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One of the most iconic of all American guitars is the Fender Stratocaster. Ever wonder how they make them?
Here is a brief video overview of the process of creating world class guitars on an industrial scale. Keep in mind that although these guitars are turned out in quantity, the quality control is impressive. Quality control starts with careful selection of the wood, which is then treated as a precious commodity as it is dried, cured, shaped, and finally finished by master luthiers.
Fender guitars are played by some of the greatest guitarists in the world.
One of my favorites was Roy Buchanan. I saw him for the first time on Austin City Limits in 1976. He played notes that are not even on the guitar, using his fingernail as a proxy fret almost down to the bridge. Of all the songs he recorded, one of my favorites is The Messiah Will Come Again. This was one of the songs from that original Austin City Limits appearance in 1976.
Two other great Fender players are Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton. Here is a twofer, with both of them, playing Little Brown Bird as a duet:
Jimi Hendrix was considered by music critics to be one of the best guitarists of all time. Here he is with his Fender Stratocaster in a concert in Miami:
Swedish born Yngwie Malmsteen creates a blend of neoclassical and hard rock/metal with his Fender. One of the most technically accomplished guitarists in the world, Malmsteen showcases his artistry with his own composition, Arpeggios from Hell. In this video, he plays his 1972 blonde Stratocaster equipped with DiMarzio HS3 single coil pickups.
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There are lots more Fender players around, both living and deceased. They include Mark Knopfler, David Gilmour, George Harrison, Buddy Holly, and Stevie Ray Vaughan—to name just a few. I cannot include all of them and keep this MOT to manageable length. Each and every one of them is deserving of their own story.
One of these days soon, I will do a story on Gibson guitars unless someone else beats me to it.
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