FACTOIDS & TRIVIA

The Coronado family of guitars was Fender's attempt to capture part of the market enjoyed by the Gibson ES series and the Guild Starfire series of thinline semihollow electric guitars. It was designed by Roger Rossmeisl (1927 - 1979), a German luthier that worked for Rickenbacker before moving to Fender in 1962. Rossmeisl's guitar designs, such as the Rickenbacker Combo series and Fender LTD, usually called for his trademark German carve top. However, he chose to use a traditional arched top on the Coronado series. The DeArmond pickups are the first non-Fender designed pickups ever used on a Fender guitar. The Coronado series ran from late 1966 to 1972 and was short lived for two reasons: the pickups were not very powerful, and the completely hollow design was prone to feedback. However, it had the same comfortable neck profile as found on the late 1960s Jazzmaster and its sound is well suited for a variety of musical styles. The Coronado II pictured is unusual in that it has a 1-piece maple top and back, instead of the customary 2-piece top and back.
 

Body:  Hollow; 1-piece laminated maple top and back, laminated maple sides; single bound top, back, and f-holes

Finish:  Sunburst, nitrocellulose lacquer

Neck:  1-piece maple, bolt-on

Fingerboard:  Indian rosewood, single bound; pearloid block markers

Number of Frets:  21

Pickguard:  Gold/white/black/white plastic laminate

Bridge:  Fender steel with vibrato tailpiece, chrome

Nut:  Brass (non-original)

Tuners:  Fender, enclosed, chrome

Pickups:  Two, Fender/DeArmond single coil with adjustable pole pieces, chrome

Controls:  Tone and volume controls for each pickup, 3-way pickup selector

Scale Length:  25 1/2 inches

Neck Width at Nut:  1 5/8 inches

Body Width at Lower Bout:  16 1/8 inches

Body Depth:  1 3/4 inches

Weight:  6.7 lb.