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Fender: The Official Illustrated History

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Description

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 BurtonClassic-rock icons like Jimi Hendrix and Eric ClaptonBlues legends Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Buddy GuyAlt-rock figureheads like J Mascis, Johnny Marr, and Kurt CobainMore 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. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Motorbooks


Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 19, 2023


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Print length ‏ : ‎ 224 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0760387303


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 06


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.5 x 1 x 10.75 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #182,427 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #224 in Music History & Criticism (Books) #303 in Guitars (Books) #452 in Rock Music (Books)


#224 in Music History & Criticism (Books):


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Friday, Jan 2

Yes, absolutely! You may return this product for a full refund within 30 days of receiving it.

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Love it
Format: Hardcover
I just got this so I have just been skimming so far but I really like it. I have a few other Fender books because I am a fan of the guitars and Leo himself. This one is my favorite so far.
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2025 by Vic Lance

  • Good quality
Format: Hardcover
I already had this book ,only with a different cover.
Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2024 by Brian Scury

  • Dedicated Rock and Roller
Format: Hardcover
This is a very cool book, fabulously illustrated with sensational photographs. All about the legendary guitars and amps of Fender, maybe the most famous of musical instrument makers , truly an icon of the rock and roll world. It’s the entire history of this famous maker from early days in the Fender’s garage and their first instrument (1946 ) to the innovations and breath taking achievements of today’s Fender guitars, as well as all the legendary players who became synonymous with Fender instruments.. Lavishly illustrated with photos from the company's ’s archives illustrating the fascinating history of this king of instrument genres. period ads, brochures and other ephemera. Know a guitar player ???-this book is a must-have A great gift for a dedicated rock and roller. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2024 by D. Jackson

  • Wonderful history of Fender Guitars (the company and the guitars)
Format: Hardcover
This is quite a nice book, recounting the history of the Fender Musical Instruments company, from its humble beginnings through the introduction of Stratocaster and Telecaster guitars, and other noteworthy models (Jazzmasters, Precision basses, etc) , and changes in ownership of the company over the years, through to their current incarnation. Lots of great vintage photos and this makes a very attractive coffee table book for the guitar enthusiast in your life (or if you're like me and own a couple of Fenders, a welcome addition to your library). ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2024 by T. Scarillo

  • Great coffee table book
Format: Kindle
I originally grabbed a copy of this for my husband and teens, since they all play, and for myself being a lifelong fan of music. We all enjoyed this one. I had to chuckle a little at seeing the photo of Bruce Springsteen - there’s certainly nothing wrong with Bruce, and he plays and writes wonderfully, but growing up, I lived in New Jersey and had always heard of Bruce and the E Street Band. However, I always thought that their success was a tri-state area type of thing, not nationwide, let alone global. I used to babysit for Max’s then young children in the 90’s and answered the ringing house line one day and hearing Bruce’s recognizable husky voice on the other end and I thought, oh right, it’s the singer of that local band. I was completely unaware of their massive success for a painfully long time - I was married and my husband informed me of my error - we had gone out for dinner due to massive pregnancy cravings when we still lived in Monmouth county, NJ, and had just left the Red Bank restaurant when we walked past Bruce and I said, “oh, it’s that guy” and my husband said “Bruce Springsteen?” and I responded with a yes, and that’s when he explained it. Sigh… but in my defense, it was very possible at that time to be an extremely successful Jersey shore band. A divine coffee table book. Packed full of history and vivid photos, Fender: The Official Illustrated History is perfect for music lovers, and guitarists alike. This would make an excellent gift - for others or yourself. Thank you to Motorbooks and NetGalley for the temporary PDF ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2024 by BucolicBook

  • Great writing and pictures for the guitar nerd!
Format: Hardcover
I absolutely love this book. It's goes through the entire history of Fender up through 2023 (I believe this is a second edition) starting with the childhood of Leo Fender. It's about 200 pages or so, and just about every 2-page spread is a combination of text and beautiful, relevant, full color photos (except, you know, the old black and white photos). The prose is excellent. It's well-written without being too dense. It won't take you that long to read through it, but there's plenty of really interesting stuff there. Some of it is more historical and contextual, but a good chunk of it describes the gear in satisfying detail for a guitar nerd. I personally love Fender guitars and amps, and learning about all the history and different eras of the gear is an absolute delight. If you are a gear head who is into electric guitars, or love a gear head, this is a great gift for yourself or them. It's also nice to leave out on the coffee table as your gear-loving guest can open to a random page and see beautiful images while learning something new. Obviously, if you hate Fender gear this isn't for you, but come on... are you really into the electric guitar at all if you don't at least recognize Fender for its incredible influence on the history of the instrument you love? I thought so. If you're checking out reviews on this book you should definitely just buy it. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2023 by Reviewer

  • Good official history of a fascinating company
Format: Hardcover
I found this to be a really great read and a nice addition to the coffee table. Some general points about it: --As a physical product, it's quite attractive, with no dust jacket but the cover photo printed directly on the cover and lots of color photos throughout. I did notice a few pages where the printing seemed light in sections, though. --It's an official history, so it's obviously a celebration of Fender, but it's still pretty well-written and thorough, including its coverage of some rough times (eg the CBS years!). --In terms of the story it tells, the first third or so is really where the action is. It's amazing how Leo Fender & co. went from primitive electric guitars no one would play anymore, to releasing the Telecaster, the Stratocaster, the Precision bass, and numerous amazing amps over the course of maybe ten years or so. Later guitars like the Mustang and Jaguar were fine, and then after the CBS years, the new team did some interesting things like making cheaper guitars in Mexico for a new generation and expensive recreations of the classics for an older, richer audience. But man, what an incredible leap forward in the 1950s! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2024 by Midwestern Dad

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