, George Fullerton—a man who has walked alongside Leo for many years, from Fender to G&L

When you hear “Fender,” who comes to mind?

Most people would probably mention the founder, Leo Fender. Of course, as the brand is named after him, he is the most important figure in Fender’s history. However, Fender didn’t grow into the company it is today through Leo’s efforts alone—it’s thanks to the people who supported him that Fender exists as it does today.

So, in this article, I’d like to focus on “George Fullerton,” who walked alongside Leo for many years—from Fender to G&L!

George William Fullerton was born on March 7, 1923, in Arkansas, USA, into a musical family where all six siblings played music. George and Leo first met in the late 1940s.

Knowing that George could play the guitar, Leo tried to recruit him to the company, but George—who had no technical skills beyond playing—was reportedly hesitant to work at Fender. However, partly due to Leo’s enthusiasm, he joined Fender in 1948.

When George started working at Fender, he initially focused mainly on repairing steel guitars and amplifiers, but he was also involved in the development of the Spanish electric guitar.

This Spanish electric guitar became the prototype for the later “Broadcaster” (Telecaster).

Leo and George also worked on developing an electric Bass, resulting in the “Precision Bass” in 1951.

George’s ideas were also incorporated into the “Stratocaster,” released in 1954; the idea of mounting the jack at an angle on the top of the body (the so-called “boat-shaped jack”) was George’s.

George’s wife, Lucille, also suggested the phrase “Original Contour Body” to be inscribed on the headstock.

George also played a major role in the “Custom Colors,” which have since become a standard feature.

George wanted a red guitar, so he took his prototype Jazzmaster (a rare model with an ebony fingerboard) to a local paint shop to have it painted. This is said to be the first “Custom Color.”

The color was initially referred to internally as “Fullerton Red,” but was changed to “Fiesta Red” when it appeared in catalogs and other materials.

George was responsible for a wide range of tasks, from design to prototype production and production line management. Even after Fender was sold to CBS in 1965 and Leo left the company, George remained at Fender until 1970.

Later, around 1974, he joined CLF Research, a company Leo had recently founded.

At CLF, George worked as vice president, overseeing the development of new models and the establishment of production line processes.

However, in 1979, a rift developed between MUSIC MAN and CLF Research.

Even after selling his shares to Leo in 1986 for health reasons, he remained with the company as vice president and consultant. He continued to dedicate himself to G&L until 2007, even after Leo’s passing in 1991 and the company’s acquisition by BBE Sound.

(When he sold his shares in 1986, the company name changed from George & Leo to Guitars by Leo, but the “G&L” designation remained in use.)

In his later years, from 2007 until his passing in 2009, George served as a consultant for the Fender Custom Shop, and products named after him—such as the “George Fullerton 50th Anniversary Stratocaster”—were released.

Seeing how deeply George was involved in the companies Leo founded—from Fender to CLF Research and then G&L—gives a sense of just how much Leo trusted him.

He is a figure you simply cannot leave out when discussing Fender!

George Fullerton, who worked alongside Leo Fender at Fender, Musicman (CLF Research), and G&L, is a figure who—the more you delve into history—becomes increasingly indispensable to the history of the electric guitar. At the same time, I felt a growing desire for more people to learn about Fullerton, which is why I wrote this article.

I would be delighted if this article served as an opportunity for more people to experience the instruments George Fullerton was involved with.

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