Vintage Guitar Chapter One
FENDER STRATOCASTER

FENDER STRATOCASTER

The Stratocaster appeared in 1954. Over its history spanning more than half a century, it has undergone numerous minor changes, yet it remains an unshakable standard that produces a unique sound that has supported countless legendary performances to this day! The supreme Stratocaster sound, symbolized by Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrick, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, continues to fascinate many guitarists today and has an impact that never fades.

Of course, each model year and specification has its own distinct tonal character, but isn't the greatest appeal precisely that wood is a living material, allowing you to experience its "living" resonance? Even when transformed into an instrument, wood continues to live and breathe. Over decades, it breathes through cycles of humidity and dryness, and through being played, it develops an astonishingly rich resonance.The whole instrument resonates as one, producing a deep, rich tone that is mature yet lustrous... This is the true beauty of vintage instruments. The Stratocaster appeared in 1954. Over its half-century history, it has undergone numerous minor changes, but it remains an unshakeable standard that produces a unique sound that has supported countless legendary performances to this day! The supreme Stratocaster sound, symbolized by Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrick, and Stevie Ray Vaughan, continues to fascinate many guitarists today and has an impact that never fades.

Of course, each year and specification has its own distinctive sound characteristics, but isn't the greatest appeal precisely that wood is a living material, allowing you to experience its "living" resonance?Even when transformed into an instrument, wood continues to live and breathe. Over decades, it breathes through cycles of humidity and dryness, and through being played, it develops a surprisingly beautiful resonance. The entire instrument resonates as one, producing a mature yet lustrous, deep tone... this is the true beauty of vintage instruments.

In 1938, Leo Fender, founder of Fender, opened his own radio repair shop, "FENDER'S RADIO SERVICE," in Fullerton, California.Eventually, together with musician and engineer Clayton "Doc" Kauffman, he established "K&F (Kauffman & Fender) Manufacturing" in 1945 to produce original steel guitars and amplifiers.Shortly after Kaufman left the company, the name was changed to Fender Electric Instrument Company, marking the official start of Fender's journey as a guitar manufacturer.

In 1950, Fender introduced the world's first Spanish-style guitar, the "Broadcaster," and went on to realize many groundbreaking ideas, including the Stratocaster, during the golden age of Fender. In 1965, due to Leo's health reasons, he sold Fender to CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System).He later returned as a consultant for CBS, working on product development before ending his contract with CBS in 1970 to pursue new challenges. (※Officially: Esquire → Broadcaster)

In 1972, he was involved in establishing Music Man Inc. alongside Forrest White, then Vice President of Fender, and Tom Walker, who handled sales.The first Music Man product, an amplifier, was released in 1975, developed and manufactured by Leo's independently established consulting firm, CLF Research. Its popularity surged due to use by artists like Eric Clapton, leading to the release of the Stingray bass guitar with an active preamp the following year, 1976.Bassannounced. Particularly Stingray'sBassis highly regarded and remains active even today.Basshas become synonymous with.

In 1980, Leo severed ties with Music Man. He then turned to early Fender craftsmen who had served as his right-hand men, crafting Broadcasters and Precision...BassGeorge Fullerton, who had been involved in Leo Fender's development work, co-founded G&L Musical Products. To realize even more innovative ideas unbound by the past, they immersed themselves in research and development, building upon their accumulated technical expertise and experience. Leo's true essence at G&L lay particularly in pickup development, where he later established a unique approach capable of meeting the demands of any genre and even creating new sounds.G&L was the last brand Leo launched. His private workshop remains preserved exactly as it was during his active years, and his spirit lives on there to this day.

Finally, the immense contributions made by Leo Fender are immeasurable. The electric guitar andBassNeedless to say, he also had a profound impact on amplifiers, leaving an incredible legacy for the modern music scene. Leo Fender was truly a great innovator who revolutionized the world of electric instruments.

1950Year〜

The world's first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar, the "Esquire," was unveiled at the NAMM Show. Upon commercial release, the 2-pickup version was initially named "Broadcaster," but trademark issues soon forced a name change. After a period shipping only with the brand logo while the model name was unavailable ("No-Caster"), it officially launched as the "Telecaster" the following year, 1951.

1954–

Fender announced the "Stratocaster," positioned as a higher-end model than the Telecaster. It featured a revolutionary synchronized tremolo system, born from new ideas that overturned the conventional wisdom of tremolo units at the time. Through trial and error and repeated minor changes, it became an unshakable standard beloved by countless guitarists today.

1956Year〜

Positioned as a student model, the "Music Master" was released, followed shortly by the "Duo Sonic." Both models adopted a 22 1/2-inch short scale. They shared most parts, including the body and neck, as models designed for production efficiency.The Duo Sonic realized the concept of achieving a humbucking effect by mixing the output of its front and rear pickups, which were wired in series.

1958Year〜

Fender introduced the Jazzmaster, packed with new ideas including the brand's first rosewood fingerboard, an asymmetrical "offset waist design" body, "preset tone," and "floating tremolo." The early pickguard featured the so-called "gold anodized" finish, used for less than a year.

1962Year〜

The Jaguar was introduced as an upgraded model of the Jazzmaster, inheriting its body shape and tremolo unit. While the Jazzmaster features a 25 1/2-inch scale length with 21 frets, similar to the Stratocaster, the Jaguar employs a 24-inch scale length with 22 frets.

1964Year〜

The "Mustang" was introduced, featuring a dynamic vibrato with a wide range of adjustment. Two neck scale options were available for selection: 22 2/1 inches with 21 frets and 24 inches with 22 frets. A 3-way slide switch was used for pickup selection, enabling the output of half-tone and phase sounds through different combinations. Also appearing that year were the redesigned "Music Master II" and "Duo-Sonic II".

1965Year〜

Fender unveils its first 12-string model, the "Electric XII." It features a distinctive long headstock shape known as the "hockey stick." The bridge, designed specifically for 12-string guitars, allows individual octave adjustments for each string via separate saddles.

1966Year〜

Gibson introduced the hollow-body "Coronado" to compete with their offerings. The lineup included the single-pickup "Coronado I," the dual-pickup "Coronado II," and the 12-string model "Coronado XII," with many models featuring tremolo systems.That same year, Gibson introduced the "Bronco," a student model equipped with a tremolo. Unlike synchronized tremolos, it featured a newly developed tremolo unit with two pivot points.

1968Year〜

The Telecaster Thinline, produced as a variation model of the Telecaster, was announced. It featured a semi-solid body with F-holes and initially mounted single-coil pickups like previous Telecasters, but by the end of 1971, it was changed to humbucking pickups designed by Seth Lover.Additionally, the body of the first single-coil version was available in two types: ash and mahogany, allowing selection based on sound preference.