Fender Guitars – a Who’s Who of Music

Homage to Leo Fender, born 100 years ago

It is 100 years ago since guitar manufacturer extraordinaire Mr. Clarence Leonidas Fender came into the world.

Fender Telecaster

Born on August 10 1909, he would go on to build an empire worth millions and arguably became the seminal guitar manufacturer who’s wares are still used by some of the greatest musicians spanning all eras and all genres.

Born into a successful family business growing oranges located between the cities of Anaheim and Fullerton, he became interested in electronics around age 13.

After studying accounting where he hones his business acumen, he hired on with the State of California as an accountant. In 1938, he took a chance and opened the Fender Radio Service in downtown Fullerton.

Fender Stratocaster

Before long, musicians began coming to him in search of modified and improved guitars and amplifiers. Fender began K & F Manufacturing with fellow inventor Doc Kauffman (who previously designed guitars for Rickenbacker) in a shed behind the radio shop where, in 1945, he unveiled his first electric guitar.

In 1946, Leo Fender opened the Fender Electric Instrument Company in Fullerton. It was in that warehouse where he created those legendary axes, the Telecaster and Stratocaster, perhaps the best recognised and most famous guitar brands in history.

Fender Jaguar

By his own admission, he “could not play a note,” but went on to be inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Country Music halls of fame for his immense influence their music.

Fender Jazzmaster

The man died in March 21, 1991, from complications from Parkinson’s Disease but we thought we’d pay homage to his designs and list the most famous musicians who have, and still do, don a Fender guitar to illuminate audiences across the world.

The list reads like a who’s who of music.

Telecaster

Thom Yorke – Radiohead

Before ginger Thom was dabbling in acoustic guitars, synths and piano, the early days of Radiohead were markedly different. He used his Telecaster (and as such was Radiohead guitarist number three) to get that gritty post-grunge sound of first album, Pablo Honey.

Jimmy Page – Led Zeppelin

Page recorded the solo to Stairway to Heaven on his beloved Telecaster and cracked it out during most live shows for his patented bow solos. The riffs for classic early Zeppelin anthems were honed and recorded on his rather flamboyant Telecaster.

Keith Richards – The Rolling Stones

Perhaps the most easily associated with the Telecaster, Richards, who owns over 1,000 guitars, wrote his early riffs on a customised Fender Telecaster Micawber and became synonymous with the brand. Despite using Gibson pick-ups and a Gibson in his later career, Telecaster fans still regard him as a founding member of club Fender.

Graham Coxon – Blur

One man who’s never seen without his Telecaster is the Blur axeman. That sliding Beetlebum riff, thats a Telecaster, tender tune Tender, yup Telecaster and his solo album recorded on a Telecaster. Essentially one of the leading lights in Britpop is made of Fender.

Frank Black – Pixies

Larger-than-life frontman of Boston surf-thrash ban Pixies wrote his jagged rythyms on a Telecaster.  Songs such as Hey, Where is my Mind, Debaser, Wave of Mutilation and the bands signature sound by lead man Joey Santiago were backed up by beefy chords from a beefy dude on his Telecaster.

Jeff Buckley

Handsome devil who only had one studio album before his untimely death 12 years ago was a Telecaster buff. His hauntingly flawed, beautiful version of Hallelujah was recorded warts and all on his favoured guitar. Buckley drowned while intoxicated and singing Whole Lotta Love by Led Zeppelin, another Telecaster riff.

Stratocaster

David Gilmour – Pink Floyd

Big Strat fan Gilmour uses the legendary axe to produce the cavalcade of effects and custom noises the Floyd were so famous for. The Comfortably Numb solo (see video below) was penned and performed on a Strat axe in just about every country in the world.

Jimi Hendrix

What needs to be said? Noel Gallagher described Hendrix as ‘an alien’ he was so good. He played behind his head, with his teeth and even set his Fender on fire. Voodoo Child, Purple Haze, Woodstock 1969 and that version of the Star Spangled Banner are legendary snapshots of a legendary man all the while twanging his upside-down-custom Strat.

Pete Townshend – The Who

I dunno what that big whirlwind thing he did with his arm was all about but he certainly had some of the early moves on the guitar. This British band honed their bad boy sound based on instruments by Fender. Classic Who tunes such as Pinball Wizard and My Generation were recorded on his Strat.

Eric Clapton

Britain’s most successful solo guitar player following the early demise of supergroup Cream, Clapton has been playing his custom made, fruity Strat for about 700 years now. Some of the faces he pulls are incredible but you get past the laughter to admire the notes he pulls which are even better.

Bob Dylan

Love or loathe his electric phase, Dylan’s hits never stopped when he plugged in his Stratocaster and turned it up to 11. Seminal song writing genius Dylan still packs ‘em in and still strums his Strat. In his recordings that called for an electric bass input he’d crack out the Fender bass models.

Others

Flea – Red Hot Chili Peppers

As with Dylan, Flea plugs in a heavily customised Fender bass for all that slapping dynamism. The Chili’s sound over the last 25 years has been built on the bedrock of Flea’s Fender. His slap bass odysseys and funk wit has been a defining factor in their success and his accolade as one of the best bassists ever.

John Entwhistle – The Who

How rock and roll is this; a man in his 70s dies with cocaine in his bloodstream. That aside, Entwhistle and fellow strummer Pete Townshend were both Fendermen to get that scampy British rock and roll sound. Entwhistle is another one where ‘best ever’ applies.

Paul McCartney – The Beatles

No introduction needed, Macca used Fenders for a while. Awesome.

Kurt Cobain – Nirvana

Legendary grunger Cobain actually used a heavily customised Fender Jaguar for most of his career after negotiating his way through the Strat on which seminal tunes Come as you Are, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Lithium and Heart Shaped Box were recorded. Cobain was another poster boy for Fender at the turn of the 90s and was never without one of their signature brands.