The continued cultural significance of Fender guitars

[HolmfirthNJ]

Most days a flick through the newspaper will reveal a Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster (this is from today’s Guardian - a UK newspaper). I’m not exactly sure if Jack White is playing is an actual Fender but it’s a kind of Telecaster at least. The musicians in the picture are all men but there are so many female bands and singers at Glastonbury this year where the woman is holding a Fender (not so much Gibson I think) e.g. Wolf Alice with her black Telecaster. Anyway, I don’t know where I’m going with this other than to marvel at the continued cultural significance of Fender guitars. And they they look as cool as ever, whereas my Grandad’s 1957 Austin A35 looked old fashioned pretty much by 1958.

 

[HolmfirthNJ]

*not all men - I missed Billie Ellish

 

[FSRCustomTeleHHGT]

I know Leo gets a lot of credit, but I actually think the shape of the Stratocaster is underrated. It is one of the most brilliant and enduring designs of the 20th Century, and I don't just mean guitars. No one has come up with a sexier. more ergonomic solid-body electric shape in the nearly 70 years since it's introduction. And Leo himself tried.

 

[telemnemonics]

Proof that humanity peaked long ago and is now in late decline era.

 

[IrishBread69]

Jack has been using a Acoustasonic and a modded Jazzmaster lately.

 

[Si G X]

Yeah Jack White plays mainly Fender now, He had a cool jazzmaster too... I think the story is that he made the orange tele he used to play out of parts and Fender saw him playing it and said "We'll make you whatever you want" ... because, you know, he's Jack White.

as well as these 2, which I presume are a blueburst tele and jazzmaster acousasonics?

 

[Si G X]

Just noticed the blue dot inlays too.

 

[telemnemonics]

Just noticed the blue dot inlays too.

Dont forget the Fender approved blue hair!

 

[Si G X]

Dont forget the Fender approved blue hair!

I've been trying to ignore that ever since he did it..... I know he's going through his blue phase but...

 

[ClashCityTele]

I think they were handing out free Fender guitars backstage at Glastonbury.

Gibson didn't get there in time.

 

[buster poser]

Yes. IDLES!

So frickin' great.

 

[telemnemonics]

I think they were handing out free Fender guitars backstage at Glastonbury.

Gibson didn't get there in time.

Gibson was busy with a more important date:

 

[colchar]

Most days a flick through the newspaper will reveal a Fender Stratocaster or Telecaster (this is from today’s Guardian - a UK newspaper). I’m not exactly sure if Jack White is playing is an actual Fender but it’s a kind of Telecaster at least. The musicians in the picture are all men but there are so many female bands and singers at Glastonbury this year where the woman is holding a Fender (not so much Gibson I think) e.g. Wolf Alice with her black Telecaster. Anyway, I don’t know where I’m going with this other than to marvel at the continued cultural significance of Fender guitars. And they they look as cool as ever, whereas my Grandad’s 1957 Austin A35 looked old fashioned pretty much by 1958.

Just because they are used by musicians doesn't mean they have wider cultural significance.

 

[HolmfirthNJ]

Off topic a little, he’s using an acoustic of some kind for Seven Nation Army at the end of his set - any ideas on the distortion - amp/pedal?

 

[Otisblove]

Recently some music festival was on two channels on my Hulu live tv for a few days. I think it was Bonnaroo? A LOT of Stratocasters and Jazzmasters out there.

 

[Si G X]

Off topic a little, he’s using an acoustic of some kind for Seven Nation Army at the end of his set - any ideas on the distortion - amp/pedal?

Amps I think he's still mainly using Fender twins.

Distortion ... Big Muff, Zvex Wooly Mammoth, Third man/Game changer plasma thing and whatever new stuff Third Man have done ... probably one of those.

 

[David Barnett]

... whereas my Grandad’s 1957 Austin A35 looked old fashioned pretty much by 1958.

In the '50s British cars mostly looked like tea kettles.

 

[jrblue]

I know Leo gets a lot of credit, but I actually think the shape of the Stratocaster is underrated. It is one of the most brilliant and enduring designs of the 20th Century, and I don't just mean guitars. I was looking at my Les Paul a few days ago and it struck me what an old looking thing it is -- a genuine antique, and a tired old idea of a guitar. I see the Tele pretty similarly. The Strat benefited from coming a bit after those two and so was able to be designed around real use now that electric guitars and even rock were happening.

Agreed!

 

[Si G X]

I know Leo gets a lot of credit, but I actually think the shape of the Stratocaster is underrated.

nooo, it's the most popular guitar shape ever and the most iconic electric guitar in the world. It looks a little bit passé in recent years, but as PRS proved, it just needed a little update to be popular all over again.

 

[HolmfirthNJ]

J. G. Ballard talks of coming to the UK for the first time after being interned as a boy in Shanghai where he was totally consumed by American culture (from magazines) and being shocked when he first saw British cars at the docks- he assumed they were some sort of coal scuttles being used to refuel the ships. Way off topic now.