Coronado by Fender
The Fender Coronado was a double-cutaway thin-line hollow-body electric guitar. This unorthodox instrument was designed by Roger Rossmeisl 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 like the Beatles.
Three versions of the Coronado guitar were produced from 1966 through 1972. The Fender Coronado I, discontinued in 1970, was the original single pickup design. The Coronado II had an added bridge pickup. The Coronado XII, released in 1967, was a twelve-string version of the guitar. Coronado basses were also manufactured.
The Coronado was a true hollow-bodied electric guitar; like the Gibson ES-330 and Epiphone Casino, it did not have a central solid wood block in the body. This is in contrast to guitars such as the Gibson ES-335, which, although appearing similar, were constructed with a solid central block running lengthways through the body, with two hollow wings attached to either side.
Unusually for Fender at the time, the Coronado's pickups were made by DeArmond, and the bridge was a free-floating, non anchored, 'tune-o-matic' style bridge, with a suspended tailpiece. Tremolo tailpieces were also available.
Despite the expensive construction of the instrument, the Coronado achieved little success. The guitar was prone to feedback at high volumes, and the bolt-on neck construction, favoured by Fender, failed to appeal to purist jazz guitarists, who would make up a large part of the market for a hollow-bodied electric guitar.
