One issue often forgotten; the defense industry in So Cal at the time was in full swing. Cold War era. The electronics engineering was the best in the world and concentrated in the So Bay Area. Auto manufacturing big time as well!! These guys fed off one another and swapped stories and electronic tips. Not secrets.. Tips! My family was involved heavily in the defense area. What a wonderful time in industrial engineering!! We can enjoy/love it to this very day!!
How many tools of a trade stay almost exactly the same since their initial period of "correct inception/invention"? You can see how Leo's taste in design esthetic and function came straight out of the 50's, particularly automotive ("fender" done in car colors of the era) - and his boat! Maybe that's why it's such a rare, cool, and collectible phenomenon...
I'm impressed by all the engineering of these classic instruments. But I'm even more impressed by the employees at the time, people of all colors, skilled woman doing very meticulous work. Leo was ahead of his time.
I'm seeing beautiful Dark Rosewood fretboards.... Imagine the woods in the golden days..... fantastic footage of a life that was so pure and innocent Everybody listened to music, people walked around singing, whistling a tune..... Social media is really robbing society of innocence and true conversation ......
Two superb videos, great quality film super 8 I presume it was cleaned up? Fascinating insight on the early days of fender. Still amazes me how the strat, tele, and jazz master look so modern ahead of their time and the designs haven’t changed radically, 67 years later 👍
As a long time fender afficiano, this video just floored me. As a historical piece, it's perfect. Seeing all the workers going about their days building literal holy grail instruments, not even aware of the later impact of what they were creating. Just amazing, and of course it's all thanks to Leo, everything he did was right from the start.
Incredibly cool! I'm the kind of person who wonders where all of those guitars and amps are hiding now out there in the world. Even all of the special tools etc used at the factory. All sitting in a dusty box now.
The man with the scarf at :58 is Eddie Cletro. I sent the video to his daughter and she confirmed it. "I would know that smile anywhere!". Leo gave Eddie a Strat in 1957 in Desert Sand with a Gold Guard and all Rosewood neck. (Currently at Songbirds Museum). Eddie had an earlier Strat in Desert Sand, so it seems that he really liked the color.
Thank you for posting this, Sir. I saw the first part of this film years ago, but never this part. My parents both worked at the Fullerton factory (noted in the first film showing factory workers) in the 1950s-1960's and I recall my mom telling me once that Leo and my dad "were like father and son" and that my dad went fishing with Leo on Leo's boat off Baja, California. My dad had just recently passed away (in 1993) when she told me this, and there was a lot of fishing gear in his (Fullerton, CA) garage to clean out. I asked her “why was all this fishing gear in dad’s garage when I never saw him fish?” She then she told me about Leo and my dad going on fishing trips, and how close they had been. I knew they had been close, as my dad told me stories of their conversations, but I had no idea until that point. So, seeing Leo on one of his boats in this film gives me an idea of what she was talking about, and of the times Leo and my dad spent together. Thank you, again, for posting this second part of the film, and thanks for the great job on the narration.
I’m so glad that this home movie has the Fender Tweed amps included. Those big heavy soldering irons are amazing. Easily solder any wire to the chassis. I think they were 150 watt irons. But I cringe to think about the tight spaces inside those ‘50s tweed amps and having to use massive soldering irons with huge chisel tips. Thank you for these videos!
Amazing, simply amazing to see this old eight millimeter film. But I have to laugh about the three dislikes. They must be fans of Gibson. Thanks for uploading this piece of history.
Thank you so much for this wonderful film, it's the best thing I have seen in years, I'm a massive fan of all things Fender and to see the factory in the 1950's is just fantastic,
I thought pt. 1 was cool and then THIS goes up! Boggs, Byrd, ol' Merle, Chet, Barney - I lost count. This is hidden treasure that gets more valuable every day. Thank you for posting!
THAT is a fancy Chris Craft, for sure! I loved to see the little Chris Craft runabouts at Kingsley Lake in Clay County, Florida. Thanks for showing us all of this!! I was nine years old for most of 1957, and was maybe two years away from seeing my first real Fender, a '59 Esquire Custom. Then my brother bought a 1960 Jazzmaster and a PRO amp, and I was hooked.
