Fender Coronado (1967)

The very un-Fender like instrument was designed by Roger Rossmeisl, who had previously also designed instruments for Rickenbacker, but who went on to create numerous models for Fender, in an attempt to capitalize on the increasing popularity of semi-acoustic guitars following the high-profile use of hollow-bodied instruments, such as the Epiphone Casino by bands such as The Beatles. During Rossmeisl’s time designing for Fender, he also designed the Fender Montego, a “jazz box” style guitar that shares the Coronado’s fixed F tailpiece, and the 1967 Fender Wildwood which shares the Stratocaster headstock.

Unusual for Fender at the time, the Coronado’s pickups were made by DeArmond; a company whose pickups were more usually found on Gretsch guitars, and the bridge was a free-floating, non-anchored, ‘tune-o-matic‘ style bridge, with a suspended tailpiece. Tremolo tailpieces were also available at extra cost from 1966 until the ceasing of the Coronado’s production. The wiring harness used in the Fender Coronado line was manufactured by Rowe Industries of Toledo, Ohio and delivered as a completely pre-assembled set.