Fri Jan 19, 2018 3:26 pm
Are you a fan of Leo Fender? Follow the new CLF Research page. We'll share the story of what Clarence Leo Fender did after selling Fender to CBS,
but there will also be Leo's photos and artifacts going back to the early Fender company days. CLF Research is the thread that connects all three of
Leo's brands: Fender, Music Man and G&L. This should be fun.
CLF Research was founded by Leo Fender in January 1966, following the completion of his sale of Fender Musical Instruments to CBS in April, 1965.
At CLF Research, Leo continued design and engineering support to CBS/Fender, later designed and manufactured instruments for his Music Man brand
and finally for his G&L brand. Located at 2548 Fender Avenue in Fullerton, California.
Fri Jan 19, 2018 3:29 pm
1966 CLF Research letterhead. CLF stands for Clarence Leo Fender. The address was on Elm Avenue in Fullerton.
Leo had moved his office, lab and private workshop out of the CBS/Fender company building and into the Elm Avenue building.
He moved CLF Research again to his new development on Fender Avenue in 1972.
Fri Jan 19, 2018 3:33 pm
On July 5th, 1966, Leo signed a lease for the Elm Avenue building. Soon after, Leo's office, lab and private workshop were moved
from CBS/Fender to the Elm Avenue building, the new home of CLF Research.
Fri Jan 19, 2018 6:04 pm
Leo completed development of the Fender Electric XII after CBS had taken over Fender management in 1965.
This development mule is among the examples of Leo's work for CBS/Fender at CLF Research.
Fri Jan 19, 2018 6:33 pm
Sat Jan 20, 2018 9:58 am
Sat Jan 20, 2018 7:39 pm
Leo worked on a 3-bolt neck with micro tilt for Fender acoustics.
Sun Jan 21, 2018 7:49 am
The caption reads: "This is a rear view of Bandmaster Amp with back panels removed, showing terminal board construction.
Sun Jan 21, 2018 8:08 pm
cho wrote:If G&L came out with a XII model like that, I would buy it in a heartbeat!
Tue Jan 23, 2018 9:23 am
Leo's circa 1973 photo shows a typical example of one of his Fender Avenue buildings under construction.
Does this location still exists? If it does, what is it now?
CLF Research Yes, all of the Fender Avenue buildings exist and are occupied. Each building is divided into 10 units,
each with office space in front and warehouse space in the rear. The Fender Avenue development was an income property for Leo.
Some buildings were retained by Leo for his factory operations.
Tue Jan 23, 2018 3:27 pm
GHS Strings supplied special strings to CLF Research, including G&L "Hot Rounds" brand. This letter to Leo from GHS Sales Manager Dave Holcomb is regarding samples.
Tue Jan 23, 2018 9:49 pm
Tue Jan 23, 2018 10:02 pm
In 1967, Leo was still working as a consultant to CBS/Fender and carried out his development work from CLF Research, formed the prior year.
This pickup was among a random lot in one of his drawers labeled "pickups".
Wed Jan 24, 2018 11:26 am
Now that we are coming in Leo's lab and office more, we decided we have to at least vacuum the floor.
For 27 years these rooms have been closed, so the cleaners don't go in here.
Sun Jan 28, 2018 2:06 pm
Leo in the process of inventing a new vibrato which pivots on two posts. The completed design would be introduced later in the new G&L brand.
Sun Jan 28, 2018 2:07 pm
Leo's circa 1968 Telecaster development work for CBS/Fender. In future posts we will discuss its features.
Sun Jan 28, 2018 2:09 pm
Leo Fender to Fender Salesmen on CBS/Fender letterhead and dated June 4, 1968. That the letter was not on CLF Research letterhead suggests a warmth and active participation with his former company.
Mon Jan 29, 2018 10:37 pm
In Leo's lab, his "breadboard instruments" were used to quickly test new pickups and their position.
In this case, a twin MFD single coil arrangement mounted on a wooden board, with pickup selector switch,
series/parallel switch, volume and tone pots on a separate plate.
This example seems to have been with him a long time, considering the Fender era bridge, Music Man era neck
and G&L era MFD pickups. These "breadboard instruments" were workhorses, perhaps with neck swaps over the years.
We suppose this one started out with a late '60s Fender neck.
Tue Jan 30, 2018 8:51 pm
Leo Fender's circa 1978 CLF Research envelope. The graphic features a Music Man Stingray guitar which he designed and
manufactured at his CLF Research factory here on Fender Avenue.
Wed Jan 31, 2018 9:13 pm
CLF Research guitar humbucker mounted in body section shows mounting and adjustability
Thu Feb 01, 2018 1:41 pm
Thu Feb 01, 2018 8:49 pm
FZTNT wrote:How would you adjust the pole heights on a pickup like this? Or can you, it looks like some are higher than others?
