Fender: The Official Illustrated History

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®

Along the way, you’ll get in-depth scoops on the relationships dozens of players have enjoyed with Fender

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.

…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, Fender: The Official Illustrated History 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.