From Hal Leonard comes a 'work of love' by author Richard R. Smith. Fender-The Sound Heard 'Round The World is about the genesis and history of Fender guitars and the best book yet about Leo Fender himself. Finally, there is a proper and definitive history book that matches the huge impact Fender's guitars and amps have made on popular music and society.

In over 300 pages, Smith takes us through the fascinating story of Fender's lowly beginnings in Orange County, CA before World War II. The book traces Fender from his first, very crude lap steel guitar model and amp through his many inventions used in his pioneering solid-body electric Spanish guitar. In time, Fender products and the company itself became benchmarks for the emerging musical instrument industry.

One persistent attraction making this book hard to put down while writing this short preview is the sheer number and quality of the pictures from 'back in the day.' Leo Fender and later on, Robert Perine (among others) were copious photographers who documented nearly ever step and stumble in Fender's over 50 year story. Some other men who were pivotal were F.C. Hall, an earlier financier who eventually branched out on his own by buying the Adolph Rickenbacker Guitar Company, and Don Randall, a natural-born salesman with the mind of an engineer who accurately guided the company with innovative marketing.

From the early days and design of the short-lived Esquire guitar, the Broadcaster (later re-named Telecaster after a lawsuit from Gretsch), on to the Stratocaster, Jaguar and Jazzmaster guitars through the development of bigger and more powerful amplifiers, Leo Fender and company actually invented the whole electric guitar and amp manufacturing industry. The back third of the book focuses on the company after the 1965 purchase by CBS when the corporate bottom line (it seemed) ruined the creative atmosphere fostered by Fender. Fender, through his CLF Research went on his own to start, with Forrest White, the Music Man Company and later another company called G&L Guitars with George Fullerton.

With five appendices that include serial numbers, Leo Fender's sales notes, tool and die purchases, all patents from 1944 to 1991, complete date codes for amps, speakers, necks, tube charts, and other clues, Fender-The Sound Heard 'Round The World is a treasure trove of all things Fender. Buy it for $50 MSRP through www.musicdispatch.com or call 800-637-2852.


Fender-The Sound Heard 'Round The World