When you’ve been around as long as Fender has, it’s safe to say your back catalogue is a goldmine of exciting, interesting, unique and - often - just plain cool guitars. From vintage Stratocasters with price tags to make your eyes water, through to flamboyant, esoteric colourways on some of its best-known models. Throw in a long and successful collection of artist signatures and collaborations, and you’ve got quite the line-up.
In this article we’ll highlight some of our favourites. It’s not an exhaustive list - you’ll likely have your own faves - but it should go some way to showcasing some of the classic Fender electric guitars you can get on eBay if you know where to look.
Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster
Over the years there have been a few different versions of the Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster, but each of them retain the characteristics that make them so visually iconic. For starters, the reverse-angle bridge pickup and reversed headstock instantly hark back to Jimi’s most famous axe, while elsewhere across the catalogue there are models commemorating his performance at Monterey Pop Festival. Yep, the one he set on fire...
Fender Baja Telecaster
If you’re looking for a mid-priced Fender Telecaster with a few unique tweaks and bags of character, you could do a lot worse than look for a Baja. The Fender Baja Telecaster reissues feature a v-shaped neck and Custom Shop pickups, which offers both series and parallel switching for extra tonal versatility. We always liked the minimalist colors on offer, and that classic Butterscotch body with a black scratchplate never goes out of style.
Fender Jagstang
While we’ve opted for a few signature models in this list, the Fender Jagstang possibly goes a bit under the radar generally. Which is strange, considering it is the signature guitar which had more input from the artist in its creation than most other signature models. The artist in question is, of course, Kurt Cobain, from Nirvana, who melded together the rangy, angular shapes of a Jaguar and a Mustang, and added a couple of higher-output pickups to give him the Jagstang. The unique charms of the Jagstang aren’t for everyone, sure, but they still hold a lot of value with collectors.
Fender Pink Paisley Telecaster
Ever looked at a Fender guitar and thought it looked a bit...mundane? Well, the company itself clearly did in 1968 when, capitalising on the ‘flower power’ vibe of the era, it introduced the Fender Pink Paisley Telecaster. Interestingly, Fender achieved this garish finish in a decidedly lo-fi way; it essentially took a piece of pink paisley printed wallpaper, affixed it to the body and then covered it with a clear coat of lacquer. The result has gone down as one of Fender’s more visually recognisable models, and a genuine piece of guitar history.
Fender Lonestar Telecaster
Some guitars take their place in the range and never leave. For others, the attraction is short and sweet. The Fender Lonestar Stratocaster range, which launched in the ‘90s, was a popular iteration of the range geared towards rockier, harder-edged styles thanks to the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates humbucker at the bridge. It was replaced at the start of the millennium with the Fat Strat range, but for us the original Lonestar was a near-perfect example of how a no-frills, hot-rodded Stratocaster should sound.
Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
We’re having this one on a technicality. Ok, it’s not a genuine Fender as such, but the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster was worth including on this list because it shows the value of longevity. When it was released, it appeared much like any other low-cost version of a top-tier guitar but over time the Mascis Jazzmaster has taken on a life of its own. You can still pick them up fairly cheaply, but players everywhere have long raved about the combination of killer looks, amazing sound and a guitar with character in abundance. A cult classic if ever there were one.
Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Stratocaster
A virtuoso player needs a special kind of guitar. The Fender Yngwie Malmsteen Stratocaster gave the man exactly that, taking the Strat we all know and love and adding some unique, idiosyncratic elements to it. At the time, the idea of scalloping wood from the upper fretboard was seen as either visionary or nuts, depending on who you believed, but when combined with the brass nut and high-output pickups it gave Ingvay the tools he needed to create his masterpieces.
Fender 50th Anniversary Stratocaster
It isn’t unusual for big brands to celebrate milestone events in their history, and in 2004 Fender did just that with the release of a limited run of Stratocasters to celebrate its 50th anniversary. There are various models under this banner, but if you can catch a Fender 50th Anniversary Stratocaster in Aztec Gold, you’re in for a visual treat. They played pretty well too!
Fender Nashville Telecaster
When is a Telecaster more than a Telecaster? When it has elements of a Stratocaster included! The Fender Nashville Telecaster range took the tonal variety offered from a Strat and implanted it into the Telecaster body so beloved of country players. While you know you’re heading for twang country when you play a Tele, sometimes players need a bit more versatility, which the Nashville delivered thanks to a third pickup in the middle position.
Conclusion
If there’s one thing Fender isn’t short of, it’s classic guitars. In compiling this list we’ve tried to identify 10 guitars which, in their own way, have added to the Fender story in some way or another. From collaborations and artist-designed unicorn models, to rough-and-ready workhorses with a story to tell, Fender has made them all. And, where once we had to rely on classified ads or the local second-hand store to find one of these modern classics, we now need only look on eBay. It’s a good time to be a guitar player, right?
