‘Play Them Loud’: A Celebration Of Fabulous Fenders
A celebration of a unique instrument, in honor of ‘Leo’ Fender, born on August 10, 1909.
Fender guitars are iconic. They have a look, an aura of sleek refinement that says “Play me, play me loud, play me subtly and play me well.” Our celebration of this unique instrument honors Clarence Leonidas “Leo” Fender, the founder of the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company, born on August 10, 1909.
For many people of a certain age, their first awareness of the Fender Stratocaster was on the cover of the 1957 Chirping Crickets album, on which Buddy Holly is clutching his guitar. Two years earlier, Buddy walked into Adair Music in Lubbock, Texas and traded his first electric guitar for a brand new Fender Stratocaster, which back then cost a shade over $300. That equates to about $2,900 today.
Four years later, on the cover of the first album by British instrumental greats the Shadows, Hank Marvin is holding (admittedly not as visibly) the Stratocaster he had bought after seeing Holly’s on the Crickets album. Ask just about any British guitarist that came after the Shadows and almost everyone will admit to having been impressed with Hank’s red and white Stratocaster.
Before the Stratocaster there was the Telecaster, the first solid-body electric guitar; the initial single-pickup production model appeared in 1950 and was called the Esquire. It’s known for its bright, rich, cutting tone, referred to as the telecaster twang, as well as its mellow, warm, bluesy tone. It all depends on which pickup is used – “bridge” pickup for the twang and “neck” for the mellow tone.
In the early days, it was country musicians that favored the Telecaster. James Burton, the guitar wizard who played with Elvis Presley and Rick Nelson, was one of its early stars. Eric Clapton played a Tele while he was with the Yardbirds and Blind Faith. King of the Chicago blues, Muddy Waters, was another who favored the Telecaster, as did Albert Collins, Stax man and Booker T and the MGs guitarist Steve Cropper.
At the last ever live appearance by The Beatles, on the roof of the Apple building, George Harrison played a custom-made Telecaster. Jimmy Page played one on the solo of Led Zeppelin’s timeless “Stairway to Heaven.”
The Stratocaster came along in 1954 and it remains a mainstay of rock bands and just about every other kind of group. Today you can buy an Eric Clapton signature Strat, along with those endorsed by Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Ritchie Blackmore (pictured above), and Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
As soon as you hear the opening notes of Dire Straits‘ “Sultans of Swing,” played of course by Mark Knopfler, you know it’s a Strat. The tone gives it away, but you need to be a guitarist of his towering stature to make it sing so well.
Clapton used the Stratocaster he called “Brownie” on the Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs album by Derek and the Dominos. Eric had bought Brownie for $400 at London’s Sound City, while touring with Cream in May 1967. It has an alder body, two-tone sunburst finish, maple neck, skunk-stripe routing and black dot inlays. Manufactured in 1956 with the serial number 12073, it can be seen on the cover of his 1970 debut solo album Eric Clapton.
In June 1999, Clapton sold the guitar at Christie’s in New York City to help raise funds for his drug and alcohol treatment organization, Crossroads Centre. Brownie sold for $497,500, becoming the most expensive guitar ever sold at the time — only to be eclipsed by Clapton’s other favorite guitar, Blackie, which sold for $959,500 in 2004. Brownie can be seen at the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Washington.
Another iconic Fender track is the Rolling Stones’ “Little Red Rooster,” on which Brian Jones plays a Telecaster. In 1981, when the band played Hampton Coliseum, they encored with “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” With Mick Jagger draped in his Union Jack/Stars and Stripes cape, Keith Richards riffing and hundreds of colored balloons showering down from the roof, a fan charges on stage.
![[I Can't Get No] Satisfaction](https://www.udiscovermusic.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FFvtkcAkfG1o%2F0.jpg)
Keith swerves, the fan comes back for a second pass and in an instant, the Stone whips off his Fender and smacks the guy around the head with it. The fan stumbles, security escort him from the stage and Keith carries on as though nothing untoward has happened. Despite the attack, the Telecaster stays in tune. According to Keith, “The damn thing stayed in tune, and this is the greatest advertisement for Fender that I can give you.”
