Important news: Fender goes public.

[abel]

Hi all,

I wanted to share with you this important news about the maker of Fender guitars.

Maker of Fender guitars to rock the market with $200 million offering

Blessings,
Abel

[John Boyd]

Lets hope it won't be the CBS story all over again!
JB

[John M]

And they are $100 million dollars in debt.
With the money they charge fo their products how did they manage that?
13 % growth and $700 milion turnover...somethings not right.

Expect some major price hikes?

[JimN]

Fender has been investing money like mad over the last few years. The new factory and the Fender Visitor Center at Corona won't have come cheap for a start (and they haven't even been charging admission) and there has been an astounding amount of model innovation as well.

Being in debt is not necessarily a bad thing for a company. Any British firm that isn't borrowed up to the neck at current interest rates probably ought to be.

JN

[cockroach]

I must say I was more interested in the picture- that guitar and amp is pretty much Buddy Holly's rig!

Although 'that sound' on this site means Hank's gear, for me, THAT SOUND will forever be that of Buddy Holly....

Tin hat on, as they say...

[wstagner]

They produce hundreds of geetars/day. Who's buyin' 'em? Musicians have never had any $. Must be parents and old farts like me. Didn't think there were that many.

[ala1940]

Don't forget the other brands they also own such as Grestch.

[ala1940]

From Wikipedia :-
The company also makes and / or distributes acoustic guitars, electric basses, mandolins, banjos, and electric violins, as well as guitar amplifiers, bass amplifiers, and PA (public address) equipment. Other Fender brands include Squier (entry level/budget), Guild (acoustic and electric guitars and amplifiers), SWR (bass amplification), Passport Tacoma, Jackson, Charvel, Gretsch guitars and collaborated with Eddie Van Halen to make the EVH guitars and amplifiers.

On February 11, 1994 the Fender manufacturing plant based in Ensenada, Mexico burned down. Fender President Bill Shultz decided to temporarily move production from the Mexico plant to the U.S. plant. These Fender guitars are fairly rare and can be identified by the unique serial number.

On October 28, 2007, Fender announced its intention to buy Kaman Music Corporation (owners of Hamer Guitars, Ovation Guitars, Genz Benz amplifiers, Gibraltar Hardware, along with many others, and exclusive distributor for Sabian cymbals and Takamine Guitars).

[abstamaria]

That seems to be a Fender Twin Amp. The guitar seems to be the same model as Hank's - a '56-59. Lovely photograph.

Andy

[JimN]

Minor point, Andy... that looks like a four speaker amp.

Probably a 4x10" Bassman? They do sound good!

JN