Fender Guitars

I think the history of Fender guitars is an amazing journey and I often wonder where they found inspiration to develop what is now, probably a global household name. Especially for us Fender owners:-) I wonder if Leo Fender, George Fullerton and Freddie Travares thought that the Fender guitar would eventually have a global presence when they made the first one in 1954. Fender guitars have certainly stood the test of time. The info on Wikipedia for Fender gives a good account of the history and other details such as the different models available, signature series and notable Stratocaster players, sadly I do not appear on the notable players list...yet! One thing about Fender that has caused some concern, particularly to Stratocaster owners...yes, me included, is the numbering system that relates to date of manufacture. While it is relatively easier to figure out in late model guitars, around 25 years ago when I purchased my Stratocaster, there was some confusion about this, particularly for those manufactured in USA. I have seen a number of guides and books about determining age from serial numbers but they always give a range of values rather that a specific year. I guess one day I might be able to figure this one out. Keep watching here and if I ever find out how, I will post it here!