The Fender brand has been a staple among guitar players since the late 1940’s. Whether it was amps or guitars, Fender has stood the test of time. But does that make Fender a good brand. Lets dive in, is Fender a good guitar brand?
Fender is widely considered a good guitar brand. Fender has been a staple among musicians with their high quality guitars and amplifiers at multiple price points. An independent poll of guitar players showed that Fender is the most favored guitar brand. Beating out Gibson by 14%.
Continue reading to learn more about what makes Fender a good guitar brand.
This post contains affiliate links, please review our disclaimer and disclosure policy for more information
Is Fender a Good Guitar Brand
Fender is a good guitar brand respected and admired by musicians all over the world. Fender covers a wide range of price points with top of the line quality guitars. One of Leo Fenders goals was to make a no-nonsense guitar with superior quality and playability. This goal was achieved.
Not only does Fender provide customers the guitar, they also offer a service to teach you how to play it. This service is called Fender Play and has been highly rated among players taking the program. This shows the brands willingness to invest in their customers even after the initial purchase. This is only one aspect of what makes Fender a great guitar brand. Let’s dive into the rest below.
Aspect #1: Guitars for the Right Reason
Leo Fender, founder of Fender, was different then most guitar and amp builders / inventors. He did not play guitar himself but was extremely well-versed in the subject, even in terms of music theory. He had a deep interest in making the guitar as best as it could be. Not for monetary reasons, more because he simply loved guitars and the music that came out of them. Especially loud music.
Leo Fender listened to musicians. He did this especially during the design process. He valued their opinions as he knew they spoke for the greater population of guitar players and they knew the instrument the best. Despite Leo actually being the one to create it.
“About 25% of everyday was spent visiting musicians trying to figure out what would best suit their needs”
Leo Fender, Five Watt World
This method of thinking may seem obvious, although at the time, it was not the norm. Gibson for example often rejected artist ideas, most notably Les Paul when he first introduced his solid-body idea. Fender was a pioneer at putting the musician first and business second. Leo instilled this way of thinking into the employees at Fender. Customers first, music second, profits third.
Of course when Fender was sold to CBS, a little bit of this way of thinking diminished. Although, Leo stayed close to the company and their employees. Ensuring the customer and the music was never forgotten as the main motive for building superior and reliable guitars.
Aspect #2: Affordability of Fender Guitars
Fender offers many different lines of guitars with various price points. They range from inexpensive beginner guitars to custom guitars worth tens of thousands of dollars. This allows guitar players of multiple socio-economic status the ability to own a Fender guitar.
Fender has a line called the “Player Series” (linked to Amazon) which allows you to purchase a Fender guitar at $850. I have a Player Series Stratocaster, among others, and I love it. Once I throw on my pedals, I can hardly tell the difference between the Player Series Strat and my American Professional. This goes to show that Fender does not “go cheap” on their less expensive models.
Squier is an affordable option as well if a player still wants to stick within the Fender family. Prospective players are given the option to buy a Squier Stratocaster, 10G Fender amp, straps, cable, bag, and picks all for $320 (linked to Amazon). A great value provided by Fender to give a beginner guitarist everything they will need with one cheap price.
Aspect #3: Fender Guitars are High Quality
For the past 60 years, Fender has created quality guitars and amplifiers. It is this quality that has allowed Fender to dominate the marketplace while maintaining various price points. For purposes of this article, we are going to be talking about the quality and design of their electric guitars, specifically the Stratocaster. Let’s dive into how Fender quality is a major factor for determining why Fender is a good guitar brand.
Let’s start with Squier guitars. At a price of $200-$300, the Squier Stratocaster is an extremely inexpensive guitar. Most people think of Squier as a beginners guitar, although they have come a long way in recent years expanding on the quality of the materials. These materials are often heavier than those of the American Fender models but are still high quality materials that are built to last. The tone from this guitar out competes many expensive guitars from alternative brands because of the quality of materials that go into it.
Next up is the American Standard Stratocaster. These guitars range from $850-$1600 depending on the model. The reason for this higher price point? It boils down to craftmanship and quality. The construction and materials used for the body and neck, higher grade components like US Pickups, and a tremolo that will stay in tune for the long haul. The American series offers the quintessential Stratocaster tone and playability. Their materials keep the guitar light, comfortable and guaranteed to last for decades.
PSA, if you are looking for a Strat in between the American and Squier, go with the Mexican Stratocaster ($300-$800).
Ultimately, a large aspect on what makes a guitar great is the feel. Fender has perfected this with their unique designs and neck comfortability. The Stratocaster design is considered one of the most comfortable with the perfect weight distribution to the contour of the body. The Stratocaster is the jack of all trades in the guitar world, both in terms of quality, design, and sound.
In conclusion, Fender guitars are well-built, solid and highly playable due to the superior craftmanship, design and quality of materials. Fender guitars are built to last. They can take a beating and still stay in tune. This is the reason why Fender is a good guitar brand.
