I'd like to join.
Posted on 11/04/2018 11:52:45 AM PST by To-Whose-Benefit?
I interviewed Don Randall in 1992, when I was researching my first book about Fender. In the beginning, Don had worked for Fender's distributor, Radio-Tel, but in the early '50s he joined Fender as the head of sales, staying there until a few years after CBS' takeover in 1965.
I met Don at his office in Tustin, California, and spent a couple of enjoyable hours chatting about the old days, necessarily concentrating on his view from the business side of Fender—and, in particular, discussing the controversial CBS purchase.
Sitting in his wood-paneled office, he looked to me a little like an aging astronaut—sleek, tanned, and self-assured. He certainly helped take Fender into the stratosphere.
Read More.
(Excerpt) Read more at reverb.com ...
Congrats. A little box full of “Awww, that just feels So good.”
Those little Gibson Amps were actually pretty good. I still have a 65 Gibson 345 that with the Fender amp was just a great combo.
My Uncle Joe had a guitar Academy in San Leandro California any ran that thing successfully from the early-50s to the late-60s. He often talked about Leo Fender and their big franchise engagement all up and down the west coast and the academic music seeing going on with competitions and what not. Uncle Joe used to tell me he’d go down to Fullerton California and visit the factory two or three times a year get the latest and greatest from the guys and the gals and he was pretty good friends with most of the staff, including Leo. He had some really nice things to say about Leo. Those are the halcyon days of Fender and the sales staff and the franchising staff were on the ball and work very hard to bring Fender products to Young Musicians who could not afford gear otherwise.
Uncle Joe also mentioned that Fender products always included cases, guitars and electric basses that is. It was unscrupulous guitar shop owners who started charging for the cases separately. but Uncle Joe stated that he never did that because he was more interested in putting good gear in the hands of his students.
Pls add me to the ping list. I’m a Strat guy.
thx.
Thanks, great article. The one bass guitar I’ve ever owned (as opposed to all of the guitars) is my Precision. Bought by my parents for me for Christmas the year CBS bought Fender, it’s selling point was that it was made from “Pre CBS parts”. There really was a lack of quality for a few years. The bass still plays and sounds great to this day, with the only mod being the original “badass bridge”. That and removing the thumb rest, which never made sense to me!
Please add me to that ping list. :-)
This is a funny interview. It comes down to this summary: lots of people took credit but it was all Leo and me. And Leo really didn’t do anything either.
Maybe true, certainly a bit self serving though.
Added to my copy but you should PM Rebelbase as he seems to be the official keeper of the list.
I’ve been a Gibson addict ever since I got my 1st one.
But, I do wish I hadn’t been so stiff necked about it back in high school in the late 60s when there was Always some other guy selling an old Strat from the late 50s or early 60s for $175.
I lost most interest in Clapton when he switched to the Strat. On the other hand, Jeff Beck switched and still amazes me to this day.
Added to the ping list.
Thanks, Rebel!
G&L make great guitars, especially the ASATs. They cost less than equivalent-quality Teles simply because the name “Fender” carries more weight historically. I bought a ‘00 Tele Thinline Custom a couple years ago for that plays very similarly to to an old ASAT I used to have. Wish I still had the G&L.
Add me too.
i have a 1978 Silver Face Twin. Got news for you...those amps are getting heavier as we get older. The JBL speakers will kill you if you drop one on your foot. The coils on those things are impressive.
i have to change preamp tubes and the filter caps (after 40 years they're more than ready to be replaced), but i'm looking forward to cranking it up again as soon as my updates are finished.
Using that amp with my Telecaster will make your ears bleed. When you hit a "Pinch Harmonic" it feels like an ice pick is being driven through your ears, LOL.
The only real problem with the Twins (Pre or post CBS) is that it doesn't distort easily. Those JBL's will take everything you got and beg for more.
Done!
I’m fond of Jerry’s SG tone on Live Dead in ‘69 as well. Dark Star never gets old.
They are not for everyone, some can’t tame the ugly sounds they are capable of.
They also have to be well set up. I guess that goes for any guitar though.
I love em, I even have some with humbucker pickups.
Yeah, to get good power amp distortion out of Blackface or Silverface Twins you need to play a very, very large venue. And wear earplugs to boot. So one either has to get a good distortion pedal or get a smaller, lower-wattage Fender like a Deluxe Reverb to get the nice natural distortion. So much easier to haul around too.
I'd like to join.
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