We’ve put together a 60-track playlist in celebration of Fender and aside from what we’ve already mentioned, it features music from Pink Floyd, with David Gilmour memorably soloing on “Comfortably Numb”; Joe Walsh in his James Gang days, Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, the Beach Boys, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Robin Trower, and Jeff Beck along with many other tracks, some well known, some not so well known.
Listen to uDiscover Music’s Fabulous Fender playlist.
EricClaptonsLovechild
September 12, 2014 at 6:45 pm
Clapton played his SG ‘the fool’ almost exclusively on Disreali Gears. Hence ‘Sunshine of your love’ being his Gibson and not a strat.
Thought that would have been obvious to Clapton/Cream/Strat or Givson lovers!
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fool_(guitar)
Bill Puckett
December 2, 2014 at 5:12 pm
Dude; the article NEVER mentioned Disraeli Gears. The album mentioned WAS Layla and Other Assorted Loved Songs. Did you actually take time to read the article.
anand
August 11, 2015 at 12:48 pm
I think Clapton was using an SG on DIsraeli Gears.
anand
August 11, 2015 at 12:49 pm
Oops sorry, I didn’t see the comment on top of yours. Talk about stating the obvious.
RayO
August 11, 2018 at 4:53 pm
And “Sunshine of Your Love” isn’t on the playlist…
Dave Goodman
September 12, 2014 at 10:10 pm
How about Springsteen? His legendary Esquire was a forerunner of the Tele, and he plays Teles all the time now!
Tom
September 12, 2014 at 11:12 pm
what about Albert Lee?
peter harding
September 13, 2014 at 1:45 am
being off a certain age [old] saw most of the groups in the early sixties ,seventys living only 30 mins walk from all the great venues in London ,rainbow,ak the Astoria finsbury park,astoria tcr,whisky, agog, 100club,ronnie sctts,lycium in the strand, the albert hall,plus all the pubs with a syage the size of a matchbox,off for that time & SOUND again
Kevin Hough
September 13, 2014 at 2:14 am
Left out Jeff Beck….to me the innovative use of the Strat. A true Strat-Cat that is able to really stretch out a ton of sounds from that guitar.
Scott Jones
September 19, 2014 at 11:00 am
I so agree. It would seem they made Fender guitars as something for Jeff Beck to make beautiful music work
BJ
October 16, 2017 at 6:56 pm
Jeff Beck #48
FredMan
September 13, 2014 at 9:21 am
Any song from Jimi Hendrix could be at the list, And what about Stevie Ray Vaughan and Rory Gallagher. Also very famous Strat players. Or Status Quo guitarists Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossie playing Tele’s.
dos reis
September 13, 2014 at 5:00 pm
i ‘d one for my birthday and she’s very cool it’s a stratocaster.
Nicholas Couch
September 13, 2014 at 11:35 pm
You can’t talk Telecasters without mentioning Roy Buchanan.
Nicholas Couch
September 13, 2014 at 11:38 pm
John and George played brand-new Strats on Nowhere Man, creating possibly the most sublime guitar solo in the Beatles canon.
dave
September 14, 2014 at 12:02 am
Tommy Bolin Dave Mason David Gilmore
RayO
August 11, 2018 at 5:12 pm
It’s Gilmour, and he’s mentioned in the text, and Comfortably Numb is included in the playlist.
dave Ray
September 14, 2014 at 12:04 am
Tommy Bolin Dave Mason David Gilmore
Tom Maxey
September 14, 2014 at 3:26 am
Never forget Roy Buchanan, one of the greatest Tele players of all time.
Philip
November 13, 2015 at 6:07 pm
BULLSHIT Jimi Hendrix took that guitar to new heights & miles ahead of everyone! If anyone would wake up to Jimi plying with his teeth the Star Spangle Banner at WOODSTOCK & put Bethel, NY on the map forever not one of the Stratocaster players could only follow behind him! Even Clapton never realized how good Jimi was until he had seen him play! Pete WHO? again was thrown aback once Jimi got on stage & I still believe he is a pedophile when the Piggies Caught HIM RED HANDED BY HIS CREDIT CARD ON KID PORN WEB-SITES! That being said I’m NOT sorry about posting The Who Guitarist is a sick Fucken Idiot! You people are on drugs or drinking too much because if you had a brain you wouldn’t know what it was for!
