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Fender
Leo Fender started out repairing radios in Fullerton, California, and by 1954 his workshop had produced the Telecaster and the Stratocaster — two body shapes still built, largely unchanged, seventy years on. Fender is the brand we write about more than any other on GuitarBomb: new Player and American Professional releases, Custom Shop one-offs, the Squier models bought as first guitars, and the odd relic'd rarity that gets us asking what a few thousand pounds of nitrocellulose and hand-wound pickups actually buys you. Here's everything we've covered.
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Founded1946
Based inLos Angeles, California, USA
FounderLeo Fender
Parent companyServco Pacific (majority owner)
Articles here207
Makes
- Electric guitars
- Bass guitars
- Acoustic guitars
- Amplifiers
- Effects pedals
Known for
- Stratocaster
- Telecaster
- Precision Bass
- Jazz Bass
- Jazzmaster
- Jaguar
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Where to buy & service Fender
Guitar business directory →- Regent SoundsAuthorised dealerLondon WC2H 8LP
- GuitarbitzRetailers · works with FenderBath BA1 2JS
- Jimmy Egypt & SonsRetailers · works with FenderGlasgow G12 8HX
- MotoMusicRetailers · works with FenderCardiff CF10 5DR
- The Little Guitar ShopRetailers · works with FenderBirmingham B18 6HA
- True Vintage GuitarServices · works with FenderOnline · based in Birmingham
- Truetone MusicRetailers · works with FenderSanta Monica 90401
- Wunjo GuitarsRetailers · works with FenderLondon WC2H 8LP
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Fender FAQ5 questions
Where are Fender guitars made?
It depends on the series. American-built Fenders come out of Corona, California. The Player and Vintera lines are made in Ensenada, Mexico. Fender has also produced instruments in Japan, Indonesia, China and Korea, which is where most Squier models originate. The country of origin is printed on the headstock or the neck plate, so it is worth checking before you buy secondhand.
Is Squier the same as Fender?
Squier is Fender's own budget brand, so the body shapes are the real thing rather than copies. The differences are in the parts and the build: cheaper pickups, hardware and finishes, and overseas assembly. A Classic Vibe Squier is closer to a Mexican-built Fender than its price suggests, which is why it comes up so often in our first-guitar coverage.
What is the difference between a Stratocaster and a Telecaster?
The Telecaster came first, in 1950, and is the simpler instrument: two single coil pickups, a flat slab body and a bright, cutting tone. The Stratocaster followed in 1954 with three pickups, a contoured body that sits more comfortably against you, and a vibrato bridge. Strats are the more versatile of the two; Teles are the more direct.
Who owns Fender?
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is privately held, with Servco Pacific as majority owner since 2020. It is not a public company, so it does not publish the sales figures people often ask about.
Are Fender guitars a good investment?
Treat them as instruments rather than assets. Pre-CBS vintage Fenders, meaning pre 1965, have appreciated enormously, but that market is specialist and full of fakes and undisclosed refinishes. A modern production Fender holds its value reasonably well against other new guitars, which is not the same thing as making money.