At the dawn of the Schultz era, things began to come back into focus, and in 1985, with Schultz and his investors now owning the company, Fender faced one of its most daunting design challenges yet: Build a better Stratocaster. Not a reissue, not a cost cutter, not a “Cadillac,” not an import — just a basic U.S. Strat. For the Gibson lovers, I'd consider a '54 to '56 Les Paul Gold Top (I think you might be lucky to pick up a '57) or a Custom. If you have $5,000 or $6,000 left, then a good Fender Tweed Bassman or Twin would fit the bill nicely. A catholic choice, I know, but these guitars have consistently been in demand, and I see no change to this in the near or far-off future. The Stratocaster was first produced in early 1954 by Los Angeles engineer Leo Fender, who had tinkered with improving amplified hollow-body instruments since the 1940s. Introduced in 1954 and now recognized as the best electric guitar ever designed, Leo Fender's Stratocaster is one of the 20th century's most influential inventions. The Martin book is a photographic 150-year journey, pulling together the strands of the past to create a fascinating and entertaining testimony to the unparalleled quality and craftmanship of the Martin acoustic guitar. the bass guitar. This is the comprehensive, must-own owner's or collector's manual for any Gretsch fan. It uncovers the history of the guitars through 32 pages of color photos, hundreds of black & white photos, and forewords by Fred Gretsch, George Harrison, Randy Bachman, Brian Setzer, and Duane Eddy. This great American icon is the subject of Gibson's Fabulous Flat Tops, a comprehensive book that chronicles the history of the Gibson company and the growth and development of their flat top guitars. No one changed the sound of guitar music more than Leo Fender. He so improved the clarity of the amplified vibrating string that he gave almost every style of music played on the guitar a means to sound better. For five decades, finicky musicians made pilgrimages to Leo's R&D labs to discuss their musical frustrations and seek better ways for guitars to function. Guitar Part Pickup.