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Post subject: All Things Fender
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 6:55 pm
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I know similar posts have been made, but I wanted to take a few minutes and express my love for all things Fender.

It stems from my deepest respect for one of the most prolific inventors and visionaries of our time. Grasp what Leo Fender created. If not for his visionary manufacturing method, affordable electric instruments would never have reached the hands of so many musicians that changed the face of music.

Then there are the instruments themselves. We all know what they are, but just look at the numbers of them, and the amplifiers, and the Fender Rhodes piano, and he virtually invented the electric bass. The electric bass that nobody wanted, but Leo knew needed. Today, many companies seeking to improve their bottom line would have dropped the bass, but Leo did not. Most musician's play one of two guitars, one of two basses and one of several amplifiers. Amazing.

And, Leo did this with not one, but three companies.

Today, anything I buy from basses and guitars to amplifiers and accessoreies all have the Fender name on it. Sometimes I pay more than for a competing product. But I can always rely on the sound and quality of the Fender name.


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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:50 am
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Leo's original vision of the Stratocaster has remained pretty much unchanged for the last 50+ years. I can't think of many things whose 50yr old vision was so strong and solid that after so many years oc technology and modernization, you still couldn't really make it any "better".

Bravo Leo!

If there were no strats, I'd be just another acoustic coffee shop nut job, rambling about conspiracies and gripping onto any "movements" that I didn't really understand, but though were "cool" and anti-everything.


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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:16 am
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What is so amazing about Fender in this opinion is how so many people got into the Leo vision and expanded it and yet kept "Fender" as a coherent concept.

Folks as varied as Freddy Taveres and Don Randall and Dick Dale must have been interesting for Leo to all have around at the same time and still maintain focus and pursue direction.

And neither electric guitars nor tube amps were rocket science, but Fender tied them into one concept. And did them better than veritably anyone, in the formative years.

Interesting to note, Gibson, Martin, Rickenbacker, Gretsch could all make a darned nice guitar, but none of them could tie them to a line of excellent (let alone legendary) amps...

...and become the unique icon which is Fender.

AND even more amazing to this mind, the USA-BASED guitar and amp companies largely world-defined and world-dominated the electric guitar concept.


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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:13 pm
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I echo every sentiment posted.

I am an engineer and I have invented and patented. I just can't wrap my mind around how damn many products Fender got right. I know there are a couple of dogs in the pile, but that is very excusable.

I mean, we all use the 351 style pick. Leo needed bass strings and got a company to make them for him. As I stated, the Fender Rhodes piano pretty much defined the keyboard sound of the 70's. The amps are drooled over by every guitar enthusiast. Some produce says "Give me that bass sound", and what he means is a Fender Precision flat picked. The list just goes on and on. Pickups, bridges, assembly methods.

I have stolen Leo's idea that "if a thing is easy to build, it will be easy to service", and I tell this to my engineering department all the time.

I have nothing against Gibson, Gretch, Vox, Hofner, Rickenbacker or any other instument manufacturer of the time. They have all been inventive and made damn fine instruments. The problem was one of affordability mixed with desirability. If Leo had not put high quality instruments at an affordable price into the hands of every bluesman, R&B guy, surf guy, jazz guy, rock & roll guy etc., I just cannot believe we would have the evolution and archive of music we have today.

I have to believe there is a special place in heaven for a guy like Clarence Leonidas Fender.


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Post subject: Re: All Things Fender
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:42 pm
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Jazz Bass Heaven wrote:
I know similar posts have been made, but I wanted to take a few minutes and express my love for all things Fender.

It stems from my deepest respect for one of the most prolific inventors and visionaries of our time. Grasp what Leo Fender created. If not for his visionary manufacturing method, affordable electric instruments would never have reached the hands of so many musicians that changed the face of music.

Then there are the instruments themselves. We all know what they are, but just look at the numbers of them, and the amplifiers, and the Fender Rhodes piano, and he virtually invented the electric bass. The electric bass that nobody wanted, but Leo knew needed. Today, many companies seeking to improve their bottom line would have dropped the bass, but Leo did not. Most musician's play one of two guitars, one of two basses and one of several amplifiers. Amazing.

And, Leo did this with not one, but three companies.

Today, anything I buy from basses and guitars to amplifiers and accessoreies all have the Fender name on it. Sometimes I pay more than for a competing product. But I can always rely on the sound and quality of the Fender name.



i second that!!!!!

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Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:31 pm
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dgonz wrote:
Leo's original vision of the Stratocaster has remained pretty much unchanged for the last 50+ years. I can't think of many things whose 50yr old vision was so strong and solid that after so many years oc technology and modernization, you still couldn't really make it any "better".

Bravo Leo!

If there were no strats, I'd be just another acoustic coffee shop nut job, rambling about conspiracies and gripping onto any "movements" that I didn't really understand, but though were "cool" and anti-everything.
So let me get this straight....All the people who "play guitar at coffee shops" are all "anti-everything and conspiracy nuts"? Seriously, I think everyone gets it that you are a hardcore righty already. But come back to reality man. I have seen plenty of "coffee shop players" and a HUGE percentage NEVER mention politics in their music. Get a grip on reality, seriously. :roll:


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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 10:22 am
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bol316 wrote:
dgonz wrote:
Leo's original vision of the Stratocaster has remained pretty much unchanged for the last 50+ years. I can't think of many things whose 50yr old vision was so strong and solid that after so many years oc technology and modernization, you still couldn't really make it any "better".

Bravo Leo!

If there were no strats, I'd be just another acoustic coffee shop nut job, rambling about conspiracies and gripping onto any "movements" that I didn't really understand, but though were "cool" and anti-everything.
So let me get this straight....All the people who "play guitar at coffee shops" are all "anti-everything and conspiracy nuts"? Seriously, I think everyone gets it that you are a hardcore righty already. But come back to reality man. I have seen plenty of "coffee shop players" and a HUGE percentage NEVER mention politics in their music. Get a grip on reality, seriously. :roll:


I'm thinking that you took "the gonz" out of context man. Relax a bit. Drink less coffee :wink:

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