Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970 in pictures
By Martin Kelly, Paul Kelly and Terry Foster
(Image credit: Cassell Illustrated)
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!
Woodie amps were originally intended to accompany the lap steel and doubleneck steel guitars that Fender was producing at the time
(Image credit: Paul Kelly)
1946 Model 26/Deluxe Woodie amplifier
It's hard to argue with assertions that Leo got it right first time
(Image credit: Paul Kelly)
A trio of blond 1950 Broadcasters
The Bassman would end up being revered as a classic electric guitar amplifier, while the '57 Precision is damn close to perfection
Late 1950s Precision Bass and Bassman advert
A custom sparkle finish requested by Dick Dale's Del-Tones
(Image credit: Paul Kelly)
1958 Surfburst Jazzmaster
Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston sporting a Strat and Precision Bass respectively
1960s The Beach Boys Play Fender postcard
Top row L-R: 1950 Broadcaster, 1953 Telecaster, 1959 Esquire Custom. Bottom row L-R: 1963 Telecaster Custom, 1966 Telecaster, 1970 Telecaster
(Image credit: Paul Kelly)
The Golden Age in Telecaster headstocks
Introduced in 1961, the 'Bass Six' would find favour with British artists such as John Entwistle, Jet Harris and The Beatles
(Image credit: Paul Kelly)
1962 Bass VI
Between 1959 and 1963, Fender experimented with various colour combinations across its amplifier line. Here you can see some brown/wheat grille and blond/oxblood examples
Early 1960s amplifier advert
Fresh from going electric in '65, Dylan adds fuel to the folk purists' fire by posing with a Jazz Bass
Mid 1960s Bob Dylan Plays Fender postcard
Our favourite of the rarities in the book, the second version of the ill-starred Marauder featured a headstock outline later revived for the Starcaster
(Image credit: Paul Kelly)
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...
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