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1. As you enter the Visitor Center,
you are immediately greeted by a
wall of Custom Shop replicas of
some of the iconic instruments used
by the musicians who put Fender
on the map: Buddy Holly, Buddy
Guy, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Eric
Clapton, Ritchie Blackmore, David
Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and
Kurt Cobain.
2. Across from the Fender Legends
entrance is the Fender Hall of Fame.
Plaques pay tribute to the most influ-
ential people and bands in Fender’s
history, including the company’s
founders and notable company
employees over the years. The white
Strat in the center is signed by all of
the living Hall of Fame members.
3. The Birthplace of Innovation
wall displays photos of the early
factory as well as informational
tidbits. We particularly loved the
lower-left photo of an employee
demonstrating the strength of
Fender necks by standing on one
balanced between two chairs. In a
small theater at the opposite cor-
ner of the facility, visitors can view
a loop of four films that provide
a closer look into the company’s
early days and influence.
4. Immediately to the right of
the main entrance is a tribute to
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Leo Fender encased in glass. It’s
packed with early Fender-built instruments and candid photos of the
man who built the company. (Inset)
One of Leo’s first ever instruments,
a lap steel baked in his oven.
5. Visitors to the center could
spend all day trying out different
guitar-amp combinations in the
sound room, which is packed with
nearly every guitar and bass amp
Fender offers. There are a variety of
Fender, Jackson, Charvel, Gretsch,
and EVH models in the room (
including some lefty versions!), but visitors
can bring any of the display guitars
in for a test drive as well.
6. For anyone who has wished
they could customize every option
to create their dream Fender, the
company has answered that request
with the American Design Experience. Inside, visitors can feel and
choose different neck shapes and
wood configurations, see a wide
variety of finish options, and select
the pickup-pickguard-switching
configuration of their choice. The
guitars are ordered right then and
there, put into production, and
delivered to the buyer’s home in less
than a month. The flame maple Tele
on the bench serves as one of the
examples of what can be ordered.
