The Fender Factory in The 50s

[Dave Kirk]

Take a look at this old film of the Fender Factory, it is great!


http://forgottenguitar.com/2016/01/22/a ... ory-video/

[Uncle Roy]

Wow, what great footage ,amazing
Thanks for posting Dave

[Danny Mitchell]

Very interesting Dave. A couple of semi nude dudes, lots of Mexican babe's and health and safety 50's style, turning out classic guitars!
I'm feeling nostalgic for those golden years, now where's my packet of Woodbine?

[Malcolm]

Visited the Fender factory at Fullerton( just down road from Disney Land) over thirty years ago shortly after CBS had taken over, they were also producing Fender Rhodes Pianos, and Rodgers Drums, the production lines for those opened up once every three months or so to clear orders.I was amazed how small the factory was and much as depicted in clip, main work force( not a lot of them) were Mexican.About eight or so of the guys were hand finishing necks ( the bulk of the neck work was done by machine) and the model they were doing that particular day was the Fender Bullit.I was shown round by the European Sales Manager,who was amazed when I told him I had just bought a Fender Student Pedal Steel, informed me I couldn't have as they stopped making them about ten years earlier, so mine still in case wrapped in plastic must have been in storage somewhere ( I got it from a music shop in Paisley, Cuthbertsons, who were closing down and had never had a pedal steel before), Willie Gamble got his Emmons Black Rock from their Glasgow store, also closing down.The guy took me into their sound lab to show me their "new guitar", which he proudly told me "sounded like a Gibson" and was most upset when I asked him why? I explained to him that if I wanted a guitar to sound like a Gibson I would buy a Gibson, but if he could make one that could sound like a Fender and a Gibson I would be interested, but he still could not get it and was most put out.End of factory tour, and the miserable git would not give me any free samples, despite a large box of reject necks and bodies sitting there.
Was very interesting to see the how small the production force was, the guys doing then hand finish to necks were amazing to watch, and made me aware how every Fender I had ever tried felt slightly different, even though it was same model.

[Tony Smart]

Interesting post Malcolm.
Have you visited any Steel builders?

[Malcolm]

Tony have only visited one in US is MSA in Dallas when Kyle Bennet and Mitchell Smithey refurbished my Milly.Have met all the others at Dallas - Del Mullen Mullen, Bill Rudolph Williams, Jeff Surrat Show Pro, Gary Rittenbery Rittenberry, Frank Carter Infinity, the Late Bud Carter Carter and ETS, the late John Fabian Carter, Fred Justice. Justice, the late Gene Fields GFI, Gary Carpenter Rains, and not forgetting our own Ron Bennet, spent a few hours with Uncle Ron fixing my old Sho Bud. All lovely guys to talk too and extremely helpful.