Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • Sly and Survivor
  • In My Life
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • One chord Diamond
  1. Guitars
  2. Electric Guitars

Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970 in pictures

News
By The MusicRadar Team published 5 July 2010

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970

Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970

In the year that the world's first mass production solidbody electric guitar - the Fender Telecaster - celebrates its 60th birthday, Fender junkies and indeed all fans of hardcore guitar porn should check out one of the sexiest guitar-centric hardbacks we've seen in years.

Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970 by Martin Kelly, Paul Kelly and Terry Foster, published by Cassell Illustrated, is available now from www.octopusbooks.co.uk and Amazon.

The book charts the history of Fender from its humble beginnings through to the sale of the company to CBS in 1965 and beyond. Along the way, the company's instruments and amplifiers changed the face of popular music, and this is celebrated in Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970 alongside images of some of the most valuable and rare guitars on earth, contemporary promotional material and previously unseen factory photographs.

If you want to get your hands on this wonderful tome, MusicRadar is giving away six copies. But before we tell you how to enter the competition, click through the following gallery taken from the pages of Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970. Be warned: you will want this book!

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
1946 Model 26/Deluxe Woodie amplifier

1946 Model 26/Deluxe Woodie amplifier

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
A trio of blond 1950 Broadcasters

A trio of blond 1950 Broadcasters

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Late 1950s Precision Bass and Bassman advert

Late 1950s Precision Bass and Bassman advert

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
1958 Surfburst Jazzmaster

1958 Surfburst Jazzmaster

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
1960s The Beach Boys Play Fender postcard

1960s The Beach Boys Play Fender postcard

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
The Golden Age in Telecaster headstocks

The Golden Age in Telecaster headstocks

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
1962 Bass VI

1962 Bass VI

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Early 1960s amplifier advert

Early 1960s amplifier advert

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Mid 1960s Bob Dylan Plays Fender postcard

Mid 1960s Bob Dylan Plays Fender postcard

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Second-series 1966 Lake Placid Blue Marauder prototype

Second-series 1966 Lake Placid Blue Marauder prototype

Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970 by Martin Kelly, Paul Kelly and Terry Foster, published by Cassell Illustrated, is available now from www.octopusbooks.co.uk and Amazon.

Want to win it?

Of course you do! We have six copies up for grabs, so hurry up and click here to enter our competition...

Liked this? Now read: 2010 International Vintage Show in pictures

Connect with MusicRadar: via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

Get MusicRadar straight to your inbox: Sign up for the free weekly newsletter

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
The MusicRadar Team
The MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the internet's most popular website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers.

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.

TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.

STARS: We talk to artists and musicians about their creative processes, digging deep into the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

Latest in Electric Guitars
The Fender John Osborne Telecaster comes factory modded with a B-Bender and has an extended black pickguard on a Road Worn Olympic White body.
Artists Country star John Osborne’s signature Tele comes factory modded with a distressed nitro finish, custom pickups – and it’s even got a B-bender too
 
 
Fender American Ultra Luxe 60s Stratocaster
Guitars Fender wins historic German court ruling protecting Stratocaster body design
 
 
Gibson Mark Ronson Les Paul Custom
Guitars Gibson unveils Murphy Lab replica of Mick Ronson’s Bowie-era 1968 Les Paul Custom
 
 
Harley Benton ST-Modern Carlos Asensio
Electric Guitars “An absolute steal when it comes to quality and value for money”: Harley Benton ST-Modern Carlos Asensio CGM review
 
 
Gary Clark Jr plays his signature Cobra Burst ES-355 live onstage.
Artists Gary Clark Jr channels the King of the Blues for limited edition Gibson Custom Shop collab
 
 
A Fender Vintera II 50s Nocaster electric guitar on a yellow background
Electric Guitars Get golden-era guitar tone with $600 off thanks to the awesome Presidents' Day sale on Vintera II guitars over at the official Fender store
 
 
Latest in News
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 01: Bruno Mars performs onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 01, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Artists Why Bruno Mars' new single Risk It All could have ended up sounding very different
 
 
James Blake performs during the inaugural 2024 Gazebo Festival at Waterfront Park on May 25, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky.
Producers & Engineers "I’d say 95 percent of the work I’ve done was unpaid”: James Blake on the hit and miss nature of production work
 
 
Diane Warren and KPop Demon Hunters
Artists Songwriter Diane Warren’s Oscars losing streak goes on as KPop Demon Hunters’ Golden wins
 
 
AUSTIN, TX - DECEMBER 09:  Displayed in public for the first time is John Lennon's piano, used to write numerous Beatles songs and part of Indianapolis Colts CEO and Owner Jim Irsay's "Jim Irsay Collection" during a reception at the Four Seasons Hotel on December 9, 2021 in Austin, Texas.  (Photo by Gary Miller/Getty Images)
Keyboards & Pianos "Lot after lot, we felt like we were making history”: John Lennon’s Broadway piano goes for £2.5 million
 
 
oneshot2
Tech "How real can drums feel inside a plugin?": Klevgrand promises to "redefine what a drum sampler can be" with OneShot 2
 
 
Harry Styles and Tears for Fears
Artists Tears For Fears give Harry Styles’ performance of their biggest hit the seal of approval
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...