Fender ~ Tele ~ Strat ~ Big Sis Media

Broadcaster / Telecaster

Together with George Fullerton, Fender developed the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar, in 1948. Called the Fender Broadcaster (renamed the Telecaster in 1950), it was produced under the auspices of the Fender Electric Instruments Company, which Fender had formed in 1946. In 1951 the Fender Precision Bass, the world's first electric bass guitar, was unveiled, and in 1954 the Fender Stratocaster was put on the market.

Stratocaster

The follow up model to the Telecaster was the now

legendary Fender Stratocaster.

More stylish and technically improved than the Telecaster, the Stratocaster was the first guitar to feature three electric pickups (instead of two)and the tremolo arm used for vibrato effects. Its clean, sharp sound earned it a loyal following among guitarists, rivaled only by that of Gibson's eponymous Les Paul, and it became the signature instrument of Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, and others.

This guitar represented gigantic advances in guitar development and manufacturing.

One of the most visibly noticable aspects of the Fender Strat is it's "Custom" body style. This style features dual cutaways. This allows easier access to the higher frets. This body style also includes two comfort contours for comfortable playing.

Strat bodies come in many different varieties of wood, most notably ash or alder.

The neck of the Stratocaster is very identifiable. It has an offset looking headstock, and comes with fretboards made of different types of woods including Rosewood and maple.

Different neck shapes are now available in shapes denoted in manners such as "C" and "V". A steel truss rod is also necessary in electric guitars to support the tension of the strings. Strat necks have one of two types of truss rod adjustments, above the nut, and under the heel. Strat necks bolt on with four screws.

The bridge of the Stratocaster is a work of art in itself. This is the part towards the bottom of the guitar which holds the strings in place. The strings are strung though the back of the guitar and over the saddles of the bridge right up to the top of the neck. By having the strings go though the body, the amount of available sustain is increased. The six individul saddles are adjustable to set the action and intonation. Often the bridge on a Strat is equipped with a tremolo which allows the pitch to be lowered instantaneously.

The Strat has three single coil pickups. By way of a 5 way selector switch you can select individual pickups or combinations of two pickups. One volume control and two tone controls are also included. With this combination of electronics hardware, many sound possibilities are available.

Fender, who never learned to play the instrument he revolutionized, sold his manufacturing and distribution companies to CBS Corporation in 1965, a concession to his failing health. When his physical condition improved a few years later, he returned to the company as a design consultant and continued to indulge his inventive and entrepreneurial inclinations well into the 1980s.