Without Leo Fender, the musical world would be a different place. The legendary luthier and American inventor was responsible for designing some of the most iconic guitars and raising two high-quality guitar brands. G&L Guitars were the last line of instruments Leo worked on and he famously declared that “G&L guitars and basses are the best instruments I have ever made”.

Leo Fender working on one of his G&L guitars.

Leo Fender’s influence on the world of guitars is still relevant today. His last name still appears on iconic guitars like the Fender Telecaster, Stratocaster, Precision Bass, Jazz Bass, … and millions of amplifiers used around the world. However, Fender instruments weren’t even his favourite… This spot is reserved for his last venture - G&L Guitars.

About G&L Guitars

In 1965, Leo Fender sold his first company called ‘Fender’ to CBS. Leo was kept on board by CBS/Fender to design and produce instruments for Music Man in the 1970s through his company CLF research. In the late 1970s, after designing the popular StingRay bass for Music Man, Leo decided to start his own company again. This time, he would partner up with George Fullerton and Dale Hyatt.

The name of the new company would be a combination of the first letters of George (Fullerton) and Leo (Fender) first names. That’s how G&L Guitars was born.

This dream team of guitar designers would set up shop in the same facility on Fender Avenue in Fullerton, California, where the original Music Man guitars were designed. However, there was something very different that set these guitars apart from any that Leo and George had worked on before.

Thanks to decades of research and experience redefining what was possible with the electric and bass guitar, Leo Fender, along with George Fullerton and Dale Hyatt would go on to create a selection of electric guitars and basses that included advanced features that really set these instruments apart. The Magnetic Field Design pickups, Dual-Fulcrum Vibrato and G&L Saddle-Lock Bridge are a few key innovations that set the G&L guitars apart.