Article:
The Fender American Standard series of guitars features both
Telecaster and Stratocasters, the legends of the Fender name.
The most affordable guitars in the Fender line-up, the classic
style has some new updates to please musicians everywhere.
Refinements include changes to some, but not all models of the
guitars allowing musicians to select the guitar that best suits
their playing style. The American Series guitars typically have
twenty-two frets rather than the previous twenty-one, some
feature humbuckers, synchonized tremolo arm, a steel bridge
plate for added sustain and the three-sadle bridge has been
replaced by a six-sadle bridge. The new six-sadle bridge means
that you can adjust the height and length of each string
independently. Available in a wide variety of colors and
finishes, these guitars live up to the Fender legacy.
The Beginning The first major electric guitar designed and
produced by Leo Fender, the
Telecaster was introduced in the 1940's. With solid body
construction and electronic amplification this was the first
guitar to allow musicians to use the instrument with a band or
as a solo instrument in a larger forum. Instantly popular with
musicians across the genres, the Telecaster was embraced by
Blues, Country and later Rock n' Roll musicians. Fender is known
for its treble tone and the Telecaster is particularly known for
its bright and clear tones. The bridge pickup of the Telecaster
is wound more than the pickup for the neck with emphasizes the
treble tone and the slanted neck also gives a more treble sound
while the lower tones are dampened. A versatile instrument
musicians can use the controls for volume and tone to craft
their own sound. For more than fifty years the Telecaster has
been a favorite of both professional and amateur musicians.
The Next Step The second big innovation from the workshop of Leo
Fender was the Stratocaster. Designed in the early 1950's, the
Stratocaster was the result of all that had been learned from
making the Telecaster combined with feedback from musicians
about what worked and what didn't and what they wanted. Overall,
the Stratocaster is a more complicated instrument with three
single coil pickups which increases the tone and overall sound
of the guitar. The addition of the Fender vibrato bridge allowed
musicians to bend the strings to achieve a sound similar to the
popular pedal-steel instruments. The already wide variety of
tones that were created by the Stratocaster were expanded with
the creation of the synchronized tremoloarm. A tremolo arm
allows a guitar player to quickly vary the tension of the
strings which temporarily changes the pitch to create vibrato,
portamento and pitch effect expanding the options available for
the musician. There were changes made to the overall design of
the guitar body as well. Beveled areas for where the strumming
arm rests and for the player's chest were added for a fitted
feel that is comfortable for long session.
Creating the Fender Sound The
">electric guitar was brought to life with the invention of
the single coil pickup. A single coil pickup is created by
wrapping a permanent magnet with fine enameled copper and then
mounting the coil on the body of the guitar. When the player
then plucks the strings, they vibrate and effect the magnetic
flux which changes the voltage that passes through the coild of
wire. The signal is modified by these changes in voltage and
travels through the wire to the amplifier or recording device.
The sound can then be amplified to be heard at any volume, from
your garage to a stadium concert.
In its traditional form, the Telecaster guitar features just two
single coil pickups but the three-way selector switch provides
flexibility in choosing which pickup to use and further controls
for tone and volume shape the sound. In the Stratocaster there
are three standard single coil pickups mounted in series for the
bridge middle and neck. With a switch of a lever the player can
select which pickup they want to be active. Theey can use two
pickups in combination, a single or all three to produce the
sound that they want.
Further Innovation First introduced in the 1950's, a humbucker
is popular among many musicians for its ability to clarify
sound. Electronic guitars rely on single coil magnetic pickups
to 'pick up' and convey the alternated voltage created by the
vibrating strings to create music. But these magnets can act as
antennae and are vulnerable to picking up other signals not
intended by the musician. The single coil magnetic pickups are
sensitive to electromagnetic interference that can be generated
by electrical appliances, computer screens, motors and other
signals as well, all of which create a 'hum' or 'buzz' in the
sound produced by the guitar. A humbucker uses two additional
coils (although there are several versions of the humbucker) to
cancel the interference, which literally bucks the hum and
leaves only the pure musical sound to be amplified. In the
American Series there are several Stratocasters that have
humbuckers in their designs.
The Little Things The sound of each guitar is unique and can be
personized and shaped by several factors. Where the pickups are
positioned, the number of coils wound around each magnet, what
type of wire is used, the shape of the guitar, the kind of wood
used in the neck and body and the position of the strings all
have an impact on the sound. Using the tone controls to
determine which pickups are featured gives musicians control
over their sound. Pickups in the bridge position bring a bright,
harmonic-rich and sharp tone compared to those pickups in the
neck position which are louder, more warm and mellow in nature.
The name Fender brings a wealth of history and achievement to
mind- from Muddy Waters to Eric Clapton to Ritchie Blackmore the
artists that have embraced the
electric guitars have set the standard for all who play. The
latest generation of guitars to be embraced by musicians, the
American Standard series features both Stratocaster® and
Telecaster® guitars from legendary Fender. True to their
historic past these guitars are beautifully crafted with small
updates to their design. The most affordable line of Fender
guitars, The American Standard Series brings everything you
expect from the Fender name without compromise.
About the author:
Blair Stephens is an experienced writer and proud member of the
Music Power team. We offer the best selection of electric and
acoustic guitars in all the best brands. Learn more about
guitars in our Musician Articles at
http://www.musicpower.com/musician-articles.asp.
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