Because it's silent we have to use our brains to imagine what sounds those players were making...mostly laughter I think. Modern trade-shows can be a bombardment on the senses leaving you more confused than happy..hustle hustle hustle.
I'm putting together a late 50's early 60's P bass. 1 3/4" nut, 1" thick, 7.5" radius, rosewood and maple neck all fender period parts, Lacquer shell pink swamp ash body with a mint pickguard. Clay dots, flatwound La Bella .52-110 strings the whole shabang.
The first itty bits of this vids give off some references from pawn stars. Theres a episode where a lady wanted to sell her fathers fender custom lap steel guitar ("noel boggs"). Hes a country lap steel player and one of leo fenders people that would play test his products. As you can see hes testing the 2 lap steel guitars outside of the factory
That was pretty cool. It is too bad we couldn't hear all those guys play. Especially the original Eddie Van Halen. Ha! If one were very good and watched very carefully one might be able to recreate the sound a bit. Maybe. Don't look at me. I barely know which side the strings go on.
What a great piece of history especially music history raid video I'm legally blind so mostly I so aware figures but still I enjoyed the video very much
Parts 1& 2 both wonderful to see thank you! Freddy Tavares at 0:40, I wonder if it might be his initials beside the date inscription on the end of my '57 Strat neck. "4/57 FT" A lovely medium V to C kind of shape.
Just watched both parts. Good stuff here. Some of the things I'd read in a couple books I picked up in the early 90s in a music store I worked in bout history of the stratocaster n telecasters. Think the author was A.R Duchssoir, can't remember his name exactly though.
How many tools of a trade stay almost exactly the same since their initial period of "correct inception/invention"? You can see how Leo's taste in design esthetic and function came straight out of the 50's, particularly automotive ("fender" done in car colors of the era) - and his boat! Maybe that's why it's such a rare, cool, and collectible phenomenon...
Was Leo of the Jewish persuasion? As good as Fender stuff was during Leo’s time, his later stuff was very good. Lastly, his G&L guitars had his latest improvements. I have a G&L guitar. Great tone, has a wonderful feel to the neck.
Incredible to see... especially Freddie... and Leo's boat. Sad that Boggs family have closed down the car parts business he was partners in, the former location scraped off and last I saw, ready for development. His daughter made it to Pawn Stars 'trying' to sell off her father's 4 neck steel.. or at least one of them, assuming he had more than one of the 4 neck.
Awesome videos! I spoke with Mr. Perez who gave me your channel. I have a 58’ tele that has a g penciled in neck pocket. Im dying to find out which worker that would have been. It has another mark which i cant quite make out. Any ideas?
There was a woman named Gloria who worked there. I once saw her name on a piece of masking tape on an old Tele I worked on ('53 ?) back in the late '70s. I've seen her talked about in old magazine articles too.
great video of great history. back then the so called "unskilled workers" were better Craftsmen and women than today's " minimum wage workers" of today 😉.
Disagree, there are some wonderful craftsman and instruments being made today, even at Fender. There has never been a better time to be a guitarist than right now.
@@carolinastringband Probably because they weren't paid minimum wage and they didn't have a ridiculous cost of living back then. There wasn't a giant disparity between wages and inflation like we have now. Hard to give as much effort when you work your ass off but still live in poverty like so many people are now.
Yes. And the big head stock, too, on a one piece maple neck. When the Jazzmaster fin- ally went into production they had maple necks with a rosewood fret board, in 1958. Telecasters and Strats started using rosewood boards in '59 and the large head stock, which was original on Jazzmasters, came to the Strat in 1966 after CBS took over.
One issue often forgotten; the defense industry in So Cal at the time was in full swing. Cold War era. The electronics engineering was the best in the world and concentrated in the So Bay Area. Auto manufacturing big time as well!! These guys fed off one another and swapped stories and electronic tips. Not secrets.. Tips! My family was involved heavily in the defense area. What a wonderful time in industrial engineering!! We can enjoy/love it to this very day!!