Roy Pryer
August 11, 2017 at 1:30 pm
I agree with you about Townshend the perv but Hendrix was also shit. With all his gadgets to make him sound better he could have been playing any make of guitar.
Jimmi Lee
October 15, 2017 at 6:50 am
No one has mentioned Frank Zappa who could play anyone of these guitar gods under the table including Hendrix these guys used to hang out at his house and drool all over themselves too hear him play. don’t get me wrong I love Hendrix and Clapton all of them really, but Frank was so far ahead of the pack it wasn’t funny. Just for an example
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TItmXT8DkM
Harvey
August 25, 2017 at 5:14 pm
Now have had your senseless rant let us see what happened. Pete was molested as a child and was doing research online. He booked into this site with his credit card. When he realized what was on the site HE PHONED THE POLICE. English courts are not as lenient and do not let your boo hoo story make it “justified” like in North America. He was charged, that’s the way the law works over there, you did it you are guilty even if you reported what was going on. So he essentially ratted on himself and took the punishment. So get the story straight before you start screaming PEDOPHILE. Ball in your court Mr.Twist it so it suits my stupid unjustified views and I can rant like a uniformed idiot
Dan McNamara
September 14, 2014 at 3:39 pm
Hughie Thomason played strats on green grass and high tides and waterhole! One of the great unsung guitar heroes!
Roger Hunt
September 20, 2014 at 7:02 pm
Agree….I often wondered why The Outlaws didn’t receive more accolades for their guitar work…..Why Don’t You Stick Around For Rock and Roll…c’mon now!
Mike
November 11, 2017 at 2:27 am
They don’t get get more credit because their style is almost like a parody of formulaic and overdone 70s era guitar solos.
graham godfrey
September 14, 2014 at 8:37 pm
I thought robin trower had a signature strat, just saying.
cesar
September 15, 2014 at 6:47 am
Eric Johnson is another guitar legend who favors the Fender Stratocaster…
kim williams
September 15, 2014 at 7:43 am
Stevie Ray Vaughan – Rude Mood
Becky
September 16, 2014 at 9:01 am
You asked what you left off the list, pretty much anything by Bruce Springsteen. He only plays Fender and his go to is a Blonde Telecaster. As for note worthy on the list Born to Run or Human Touch both showcase the fender sound and specifically Human Touch.
Josito
September 16, 2014 at 12:52 pm
Tab Benoit…
Danny Manor
September 16, 2014 at 1:43 pm
What about Yngwie? He even has a signature strat!
Lucius Austin
September 16, 2014 at 11:13 pm
Don’t forget Ernie Isley and Robin Trower!
Lucius Austin
September 16, 2014 at 11:15 pm
Don’t forget Ernie Isley and Robin Trower.
Lucius Austin
September 16, 2014 at 11:19 pm
Don’t forget Ernie Isley and Robin Trower.
Remember Albert Collins and his trademark Tele.
Steve Morse had a hybrid guitar made of a Strat neck, Tele Body, Fender/Gibson electronics.
Frank Zappa had the guitar that was burned by Hendrix in 1968, and used it for years. When people saw Zappa play it, some said it look like it was still burning.
Cj Tk
September 17, 2014 at 3:45 pm
don´t forget Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt of Status Quo. they played his Telecaster at the beginning in 1962.
Sam
August 11, 2015 at 3:00 am
Sadly Francis has retired his old green Tele.
Rick’s Tele is still going strong though. Not bad for nearly half a century of gigging every night.
Philip Condon
September 18, 2014 at 6:54 pm
RORY GALLAGHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Morgan
September 20, 2014 at 4:29 pm
Yes Rory
Michelle Corbin
September 18, 2014 at 9:49 pm
You left out Hank Marvin of The Shadows! Excellent player.
Peter Verweij
August 10, 2015 at 7:06 pm
Hank played the first Strat in the UK !!
