Voting Station

Leo Fender

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Inventor

The Resume

    (August 10, 1909-March 21, 1991)
    Birth name was Clarence Leonidas Fender
    Founder of Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company (now Fender Musical Instruments Corp.)
    Co-founder G&L Musical Products
    Invented the Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster electric guitars and the Precision Bass bass guitar
    Died of Parkinson's disease at age 81

Why he might be annoying:

    He was born in a barn on his parent's farm.
    He studied to be an accountant in college, never taking any electrical engineering courses.
    Before making guitars, he had jobs as an ice delivery man, a bookkeeper, an accountant for the California Highway Patrol and with a tire manufacturer, then borrowed money to open a radio repair shop.
    He was a workaholic, sometimes putting in 7 day weeks even after a series of small stokes slowed his pace.
    He never stopped to enjoy the fruits of his labor and with advanced Parkinson's still went to work the day before he died.
    He never learned to play the guitar.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was a self-taught radio repairman and electric guitar maker.
    He was married to the same woman for 56 years until his death.
    His method of building the guitar's neck and body separately, then bolting them together made his product easier to repair and more affordable.
    The Fender Stratocaster electric guitar is one of the most popular models ever created.
    Ill health caused him to sell his first company to CBS in 1965.
    Rock stars known for using Fender guitars include Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Jeff Beck, Bryan Adams, Ritchie Blackmore, Richie Sambora and Bonnie Raitt.
    When asked why he worked continuously, he replied: 'I owe it to musicians to make better instruments.'
    Even in old age he enjoyed the loud music his product could put out and is a pioneer of today's rock & roll sound.

Credit: Scar Tactics


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 6 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 39 Votes: 12.82% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 18 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 28 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 16 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 18 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 38.46% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 19 Votes: 31.58% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 14 Votes: 35.71% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 72 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 52 Votes: 36.54% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 86 Votes: 44.19% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 228 Votes: 39.91% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 308 Votes: 53.90% Annoying