How many tools of a trade stay almost exactly the same since their initial period of "correct inception/invention"? You can see how Leo's taste in design esthetic and function came straight out of the 50's, particularly automotive ("fender" done in car colors of the era) - and his boat! Maybe that's why it's such a rare, cool, and collectible phenomenon...
I'm impressed by all the engineering of these classic instruments. But I'm even more impressed by the employees at the time, people of all colors, skilled woman doing very meticulous work. Leo was ahead of his time.
seeing chet atkins pop up out of the blue was icing on the cake.
I'm seeing beautiful Dark Rosewood fretboards.... Imagine the woods in the golden days..... fantastic footage of a life that was so pure and innocent
Everybody listened to music, people walked around singing, whistling a tune..... Social media is really robbing society of innocence and true conversation ......
Two superb videos, great quality film super 8 I presume it was cleaned up? Fascinating insight on the early days of fender. Still amazes me how the strat, tele, and jazz master look so modern ahead of their time and the designs haven’t changed radically, 67 years later 👍
As a long time fender afficiano, this video just floored me. As a historical piece, it's perfect. Seeing all the workers going about their days building literal holy grail instruments, not even aware of the later impact of what they were creating. Just amazing, and of course it's all thanks to Leo, everything he did was right from the start.
Got any idea who would have signed a lower case g in my 58?
I won't buy a guitar without playing it unplugged for a while. I am sure I am not the only one.
Thank you for this.....very wonderful glimpse of history
Old world hand craftsmanship with 1957 state of the art manufacturing technology. Thank you for sharing👍😊🎸
This makes my day every time I come across this footage 😎
Incredibly cool! I'm the kind of person who wonders where all of those guitars and amps are hiding now out there in the world. Even all of the special tools etc used at the factory. All sitting in a dusty box now.
Really interesting, thanks. That must be the earliest guitar tapping I've ever seen!
The man with the scarf at :58 is Eddie Cletro. I sent the video to his daughter and she confirmed it. "I would know that smile anywhere!". Leo gave Eddie a Strat in 1957 in Desert Sand with a Gold Guard and all Rosewood neck. (Currently at Songbirds Museum). Eddie had an earlier Strat in Desert Sand, so it seems that he really liked the color.
Staggeringly important archive...thank you SO much
Thank you so much for these lovely films!
Thank you for posting this, Sir. I saw the first part of this film years ago, but never this part. My parents both worked at the Fullerton factory (noted in the first film showing factory workers) in the 1950s-1960's and I recall my mom telling me once that Leo and my dad "were like father and son" and that my dad went fishing with Leo on Leo's boat off Baja, California. My dad had just recently passed away (in 1993) when she told me this, and there was a lot of fishing gear in his (Fullerton, CA) garage to clean out. I asked her “why was all this fishing gear in dad’s garage when I never saw him fish?” She then she told me about Leo and my dad going on fishing trips, and how close they had been. I knew they had been close, as my dad told me stories of their conversations, but I had no idea until that point. So, seeing Leo on one of his boats in this film gives me an idea of what she was talking about, and of the times Leo and my dad spent together. Thank you, again, for posting this second part of the film, and thanks for the great job on the narration.
Joe Perez I know you posted this a year ago but I still really appreciate reading it today. Thanks for sharing your family stories.
Thank you ! This is HISTORY ! The value of those short (no sound) home movies will prove to be real museum stuff in centuries to come.
The guy with a scarf around his neck playing a guitar is Merle Travis. I would know him anywhere.
Eddie Cletro with the scarf and Musicmaster.
Awesome footage glad to get to see this a real fender fan here thank you 🧐❤️❤️❤️
I’m so glad that this home movie has the Fender Tweed amps included.
Those big heavy soldering irons are amazing. Easily solder any wire to the chassis. I think they were 150 watt irons. But I cringe to think about the tight spaces inside those ‘50s tweed amps and having to use massive soldering irons with huge chisel tips.
Thank you for these videos!
This content is more valuable than gold dust ☺
Amazing, simply amazing to see this old eight millimeter film. But I have to laugh about the three dislikes. They must be fans of Gibson. Thanks for uploading this piece of history.