RayO
August 11, 2018 at 5:01 pm
Hank and the Shadows were indeed mentioned – second, right after Buddy Holly. Did you even read the article? Also, their signature hit, Apache, was listed twice(different versions) in the playlist.
Zoso
September 18, 2014 at 10:14 pm
Page rarely played a Fender during Zeppelin, and Stairway sure as hell wasn’t one of those tracks.
fddfd
September 20, 2014 at 12:11 pm
stairway solo was played on a Tele !!
Chris W
September 20, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Yes, Stairway to Heaven was indeed one of those tracks. Jimmy Page used a Telecaster for this song.
Gary Rossington
August 10, 2015 at 12:52 pm
Sorry but the guitar that Jimmy played on Stairway was a double necked Gibson SG, both o the recording and in every gig where he performed it. Jimmy mainly played ’59 Les Paul but did use other guitars occasionally, Telecasters and also a Danelectro on “Kashmir” I it’s earlist versions, but was basically a Gibson man
David Parker
December 22, 2015 at 8:45 am
No way. It was a Telecaster. Every story I’ve ever read on the recording of the song says Telecaster — specifically a ’59 Tele through a Supro amp.
I think he might have got the double-neck Gibson with the specific purpose of playing the song live, however.
Bearpaws
December 23, 2015 at 11:57 am
According to Jimmy Page, Stairway was played on a Fender electric twelve. The twin necked Gibson was purchased after, to facilitate the song being played live. The solo on Stairway is indeed a Telecaster.
Framus Jack
August 10, 2015 at 1:44 pm
Sure as eggs is eggs the guitar used on Stairway was a double necked SG Gibson not a telecaster, in the early days Jimmy did use a telecaster but he also used a black Danelectro “Seal” guitar and used it again for Kashmir on Physical Graffiti. If I was to have to compartmentalise him to one guitar it would be the Gibson ’59 Les Paul which has always been his go to axe.
Phil
September 20, 2014 at 6:40 pm
Played a Tele early on with Zep.
David Parker
December 22, 2015 at 8:48 am
Of course it was a Tele. Everyone knows that. Where are you getting your information?
Eric S
March 13, 2016 at 1:51 pm
Jimmy played a Telecaster on “Stairway”. A Stratocaster on “Ten Years Gone”, and “For Your Life”.
Eric S
March 13, 2016 at 1:52 pm
All of the electric guitar songs on Led Zep’s first album were with the “Dragon” Telecaster.
Lord Jock
September 18, 2014 at 11:09 pm
Dont forget Rory Gallagher and his distinctive sound .He played that srat into the ground and more . I always thought the Shadows had Burns guitars before the Strat . Could be wrong but I remember the burns guitar and wanting one
Chuck
September 23, 2014 at 9:10 am
Yes, you are right. The Shadows played Baldwin Burns guitars, but not before the Fenders, they played them besides them on some of their songs.
RayO
August 11, 2018 at 5:15 pm
The Shadows played Burns guitars well after they played Fenders (including Hank’s trademark red Strat), arguably after their prime years.
Rolf Johnson
September 20, 2014 at 9:36 am
Yngwie Malmsteen “Black Star” is a must.
JP
September 20, 2014 at 3:39 pm
THE strat-player ever will be……. Rory Gallagher!!!…
EBZ06
March 1, 2018 at 1:10 pm
And Rory’s Strat is probably one of the best known and easily identifiable even today. Ask Joe Bonamassa.
Stuart
September 20, 2014 at 6:01 pm
Hank Marvin didn’t buy his first Strat. Cliff Richard bought it for him.
Søren Meyer
September 22, 2014 at 9:25 pm
Correct! <3 <3 <3
Roy Pryer
August 11, 2017 at 1:37 pm
Nevertheless Hank had the first strat in britain & it sounds like a strat should sound …..pure tone. He didnt need overdrive or distortion to make him sound better than he really was.
Roy Pryer
August 11, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Nevertheless Hank had the first Strat in Britain & had the pure Strat sound he didn’t need overdrive or wah wah or distortion to make him sound better than he was.
Roy Pryer
August 11, 2017 at 1:54 pm
There I’ve said it twice.
