Fender Coronado

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Fender Coronado
Manufacturer	Fender
Period	appr. 1966 — ?
Construction
Body type	hollow
Neck joint	Bolt-on neck
Scale	25.5"
Woods
Body	Maple, Beech
Neck	Maple
Fretboard	Rosewood
Hardware
Bridge	Fixed or tremolo
Pickup(s)	1 or 2 DeArmond single coil
Colors available
sunburst, cherry, custom colors, Wildwood

The Fender Coronado is a double-cutaway six-string hollow-body electric guitar. The very un-Fender like instruments were designed by Roger Rossmeisl, who had also designed for Rickenbacker previously, and went on to create numerous models for Fender.

Three versions of the Coronado guitar were produced from 1966. The Fender Coronado I was the original single pickup design and the Coronado II, had an added bridge pickup. The Coronado XII was the two pickup model, with twelve strings. Coronado basses were also manufactured.

This is one of the few, true hollow-body electrics as it does not have solid wood blocking under the top. The tops are laminated and slightly arched with two generous, routed and bound "f" holes in the top. The various colors and woods are finished with no-longer-available, high-gloss nitrocellulose lacquer. However the expensive instruments achieved little success, being prone to feedback and failing to appeal to purist jazz guitarists because of the seemingly inappropriate use of Fender's standard construction method of a bolt on neck.

The Coronado II and Coronado XII were also offered in Wildwood finish; a veneer of heavily grained beech, made by injecting chemicals into growing trees, years before harvesting.

The body front, sides and back were constructed of laminated, Beechwood and have a relatively thin, "C" shaped maple neck topped with a fingerboard of Indian rosewood.

Unusually for Fender at the time, the Coronados' pickups were made by DeArmond and the bridge, a free-floating, non anchored, 'tune-o-matic' style, with a suspended tailpiece. Tremolo tailpieces were also available.

The tuners are labeled Fender. The Coronados all came in cases made by the Victoria Luggage Co, and were made in the USA.

Coronado I one neck pickup, one volume and one tone control. Dot inlays. Cherry or Sunburst finish.

Coronado II two pickups--neck and bridge positions--two volume and two tone controls, as well as a three-position selector switch. Block inlays. Optional tremelo. Cherry, Sunburst, DuPont custom colours and three shades of Wildwood.

Coronado XII two pickups--neck and bridge positions--two volume and two tone controls, as well as a three-position selector switch. Block inlays. Fender curved twelve string headstock. Cherry, Sunburst, DuPont custom colours and three shades of Wildwood.