Gibson: often struggling with, yet defending, a sense of identity and "authenticity" over the decades.
Very very very very cool. Parts 1 and 2 both. This is a gem of Americana. Nicely narrated. Much appreciated.
Thank you so much for this wonderful film, it's the best thing I have seen in years, I'm a massive fan of all things Fender and to see the factory in the 1950's is just fantastic,
I thought pt. 1 was cool and then THIS goes up! Boggs, Byrd, ol' Merle, Chet, Barney - I lost count. This is hidden treasure that gets more valuable every day. Thank you for posting!
That Fender curtain at the NAMM booth! Wish I could find ol' Marty McFly and go back to 1957 and witness this stuff in person! Great video!!!
Awesome video thank you so much for posting this.
thank you for posting this interesting film footage
Great documentary! Thanks for sharing!
Just great all American history. I just bought a solid rosewood neck American Strat. Love Fender.
Great footage, I was born in the 50s and would love to go back. Great to see Chet Atkins
Loved this!
Old ford in background how cool....better days in California for sure
Thank you for sharing this and providing commentary. Those cars…wow!
THAT is a fancy Chris Craft, for sure! I loved to see the little Chris Craft runabouts at Kingsley Lake in Clay County, Florida. Thanks for showing us all of this!! I was nine years old for most of 1957, and was maybe two years away from seeing my first real Fender, a '59 Esquire Custom. Then my brother bought a 1960 Jazzmaster and a PRO amp, and I was hooked.
MORE! I grew up in Fullerton,... wish there were sound clips from that time! Nice revelation on Jimmy Webster too!
Thank you for an awesome video. Absolutely excellent!
Great footage!
Fantastic vids, oh those days...
your commentary is superb. its a pleasure to watch this along with your soothing voice and astute observations. many thanks.
Great insight to one of the great American Icons .
Fabulous commentary..history in itself!
Beautiful!!!
THIS IS GOLD!!! Being from Bakersfield I was hoping to see some Mosrites. But Semie was probably still working at Rickenbacker
This is incredible
Thank you so much for this! So stoked to see any footage like this.
Really great! Thank you so much for sharing 👍🏻
Loved the video thank you so much for putting this together for us.........
Because it's silent we have to use our brains to imagine what sounds those players were making...mostly laughter I think. Modern trade-shows can be a bombardment on the senses leaving you more confused than happy..hustle hustle hustle.
Great vídeo....love Fender early days!!!
Nice video...
I started playing 9 years after this was made.
Great cuontry back then now mess up! feel very bad today:-(
I love the video. Thank you very much for sharing.
What a great piece of history! I do find it funny that the thumbnail on UA-cam for this video is of the Rickenbacker booth at NAMM though...
I'm putting together a late 50's early 60's P bass. 1 3/4" nut, 1" thick, 7.5" radius, rosewood and maple neck all fender period parts, Lacquer shell pink swamp ash body with a mint pickguard. Clay dots, flatwound La Bella .52-110 strings the whole shabang.
Thoroughly enjoyed this
Enjoyed that very much ! Thank you for posting it 🎸
At 9:05 Sales Success Rule #4 Always dress for success! nice off white linen/silk suit
The first itty bits of this vids give off some references from pawn stars. Theres a episode where a lady wanted to sell her fathers fender custom lap steel guitar ("noel boggs"). Hes a country lap steel player and one of leo fenders people that would play test his products. As you can see hes testing the 2 lap steel guitars outside of the factory
This was just amazing...
Thank's!
Only if Leo knew what his 57"s are worth today, bless his soul
Thank you so much! great movie, precious!
That was awesome!!! Many thanks!
Just wow.
Thanks!
Fantastic! Thank you! My 57 reissue Stratocasters look exactly like the the Strats in the movie.
Thanks so much for sharing this.
Historic footage..
That was awesome
That was pretty cool. It is too bad we couldn't hear all those guys play. Especially the original Eddie Van Halen. Ha! If one were very good and watched very carefully one might be able to recreate the sound a bit. Maybe. Don't look at me. I barely know which side the strings go on.
