Established by Clarence Leonidas Fender in 1946, Fender has been a dominating force in the guitar industry for more than 50 years. Their most popular guitar is the Stratocaster, a reliable guitar with outstanding value for its cost.

Starting out, Clarence started producing guitar amplifiers, lap steel guitars, and then “woodies,” or amplifiers with exposed wooden cabinetry in 1946. A few years later, in 1951, Fender came out with one of their most famous guitars, the Telecaster. The “revolutionary” aspect of this guitar was that it was a solid body guitar, with a “radical look, feel, sound, and unorthodox (but simple) manufacturing techniques.”

And then, in 1954, Fender came out with their most widely known guitar, the Stratocaster, or as it’s sometimes called today, the Strat. It has contours all over its solid body to create a comfortable feel for the player. It also has advanced electronics for the time, and a built-in pitch shifting vibrato system in the bridge.

Some well-known artists who have used the Stratocaster include Jimmy Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Harrison, and John Frusciante. When you think of an electric guitar, you’re bound to think of the Stratocaster, whether you know it or not.