Tom
Thu Feb 01, 2018 8:50 pm
G&L L-1000 control plate drawing by George Fullerton (GWF) and approved by Leo Fender (F).
Fri Feb 02, 2018 11:17 am
Craig wrote:FZTNT wrote:How would you adjust the pole heights on a pickup like this? Or can you, it looks like some are higher than others?
Tom
This is a pre-MFD so the poles pieces are not adjustable. Only the three mounting screws are adjustable, to raise/lower the pickup.
Fri Feb 02, 2018 5:17 pm
CLF Research prototype Magnetic Field Design (MFD) bass humbucker. We believe this is late 1978 to early 1979.
Fri Feb 02, 2018 8:29 pm
A CLF prototype which spent decades tucked away in one of our lofts. AUG 21 1977 is stamped in the neck pocket.
It appears to be a Stingray with two roughly cut pockets for large humbuckers.
Sat Feb 03, 2018 7:15 am
Sat Feb 03, 2018 7:26 am
Sat Feb 03, 2018 9:43 am
Danley wrote:Wow, so CLF was where pre-EB Musicmans.... Musicmen... Were made. For some reason I thought the amps at least were made somewhere in Anaheim.
EDIT: Guess it was just their PO...
Sat Feb 03, 2018 12:13 pm
Mon Feb 05, 2018 2:30 pm
circa 1976 - neck sanding in the CLF factory.
Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:16 pm
Leo's circa 1968 - 1969 Telecaster development work for CBS/Fender. This experimental bridge has fixed saddle height
relative to the plate but the plate can be raised and lowered on two machined posts. Note the saddles go through the plate.
In a few minutes we'll show the back side and talk about that.
Mon Feb 05, 2018 8:17 pm
Rear view of Leo's 1968 to 1969 Telecaster development concept. Two main points here. First, the string pull makes the saddle act as a lever,
forcing the bottom side of the saddle against the body end grain. About 10 years later he found a more efficient way to transfer more string energy
with his Saddle Lock bridge introduced on his G&L brand. Second, Leo was developing on-board active circuits powered by 9 volts (6 AAA batteries).
Tue Feb 06, 2018 9:53 pm
November 19, 1969 drawing shows string bender installation.
Thu Feb 08, 2018 10:05 am
Even Leo resorted to writing "STRAT-TYPE" when developing the MFD single coil pickup introduced on the original style S-500 in 1982.
The proportions were Strat-like but the ends were rectangular with radiused corners.
Thu Feb 08, 2018 1:02 pm
Thu Feb 08, 2018 1:48 pm
Fri Feb 09, 2018 8:07 am
Circa 1979 prototype Magnetic Field Design guitar humbucker.
Fri Feb 09, 2018 12:21 pm
Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:36 pm
George Fullerton's sister, Shug Atkinson, was hired to wind pickups.
Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:54 pm
Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:45 am
December 31, 1962 receipt from Race & Olmsted. Four sets of machined pickup winder parts included: block, pulleys and bearings.
Leo likely needed to make more winders as the Fender business was growing. We will talk about Race & Olmsted more as we go along.
Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:46 am
1976 photo of Leo's mobile home he lived in with his first wife, Esther, until she passed away in 1979. Though he was a wealthy man,
he lived a modest lifestyle aside from his yachts. The Mercedes 450SE was a luxury gift for Esther.
For our followers outside the US, a mobile home can be transported to a new location rather than selling the house and buying another.
The space the home sits on was typically rented. This concept enjoyed some popularity, mostly in the 1950s and 1960s.
Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:53 am
Telecaster body shape and control plate, Saddle Lock bridge, two slanted single coil pickups and pickguard concept sketch likely by George.
Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:55 am
The Lab was the center of Leo's creativity. He moved it from Fender to CLF Research in 1966.
Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:56 am
1982 - Leo Fender gives one of his new G&L guitars to the legendary Freddy Fender. Freddy took the stage name "Fender" in part because he loved Leo's guitars.
Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:57 am
January 24, 1972 - CBS memo from Dave Gupton to Fender Salesmen introducing the new natural finish, which became known as Natural Ash.
Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:57 am
This is the photo which accompanied the 1972 CBS memo posted earlier today.
Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:58 am
Strat pickup mounted on test board. To see how Leo used his test boards, scroll down to the breadboard instrument we posted earlier.
Sun Feb 18, 2018 9:03 am
1976 cutaway view shows truss rod action on early Stingray guitar. "LC" is Lloyd Chewning, another ex-Fender man to join CLF Research.
Lloyd continued as plant manager here until he passed away in 1992 if I remember correctly.