While guitarists in the early part of this century played on acoustic guitars, in the 1930′s, jazz musicians began experimenting with amplifying hollow-bodied guitars so they played at the same sound level as other instruments. One problem that they encountered was that the speakers and pickups generated feedback when they were played at a high level.

In the 1940′s, a California inventor named Leo Fender began experimenting and making custom guitars and amplifiers in his radio shop. Eventually, he created the first instrument amplifiers with built-in tone controls. He had a vision of making a better guitar, and he knew he could improve on contemporary amplified hollow-body instruments.

And he was right. Leo Fender revolutionized the guitar, and since 1946, Fender electric guitars and amplifiers have had a huge influence on music and musicians. Fender is the world’s leading guitar manufacturer, and the Fender name has become synonymous with guitar playing.

In 1965, Fender was sold to CBS, and the look and feel of the Fender guitar began to change significantly. More mass production was used to produced the guitars, and the look and quality of the Fender guitar began to deteriorate. By 1971, the quality was definitely damaged, and musicians felt as if the newer designs were ruining the Fenders’s tone.

In the early 1980′s, Fender was bought from CBS by Bill Schultz, and manufacturing began to resume its earlier high quality. Fender was able to regain market share and built up its brand reputation once again. This caused a huge spike in the popularity of vintage and vintage-style guitars.

Vintage Fender guitars began to be highly collectible, and command great prices. For most vintage guitar collectors, the most desirable are the pre-CBS Fender guitars and amps. Because of this, Fender’s earliest guitars and amps are its most collectible. These guitars have one-piece maple necks, single layer pickguards, tweed cases … and unmistakably superior tone and timbre. These things seem to capture collectors the most.

But suppose you don’t play guitar, and don’t really want to collect guitars (or can’t afford to), but you still want something produced by Fender? Well, break out your inner rock and roller with Fender shirts and other Fender clothing. For more than 60 years, Fender has been associated with rock legends and has been at the heart of great guitar music. Fender Clothing is based on this rock & roll history and the rock legends that use Fender guitars.