Peter B Phillips
September 21, 2014 at 9:16 am
SRV!!! You didn’t mention Stevie Ray Vaughn. Robert Cray is boarderline so we’ll let that slip
Peter B Phillips
September 21, 2014 at 9:20 am
At 2nd pursue I find both SRV and Cray mentioned. My apologies, please.
Dwight D Thompson
September 22, 2014 at 11:18 pm
What about some of the surf sounds. The Ventures version of Walk-Don’t Run featured Bob Bogle on lead playing a Strat. Don Wilson played a Jazzmaster. Later on Jerry Mcgee played Strats on most of their hits. And don’t forget Nokie Edwards who played a Tele on many, many Ventures hits and shows. Dick Dale plays a Strat on Miserlou, Let’s Go Trippin’ etc.
Gregory Penney
September 23, 2014 at 7:46 am
How bout RY COODER!, LOWELL GEORGE, SONNY LANDRETH, ELDON SHAMBLIN,EDDDIE SHAVER,DUKE LEVINE, DICK DALE, RICHARD THOMPSON and yes somebody mentioned the Beach Boys but I’d like to be more specific and say AL JARDINE!
Chuck
September 23, 2014 at 9:13 am
Bo Winberg of the Spotnicks. Awesome!
Rob
September 24, 2014 at 12:53 pm
APACHE by The Shadows should have been included, it was the 1st track to feature a British based guitarist,and the 1st Stratocaster in Britain.Bought and imported by Cliff Richard for Hank Marvin to play ,it is now “owned” by Bruce Welch(Shadows) who used it on the FINAL TOUR 2009.
Threaders
September 24, 2014 at 11:14 pm
Dr Feelgood – Wilco’s Tele then Gypie’s Strat. Class!
Will_Prince_PL
November 5, 2014 at 7:48 pm
Jan Borysewicz from Lady Pank (Polish Rock band, but they had tours in USA in 1988) also played Fender Stratocaster.
Warren Wolf
November 6, 2014 at 6:25 am
Ive seen pics from 65 and Brian Jones is playing a Telecaster at some live shows.Also saw a pic from Bill Wymans book that says “Little REd Rooster” recording session and Jones is playing his Telecaster.
Gary Roberts
November 17, 2014 at 12:56 pm
Wow…not one mention of Richie Blackmore…there is a live Lord Sutch and Friends album from I think ’67 with a very young Richie that just smokes like nobody’s business
DJ Kool H.
December 5, 2014 at 6:21 pm
Hold up…Wait a minute…No Jimi?
Morgan
December 13, 2014 at 2:59 pm
No Ritchie Blackmore, can’t believe that chart
SEAN
December 19, 2014 at 12:10 am
Buddy Holly is mentioned, How about WAYLON JENNINGS? He played with Buddy and played a Fender Telecaster almost his whole life! We all know who he gave his seat too on that plane!
JohnH
August 10, 2015 at 12:10 pm
I hadn’t heard of Fenders until the Fendermen’s singles “Mule Skinner Blues” in the late 50s reached us here in the UK.
Gary Rossington
August 10, 2015 at 2:00 pm
Cinderella Man by Rush is included in this play list, Alex Lifeson at the time of this track was using Gibson Les Paul and or 355, Geddy was using a Rickenbacker bass although at many other times in his career he did play a Fender Jazzmaster or Precision bass. Let’s face it though it is not the guitar but the player that counts, for quite a while Hank Marvin used a Burns Bison and sounded just as good playing that as he does playing a Strat. I have had the pleasure of owning several different makes of axes and they all have their good (and bad|!) points. I love the sound of a telecaster but do think the “ashtray” on the bridge does look a bit like a middle school metal work project! For a while I worked as a guitar tech in the glorious days when top level guitarists went on tour with the contents of a whole guitar shop with them due to the limitations of amplification systems if they wanted a small change in the timbre of their instrument it meant using a different guitar for each change plus spares I case of string breaks etc.
Gary Rossington
August 10, 2015 at 2:21 pm
Surely Clapton was “Blackie” not “Brownie” and didn’t it set an auction record for an electric guitar a few years ago?
