Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970
288 pages, Cassell (May 24, 2010)
Written, researched, photographed & designed by Martin and Paul Kelly and Terry Foster this is undoubtedly the ultimate book about Fender guitars. It celebrates iconic instruments that would change musical history forever and offers a unique look at some of the finest guitars and amplifiers ever produced. This unique book traces the history of Fender guitars and amplifiers from their creation in 1946 up until the early seventies – when the company's golden age drew to a close.
It traces the history of Fender from its humble beginnings, through the rise of popular music and the sale of the company to the mighty CBS corporation for $13.2 million in 1965. It also charts Leo Fender and his partner Don Randall's association with the brand for the next five years while they remained consultants to CBS.


Leo Fender's inventions have had a greater influence on modern music than those of any other maker. He changed the way music was created and heard forever. In this book over 270 guitars in every model and style are lovingly photographed and detailed by the authors, from the greatest to the rarest – Strats, Teles and the infamous Marauder. It collects together more rare Fender guitars than have ever been seen in one book before.
The book traces the history and influence of the company with a level of detail no other book can rival. These vintage guitars are among the most loved and collectable in the world.
The authors have travelled the world and been entrusted with some of the most valuable and exceptionally rare guitars on earth. The photography, layout and overall design represent their collective vision of a holistic celebration of the Fender aesthetic, and is the culmination of their passion and obsession with all things Fender.
Featuring 250 photographs of Fender guitars-including some extremely rare guitars in private collections-as well as the largest collection of Fender advertising ever assembled, this gorgeously designed volume is a comprehensive account of Fender's golden age. It will be irresistible to anyone interested in guitars, rock 'n' roll, or mid-century American collectibles and ephemera. Like the guitars it documents, the book simply brings down the house.
Simply the finest book ever written about Fender instruments. - Will Hodgkinson - The Times
The big bang that was rock & roll in the mid-1950s probably wouldn't have happened had Leo Fender not spent the 1940's fine-tuning the electric guitar. This new, exhaustively researched photo history traces the instrument from it's days as a dinky wooden instrument through the breakthroughs of the Stratocaster. Wonkish fun for guitarists, with nearly 300 pages of photo's. - Andy Greene - Rolling Stone Magazine