Thanks, I really enjoyed this.
Top shelf video, thanks :-)
Thanks so much, what a jem.
What a great piece of history especially music history raid video I'm legally blind so mostly I so aware figures but still I enjoyed the video very much
Parts 1& 2 both wonderful to see thank you!
Freddy Tavares at 0:40, I wonder if it might be his initials beside the date inscription on the end of my '57 Strat neck.
"4/57 FT"
A lovely medium V to C kind of shape.
Just watched both parts. Good stuff here. Some of the things I'd read in a couple books I picked up in the early 90s in a music store I worked in bout history of the stratocaster n telecasters. Think the author was A.R Duchssoir, can't remember his name exactly though.
enjoyed that so much thank you!
awesome
this is awesome thanks for posting
Thanks
The grin and the playing style of the guy playing with Roy Lanham screams Roy Clark to me
I think it's Eddie Cletro. I am going to email the link to the video to his daughter.
How many tools of a trade stay almost exactly the same since their initial period of "correct inception/invention"? You can see how Leo's taste in design esthetic and function came straight out of the 50's, particularly automotive ("fender" done in car colors of the era) - and his boat! Maybe that's why it's such a rare, cool, and collectible phenomenon...
Cool footage. 11:45 Eruption. Too bad no sound.
an imperial and a cris craft....was high American living .
Was Leo of the Jewish persuasion? As good as Fender stuff was during Leo’s time, his later stuff was very good. Lastly, his G&L guitars had his latest improvements. I have a G&L guitar. Great tone, has a wonderful feel to the neck.
Incredible to see... especially Freddie... and Leo's boat. Sad that Boggs family have closed down the car parts business he was partners in, the former location scraped off and last I saw, ready for development. His daughter made it to Pawn Stars 'trying' to sell off her father's 4 neck steel.. or at least one of them, assuming he had more than one of the 4 neck.
Thanks..
Awesome videos! I spoke with Mr. Perez who gave me your channel. I have a 58’ tele that has a g penciled in neck pocket. Im dying to find out which worker that would have been. It has another mark which i cant quite make out. Any ideas?
There was a woman named Gloria who worked there. I once saw her name on a piece of masking tape on an old Tele I worked on ('53 ?) back in the late '70s. I've seen her talked about in old magazine articles too.
What a gym these would be with sound.
Leo Fender was only 48 yo here, but he looks like he was 70.
Everyone looked older than they were back then. I'm not sure why.
Who would have been the person responsible for writing the penciled on neck dates on the the neck heels?? Who in particular?
I read that the Lucite Strat was finished in 1961. Is this true?
I'm dumbstruck thank you
great video of great history. back then the so called "unskilled workers" were better Craftsmen and women than today's " minimum wage workers" of today 😉.
because they gave a damn about what they were doing unlike so many today
Disagree, there are some wonderful craftsman and instruments being made today, even at Fender. There has never been a better time to be a guitarist than right now.
Nobody asks to be a minimum wage worker.
@@carolinastringband Probably because they weren't paid minimum wage and they didn't have a ridiculous cost of living back then. There wasn't a giant disparity between wages and inflation like we have now. Hard to give as much effort when you work your ass off but still live in poverty like so many people are now.
They had to do it themselves as there were no machines churning them out ☺
Where is that boat today?!
If old videos could talk.!
Would you please tell me what’s name song that use on clip ? Thankful :)
It's called "The Sound of Silence".
Leo would've been 47 or 48 years old in these films, which for his generation was considered starting to get up there in age, past middle age anyway.
leo would have shot kodachrome, where are those slides, they would be of tremendous historical interest,
What was that prototype guitar with jazz master body strat input jack and maple neck with big headstock?
Yes. And the big head stock, too, on a one piece maple neck. When the Jazzmaster fin-
ally went into production they had maple necks with a rosewood fret board, in 1958.
Telecasters and Strats started using rosewood boards in '59 and the large head stock,
which was original on Jazzmasters, came to the Strat in 1966 after CBS took over.
Musicmaster/Duosonic - "student model"
Hasn't the world changed...