electric bass guitar, the Precision Bass (or P-Bass) can be attributed to the Fender company. Leo Fender can also be credited with the invention of the Stratocaster (or Strat), an icon of modern rock music. Fender also manufactures electric bass guitars, the most popular models include the Jazz Bass and the Precision Bass. Also, the company manufactures guitar, bass, and public address amplifiers, and all required guitar, bass and instrument amplifier accessories. In recent years, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has started the manufacturing of the acoustic guitar, and has purchased the Guild Guitar Company to reach into the acoustic guitar market. Also purchased was the Sunn Amplifier Company , to add to their line of large guitar and bass amplifiers.

Behind the Fender name, the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation has continued to grow, and add more and more innovative products to their product line, while still keeping with traditional designs that has set Fender products apart from the rest for the past 50 years. On nearly every stage in the country, small or large, traditional, blues, country and western or rock and roll styles of music, it is more common than not to see a Fender electric guitar or bass in the hands of one or more of the musicians, being amplified through Fender amplifiers. Fender guitars have been the instrument of choice for artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Keith Richards.

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation also has several subsidiaries including Squier, an Asian manufacturer producing less expensive copies of many Fender guitars and basses.

Contents

1 Fender Guitars 1.1 Electric Guitars 1.2 Electric Basses 2 See also 3 External links

Fender Guitars

Electric Guitars

• Cyclone
• Jag-Stang
• Jaguar
• Jazzmaster
• Mustang
• Showmaster
• Starcaster
• Stratocaster
• Super Strat
• Telecaster
• Toronado
• Swinger

Electric Basses

• Precision
• Jazz
• Zone

See also

• Gibson guitars

External links

• A history of Fender http://www.americanvintageguitar.com/Fender%20History.htm
• Fender Musical Instruments http://www.fender.com/