Aspect #4: Fender Artist Roster
What makes Fender great? It is the artist roster. The artists play the guitars, the artists informally sell the guitars, the artists love the guitars. Blues legends like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmie Vaughan, Buddy Guy, and Eric Clapton all wield Fender guitars as their number one. Majority of the above artists all have signature models with Fender. Jimi has called the Stratocaster the most versatile guitar he has ever played. With praise like that from arguably the greatest guitarist of all time, it has to be good.
The extensive history of legendary musicians playing Fender guitars give the brand a step above the rest. These names are synonymous with the brand itself.
Check out the article Is Gibson a Good Guitar Brand to see how the two brands compare!
Best Fender Electric Guitars
The below two Fender models are guitars that shaped the brand to become what it is today. They are namesakes to the brand and are what truly defined Fender as a good guitar brand. I am only including guitars less than $2000. There are obviously higher quality guitars in these models that are superior but are unreachable in terms of price point for a large amount of customers.
Fender American Professional Stratocaster
- Double cutaway body shape
- Solid body with a maple neck (varies)
- Single coil pickups
- 5-way pickup switch
- Superior finish with every colorway
- Overall a great playing, feeling and sounding guitar
Fender American Professional Telecaster
- The Telecaster was the first Fender Electric Guitar after being renamed from the Esquire.
- Solid body single cutaway
- Single-coil tele pickup
- Fixed bridge
- 3 way pickup switch
- Compensated barrel saddle
- Classic brass-saddle tone
- Extremely versatile
Is a Fender Guitar Worth it?
A Fender guitar is worth it if the customer wants a versatile and reliable guitar. Fender offers multiple different models at various price points, all of which are high-quality and highly playable. Fender has stood the test of time and has become the highest grossing guitar manufacturer to date. This does not happen by chance. When purchasing a Fender, you do not need to drop thousands of dollars to achieve the Fender sound. Instead you can purchase a Mexican model or a Squier to get the feel. You can be assured that with proper care, a Fender guitar will last for many years while maintaining it’s original sound.
A decent way to see if a Fender guitar is worth it is to compare with other brands. I conducted a poll to determine what everyday guitarists like myself and you consider their favorite guitar brand. Of course, there is no “best” as it is all subjective. Some prefer Gibson, some Fender, some PRS. The results of this poll are below.
What is The Best Guitar Brand: Independent Poll
| Brand | Votes | Percentage of Total Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fender | 84 | 44.3% |
| 2. Gibson | 58 | 30.5% |
| 3. PRS | 48 | 25.2% |
Brief History of Fender
Fender has had a rich history of humble upbringings, fierce competition almost causing bankruptcy, and massive success. The Fender brand has and continues to change the guitar and amp landscape. They have a big place in blues music, as many greats have selected Fender as their number one go to guitar. Lets dive into the history of this iconic brand.
Fender was founded in 1946 at Fullerton, California. It was created by Leo Fender, thus the name, a radio repairman. Although the name of the company before this time was Fender Radio Service, founded in 1938. It wasn’t until 1946 that Leo changed the name to Fender Electric Instrument Company and Specialized in Fender Lap Steel Guitars and Amplifiers. A real doozy of a company name.
His main hobby was inventing though. Growing up, Leo would create radios from spare parts with the help of his uncle. It was the loud music coming out of those radios that truly made a lasting impression on him.
He had a deep fascination with electronics and would constantly tinker with them. While working as a bookkeeper after college, Leo Fender was contracted to build 6 PA systems. His first contracted electrical job. After starting Fender Radio Service, musicians started coming to Leo for PA systems which he began building, selling, and renting. It was shortly after that they would start manufacturing amplifiers and change the company name.
Leo knew the wear and tear that amplifiers go through for a traveling musician. Because of this, he designed Fender Amplifiers to be extremely rugged and durable. Fender started selling amps as high as 45 watts, these were the most powerful amplifiers commercially produced at the time.
The Birth of Fender Electric Guitars
In 1948, Leo Fender started working on a solid body Spanish style electric guitar. In the spring of 1950, Fender introduced the Fender Esquire. The Esquire would be renamed to the Broadcaster although a drum company told him the name was too similar to one of their lines of drums. In late 1951, Leo changed the name to the Fender Telecaster to relate the guitar to the increasingly popular television. Thus the Fender Electric Guitar saga begins.
In 1954, the Fender Stratocaster was introduced. This will be the namesake guitar of the Fender brand and what makes the company millions of dollars. Leo involved many guitarists in the design process, picking the brains of each in order to produce the best electric guitar on the market. In response to feedback from guitarists, the first contoured body guitar was created. The guitar was a massive success and still has guitarists searching for original 1950’s era Stratocasters.
Thank you for reading Is Fender a Good Guitar Brand. Please subscribe if you would like to be notified when a new article is posted.