Peter Thomas
August 10, 2015 at 9:30 pm
Cliff Richard bought Hank Marvin a Stratocaster because they thought that James Burton played one, not knowing that he played a Telecaster at the time.
Peter Thomas
August 10, 2015 at 9:33 pm
Brian Jones played a Vox Teardrop guitar on “Little Red Rooster”.
Peter Thomas
August 10, 2015 at 9:33 pm
Brian Jones played a Vox Teardrop guitar on “Little Red Rooster”.
norman nardini
August 10, 2015 at 10:29 pm
Glenn Pavone, legendary badass geetar banger, was a strat man all da way
jack dallas
August 10, 2015 at 10:35 pm
Buddy Holly played Strat.
Lee Hopkins
August 11, 2015 at 6:43 am
I join the chorus of English (I presume) fans asking for Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi from legendary rockers Status Quo (still gigging nearly 50 years later). Any of their hits would suffice.
Robert
August 11, 2015 at 10:46 am
I recently got a Jeff Beck Strat and its perfection.
RIG AMORTIZ
August 12, 2015 at 1:26 am
YOU MORONS…..HOW CAN YOU LEAVE OUT THE MASTER OF THE STRAT AX ? JIMI HENDRIX ????
AT LEAST YOU MENTIONED BUDDY GUY.
John
August 12, 2015 at 6:50 pm
Clapton used a Gibson SG for the final Cream tour. Bruce did too, bass obvously.
Jess Hansen
August 12, 2015 at 10:42 pm
Does Kurt Cobain qualify ?
David Phillips
August 12, 2015 at 11:21 pm
Fender presented the millionth Strat to Hank Marvin – that says it all!
Mark Kalina
August 12, 2015 at 11:47 pm
Jimmy Page used single coils (Fenders) in the studios and for live performances he preferred the Gibsons with humbuckers for obvious reasons.
Don’t forget Waylon Jennings’ Tele and Jerry Garcia’s Strat that was a gift from Graham Nash.
Phil Lacasse
August 13, 2015 at 4:26 am
I haven’t looked at all the comments, but in the ones I did read, no one mentioned any of the many Country artists who use Strats or Teles: Vince Gill, Brad Pailley, Kix Brooks, Ronnie Dunn, Keith Urban, Hank Williams Jr, and several others. Bonnie Raitt also plays a Strat.
Phil Lacasse
August 13, 2015 at 4:27 am
*Brad Paisley* – sorry for the typo (fat fingers!!! 😀 )
Phil Lacasse
August 13, 2015 at 4:30 am
That’s Brad PAISLEY. Sorry for the typo – due to my fat fingers!! 😀
Dennis Koehler
February 15, 2016 at 7:11 pm
That’s because country is B rated music
Jim Quinn
November 13, 2015 at 11:17 am
Joe Walsh never used a Fender guitar in his James Gang days – in fact he was pretty much exclusively a Gibson Les Paul man until he joined the Eagles.
Jorge
December 19, 2015 at 1:34 pm
Bill Gibbons, ZZ Top, is also known for playing various Fender guitars. During his stint in the Moving Sidewalks, Gibbons used a white 1963 Fender Jazzmaster and Fender Esquire.[3] A couple of Fender guitars were featured on the Tres Hombres album, including a 1950 Fender Broadcaster on “Jesus Just Left Chicago” and a hard-tail sunburst 1955 Fender Stratocaster on “La Grange” and “Apologies To Pearly”.
Rick
February 14, 2016 at 6:50 am
He was mentioned in a couple of other comments, but in my opinion Rory Gallagher was the man who showed what can be done with a Stratocaster. RIP.
Dennis Koehler
February 15, 2016 at 7:10 pm
Adrian Belew
mariri
August 10, 2016 at 2:12 pm
David Gilmore ,, Shine on you crazy diamond is a must
and many more for the King Dav
victor
August 10, 2016 at 7:15 pm
I was at Newport ’65 when Bob Dylan “Went electric” with a Fender Strat !! How about that. (Maggie’s Farm, etc.)
nicolas gerino flores
November 20, 2016 at 5:26 am
I think Clapton first used a strat in the layla record,later on his first lp,a favourite of mine by the way.the article clearly says that clapton bought Browine while he was on tour.it doesn`t mention that he actually was using it with cream.
he recorded layla with brownie and afender champ amp,same amp duane,but with a Les Paul.
