Fender began making musical instruments in Fullerton, California, in the 1940s. As production grew, Fender opened factories in the United States and Mexico and also worked with manufacturers in Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and China.
Many of these factories produced guitars for Fender or Squier under OEM agreements.
Quick Navigation
Fender Factories in the United States
Fender has operated two main guitar factories in the United States: Fullerton and Corona. The Fullerton factory closed in 1985. Corona is still in operation.
Fullerton Factory
In 1938, Leo Fender opened an audio repair shop in Fullerton, California. In 1945, he began making musical instruments, including electric steel guitars.
Fender began mass-producing guitars in 1950 with the Broadcaster. The Stratocaster was introduced in 1954.
CBS bought Fender in 1965. In 1985, a group of employees and investors led by William Schultz bought the company from CBS and formed Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC).
The Fullerton factory was not included in the sale. It closed in 1985.
Corona Factory
Fender opened a new guitar factory in Corona, California, in 1985. The Fender Custom Shop was added in 1987.
Around 680 people work at the Corona factory. FMIC’s headquarters were also located there until 1991. The company then moved its headquarters to Scottsdale, Arizona.
Fender Factory in Mexico
Fender built a factory in Ensenada, Mexico, in 1987. The site covers more than 60,000 square meters and includes eight buildings.
Guitars, amplifiers, electronics, and strings are made there. Electric guitar production began in 1989.
A Fender quality-control team visits the factory every week to check production quality.
The Ensenada factory employs around 900 people.
Fender Factories in Japan
In 1982, Fender formed a joint venture with the Japanese companies Kanda Shokai and Yamano Gakki. The new company was called Fender Japan, Ltd.
The company handled Fender production and sales for the Japanese market. The partnership lasted until 2015. On April 1, 2015, Fender took over the operation under Fender Music Corporation (Japan).
FujiGen
In 1982, Fender signed an OEM agreement with FujiGen to make Fender guitars in Japan.
FujiGen Gakki is a Japanese musical instrument manufacturer based in Matsumoto, Nagano. The company name refers to Mount Fuji. Gen means string instruments in Japanese, and Gakki means musical instrument.
In 1983, FujiGen was making more than 14,000 guitars per month for Fender. About 80% were exported, and 20% were made for the Japanese market.
Fender’s contract with FujiGen ended in 1997.
Tokai Gakki
In 1997, Fender signed OEM agreements with Tokai Gakki and Dyna Gakki.
Tokai has its own instrument factory. Before working with Fender, Tokai Gakki made Fender-style replicas in 1977 and 1978. These guitars had no serial numbers and are known as “lawsuit guitars”.
Fender Factories in Korea
Fender began producing Squier guitars in Korea in 1988.
Cort
Cort Guitars, part of Cor-Tek Corporation, is a South Korean guitar manufacturer based in Seoul.
Cort was founded in 1960 and originally imported pianos. The company later began making guitars.
By 1973, guitars had become its main business. Much of the production was done under OEM agreements for other brands, including Fender and Squier.
Samick
Samick is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of stringed instruments. The company makes acoustic, semi-acoustic, and electric guitars for many brands under OEM agreements, including Fender and Squier.
Samick also makes guitars under its own name.
Young Chang and Sung-Eum
Young Chang and Sung-Eum also made guitars for Fender. Their Fender production continued until the late 1990s.
Fender Factories in Indonesia
Fender and Squier guitars have also been made in Indonesia by companies such as Samick and Cort-Tek. Both operate large factories there with thousands of employees.
Samick
In 1992, Samick moved its production base to Bogor, Indonesia. The new factory was built on a 50-hectare site with 11 buildings and employs around 3,000 people.
Acoustic guitar production began in 1993. Electric guitars, including Fender Squier models, were added at the end of 1994.
Indonesian-made guitars are generally less expensive than Korean-made guitars, with a similar level of quality.
Cort
Cort-Tek is a Korean company. In 1995, it opened a guitar factory in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Production of Fender Squier models at the factory began in 1998 under Cort Indonesia.
Fender Factories in China
Several Chinese factories have produced Fender and Squier guitars under OEM agreements.
Yako
In 1994, Yako Musical Instruments Co. in Zhangzhou became the first factory in China to make Fender/Squier guitars under an OEM agreement.
Yako is headquartered in Taiwan, where it also has factories.
AXL
AXL Musical Instruments is headquartered in Shanghai and operates factories across China.
The company makes guitars under its own brands and has also produced Fender Squier guitars since 2009. These Squier models are sold outside China.