Fender

Fenders are cool in part because of the mass-produced quality (stay with me here, this may yet make sense). A serious Gibson looks like a damn sculpture; they're just such beautiful guitars, how could you get good and drunk and stagger around with one of those things on a tiny stage in a bar, with mike stands, cymbals, etc.? Jesus, I could never do that with a Les Paul -- but a Telecaster is designed to collide with things! It was born to be a blunt instrument! This is rock'n'roll! Allegedly, Leo Fender didn't even know how to play guitar; he was an industrial designer.

I could probably throw my Telecaster down a flight of stairs and it would stay in tune, though I might ding the finish (might, mind you; the finish on that guitar is not fragile). I'm not gonna try it, but it's good to know that if the need arose that thing will be there for me.

Actually, Gibson has made relatively ratty-ass guitars, like Les Paul Juniors (or whatever they're called) and so on.

The great tragedy of life is that by the time we can afford a really, really nice guitar, most of us have degenerated with age into the kind of boring people who'll treat it properly.

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation was founded in 1946. Bill Schultz is the CEO; Bill Mendello is the managing director (so they've got a thing for Bills, what's a guy to do?). Brands of Fender include: Squier, Guild, Benedetto, DeArmond and Sunn. Fender was the first company to mass-produce a quality guitar (see wharfinger's Fender entry), but they've also got a custom shop in Corona, California that'll hand craft you a guitar to specs. Fender headquarters is in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The fender is the covering on a car, bicicle or motorcicle around the tire that keeps the dirt and water from spraying up onto the occupants and the vehicle. When a small accident occurs, it is sometimes called a "fender-bender".

Fender is a world-renowned manufacturer of guitars and guitar amps. The company was started over forty years ago with one man, Leo Fender. The initial beginnings of the company came from a need to design a better guitar and better amps. From this idea Fender would go on to manufacturer the Fender Telecaster, Fender Stratocaster, and the Precision Bass.

In the mid-sixties Leo Fender would fall upon bad health. This decline in his well being would cause the sale of Fender to the corporate giant CBS. Under the control of CBS, Fender would gain much sales growth. However, the commitment to quality instruments was not as apparent with this corporate giant. This obvious decrease in workmanship caused CBS to hire a new management team to try to revise the current workings of Fender; William Schultz headed this team. William along with his associates came up with a plan to revive the Fender name. Basically, the plan was to go back to focusing on research and production of quality instruments. However, CBS soon decided to pull out of this non-broadcast business.

Thus in 1985 William Schultz led a group of employees and inventors to purchase Fender from CBS. Finally, there was a return of people dedicated to music to the head of Fender. However, there were no buildings included in this sale. The only things received were the patents, old stock, and the Fender name.

When first receiving the company Schultz and company relied on many offshore manufacturers that had previously proved themselves for quality. However, a want of control over the end product eventually led to the creation of the domestic factory in Corona, California.

Over the following years Fender became the owner of Sunn amplification and Guild guitars. Another important note in the history of Fender was the creation of the now famous Fender Custom Shop. This allowed for musicians to have the quality of custom made instruments that were already offered by many other guitar manufacturers.

Through all of the adversity facing Fender throughout the years it has come to be known once again as a quality instrument manufacturer.

Fen"der (?), n. [From Fend, v. t. & i., cf. Defender.]

One who or that which defends or protects by warding off harm

A screen to prevent coals or sparks of an open fire from escaping to the floor

Anything serving as a cushion to lessen the shock when a vessel comes in contact with another vessel or a wharf

A screen to protect a carriage from mud thrown off the wheels: also, a splashboard

Anything set up to protect an exposed angle, as of a house, from damage by carriage wheels.

© Webster 1913.