Fender Stratocaster and Quad Reverb as characterized by Detroit-musician caricature ‘Bumpwell Blues’; note Strat-as-phallus reference.
The mid 1970s is the most maligned period of Fender’s history. Musicians and collectors alike complain of such indignities as three-bolt necks on Stratocasters and Jazz/Telecaster basses, ‘high powered’ tube amplifiers which managed their impressive-on-paper ratings through the use of frequency-sucking suppressor caps, and of course the dreaded 70s heavy-guitar syndrome.
OK so how did Fender manage to sell so many of these instruments which we now regard as sub-par? Could it be possible that the goofiest ad campaign in guitar history might have had something to do with it? No disrespect intended to the illustrators/art-directors/copywriters who crafted these curiosities; I am sure that they were just doing what they were told, and the work is certainly of a consistent quality. But really? This was a good idea?
On a more serious note though: what does is mean exactly when a manufacturer creates an entire (expensive) ad campaign that does not show the actual products or even reference any concrete product specifications or claims? Is this good marketing? Hubris? How do we feel about the products? Does it make us more or less curious? Do we accept that these products are in fact ‘icons’ by virtue of the fact that we are shown only icons that represent the products rather than seeing the products themselves?
Fender PA100
Fender Quad Reverb
Fender Stratocaster
Fender Twin Reverb Amplifier (presumably; this ad does not even reference a particular product)
Along similar lines… ROGERS drums was the drum-division of Fender-Parent CBS musical instruments at the time. Here’s an example of the very similar ROGERS campaign of the same era. They chose a different illustrator (smart) and it seems like they used a different copywriter as well; we also see the actual product in a small window at the bottom, so there was probably a different marketing person responsible for this campaign. The overall effect is similar though. Also consider the implicit statement that only males play drums. Not surprising given the era; hell Dean Markley was still running sexist ads last week AFAIK.
2 replies on “Selling Fender Kit In The Mid 1970s”
I absolutely disagree that these silverface Fender amps were sub par. They were designed for a good clean sound and that they gave. They can be modded for modern tastes, of course, but their ruggedness was in many ways the high point of Fender production.
And those three bolt Strats weren’t too bad if you tightened the neck joint up and got rid of the cast zinc hardware. Of course they had heavy plastic finishes, but THAT”S WHAT THE DEALERS DEMANDED.
I don’t know why people don’t like the 70s Strats with the 3 bolt neck….I have one. It weighs a metric ton, but I am a man and I can easily support it. It plays fine, stays in tune and sounds real stratty. Of course I have the tailpiece locked down so maybe thats why it stays in tune so well – I do bend strings all over the place. I like mine a lot. Maybe I got one of the 4 good ones, I don’t know. I do know it’s actually heavier than any of my Les Pauls, but thats fine with me. I’m not really a strat guy, but I do like this one I have. Just my two cents.