pickups used in early fender lap steel guitars

However, not all of the changes were welcomed by musicians. Indeed, CBS greatly increased the output of the Fender organization, making the instruments even more available world-wide and constructing the huge, new Fullerton factory complex. In early 1965, the CBS corporation bought the Fender Musical Instruments company and immediately began to streamline production processes in an attempt to reduce costs and maximize the profitability of their investment. Guitar tech Pierre de Beauport famously retrofits them to Keith Richards’ Teles, and many Champions have had their pickups, potentiometers and control knobs pilfered as a result. Fender continued making them well into the 1950s and these units measure between 5.8kohm and 8k, depending on the magnet wire. With its integrated floating 'tremolo' arm, triple single coil pick-ups with unique tones, shaved shape to fit the body of the player, and all the advantages of the solid construction and interchangeability of parts enjoyed by the Telecaster, the Stratocaster would take over the rock and roll world and become the most imitated design in the industry. As we mentioned earlier, the bridge pickup was adapted from a design that Fender used on Champion lap steel instruments. The designer, who ironically was not a guitarist himself, continued to tweek and improve on the design of the Telecaster, hoping to completely replace the model with the even more modern Stratocaster design.

Leo Fender listened to his critics-often well-known musicians who road-tested his products.

Pickups used in early fender lap steel guitars