Fender

Est. 1946 Website ↗

About

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is one of the world's largest musical instrument manufacturers, best known for pioneering solid-body electric guitars and basses. Founded by Clarence Leonidas "Leo" Fender, the company introduced the Telecaster, Stratocaster, Precision Bass, and Jazz Bass — instruments that became foundational to rock, blues, country, and jazz music.

History

Leo Fender began repairing radios and audio equipment in Fullerton, California in 1938. In 1945 he partnered with Doc Kauffman to form K&F Manufacturing; after the two parted ways in 1946, Leo renamed the company the Fender Electric Instrument Company. In 1950 Fender released the Esquire, soon renamed the Telecaster — widely considered the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar. The Precision Bass followed in 1951, and the Stratocaster arrived in 1954, becoming one of the most influential electric guitar designs ever made. The Jazzmaster, Jazz Bass, Jaguar, and Mustang rounded out the classic lineup between 1958 and 1964. Leo Fender sold the company to CBS in 1965 for $13 million; the CBS era brought expanded production but also well-documented quality concerns. In 1985, a group of employees and investors led by Bill Schultz bought Fender back from CBS for $12.5 million, and U.S. production was reestablished through the Corona, California Custom Shop in 1987. Weston Presidio acquired a controlling stake in 2001, and Servco Pacific became the company's majority owner in 2020. Fender guitars remain central to popular music nearly eight decades after the company's founding.