In the world of electric guitars, there are a few names that ring out quite as loud as Fender. Along with their stablemate Gibson, Fender paved the way in the 1950s for the future of mass-produced electric instruments and it’s fair to say that popular music would look very different without their influence.
Leo Fender founded the company in 1946 and quickly pivoted from repairing radios to manufacturing amps and instruments. It wasn't long before he struck gold, so to speak, with the invention of the first mass-produced solid-body electric guitar – originally called the Esquire, it would later be rebranded the Telecaster. Since then, Fender has gone on to do huge things and continues to be a pioneer within the industry.