Ain`t no wonder he ended using a strat,just the same sunburst as Buddy Guy since he was a buddy guy freak.
First was freddie king,later buddy,but I understand being myself a guitar hero,a genius never ends with one favourite artist,just never stops growing in every aspect.
if drugs are involved,creativity dies in the long run,you just think bout the next fix
RayO
August 11, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Actually, Eric’s self-titled first solo album was released before Layla.
Dave
July 22, 2017 at 3:44 am
I saw James Gang 3 times in 1969. Everytime I saw them Joe played a Gold Top Les Paul Deluxe which has mini humbuckers. I was sitting about 5 feet in front of him at one of the shows. I went out later that year and bought the same guitar at Master Music in Cleveland..
Dave
July 22, 2017 at 3:50 am
the list also indicates The Band (Robbie Robertson) . yea he used a strat but it was a custom built guitar with 2 humbuckers. No single coil strat sounds from this guitar. check out numerous concert photos of the Band.
John Culshaw
August 10, 2017 at 11:05 pm
I think the first group to play all Fenders was Gene Vincent`s Blue Caps in early 1957. `galloping` Cliff Gallop , Gene`s astounding first guitarist (played gretsch ), left the band in 1956 to be replaced by the great Johnny Meeks on strat.
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Alex
August 11, 2017 at 3:26 pm
Don’t forget about Gary Moore he had the best strategy marshall sound period albums like Corridors of power and victims of the future are all recorded with a 61 salmon pink strat his sound is dark and thin at the same time and his start was stocked not a single humbucker on that guitar
Amy Gdala Godiva
August 17, 2017 at 8:30 am
Syd Barrett’s ’62 Fender Esquire all over “The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn” and Pink Floyd singles from that period redefined the instrument.
Bill
August 20, 2017 at 4:50 pm
You missed The Edge.
BJ
October 16, 2017 at 7:01 pm
Joe Bonamasso
Rich
November 15, 2017 at 11:24 pm
This all proves that there are thousands of great guitarists and thousands of great guitars all over the world, which makes the guitar by far the most influential, diverse and available instrument ever invented. Combine those two facts with the thousands of tunes recorded and played, and the total contribution is beyond comprehension. We all are blessed and owe a huge debt of thanks to Fender, Gibson and all the other great inventors and manufacturers.
Purple Man from Brasil
November 19, 2017 at 5:47 pm
Smoke on the water was composed with a Gibson ES-335 Cherry Red, not with a Fender Stratocaster.
Lou
January 27, 2018 at 10:17 am
Real Fenders ended when Leo quit. Take a look at early MusicMan & G&L guitars: here are the real Fenders from 1966 to Leo’s death. Lot of luthiers can make a ” real Fender” for you, much more than ordinary Strats or Tellies,& for nices prices.
Mook
March 12, 2018 at 4:35 am
Terry Kath…
Robert Moehle
August 10, 2018 at 1:49 pm
I howled when I read the bit about Keith Richards and the Stones at Hampton Stadium. I’ve played Fender most of my life as a guitarist and I started with a Tele. I’ve always told people who ask, “Why a Tele?” that you can play it a t a gig, bat away a bottle thrown at you, go down and deck the guy who threw it, and keep playing without going out of tune! What a threill to have a famous player like Keith back that up!
Gk
August 11, 2019 at 12:29 am
Terry Kath,Andy Summers,Buddy Guy,Stephen Stills,Steve Windwood,Rony Wood,Dave Mason,Mick Ralphs,Darrell Strumer,Albet Lee.Just to name a few others.
cwheelie
August 10, 2021 at 3:48 pm
Adrian Belew & Steve Hillage
that is all I nee
Brent Popham
August 11, 2021 at 10:42 pm
Don Rich who was in Buck Owens’ Buckaroos played a Telecaster.