What music brands has Leo Fender been involved with?

[evh1984]

He sort of started it all and I know he had a finger in various musical instrument companies over the years. If not Leo himself, some of his employees went on to found and be involved with many companies still with us today.

 

Here's a few I thought of:

 

Fender Musical Instruments (obviously)

G & L Guitars (with George Fullerton)

Music Man (silent partner?)

Randall Amplification (Don Randall, Fender employee?)

 

What/Who else?

[Flogger59]

K & F, the original company.

http://davesguitar.com/fender/k-&-f-lap-steel,-40s-9767.asp

[DavidMgT]

I believe he also had something to do with G&G making guitar cases (they used to be a luggage company).

[*BLEEP*]

Rhodes Piano Company ---> became Fender-Rhodes, Inc. after being bought by Fender

 

Leslie (rotating organ speaker system) bought by Fender

 

MusicMan

 

G&L

 

Squier Strings

[DavidMgT]

One can make the argument that Leo has been somewhat involved (in the sense that his designs are being copied- and IMO cheapened) with the legions of companies who have subcontractors build the strat, tele, and P & J bass ripoffs that we see far too often.

[Kap'n]

Fender was directly involved with

 

K&F

Fender Electric Instruments

Fender Musical Instruments (as a consultant)

White

Music Man - the partner was Tom Walker, formerly a Fender sales rep, IIRC.

G&L

Squier - when it was just strings.

 

There was also a line of horns that I think were distributed pre-65.

 

Howard Rhodes worked with Leo in the late 50's and early 60's, and the products were originally Fender products. Rhodes, as a separate company was in the CBS years, as was Rogers drums.

 

Randall was a company Don Randall started after he left CBS Fender. Leo was not involved.

 

Leslie was another CBS aquistion.

 

G&G, AFAIK, was always an independent subcontrator.