With Record-Breaking Guitar Sales, Interest From New Players, Fender® Brings Back Free Fender Play® Lessons, Launches FindYourFender® Interactive Guide

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Oct. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Fender® stands to report the brand's highest-ever year for sales in 2020 with individuals turning to music to occupy their time during quarantine and stay-at-home orders, as reported in The New York Times.  In March 2020, Fender gave away three months of free guitar, bass, and ukulele lessons via Fender Play® as an act of goodwill during the pandemic. Within a month, Fender Play's user base grew nearly 500% to approximately 930,000 aspiring players learning on the app. Recognizing this growing community of players, Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) is bringing back this goodwill offer – three months of free Fender Play – through the end of 2020. The Fender Play app makes it easier than ever to learn how to play the guitar, bass or ukulele with multi-genre, instructor-guided video lessons to assist those embarking on their musical journey. Designed with bite-sized learning in mind, Fender Play gives beginners everything they need to get playing songs by their favorite artists in minutes.

To ensure those motivated by this record interest can get started with the right instrument, Fender has launched the findyour.fender.com interactive online guide, an intuitive web experience that demystifies the guitar shopping process to help match up new players with the right gear for their playing style and musical interests.

"Fender is increasingly focused on bringing new players to our industry as new players have fueled solid growth in guitar sales for over a decade and continue to represent the future of our industry," said Andy Mooney, CEO at Fender. "Given the accelerated growth in new players entering the market this year, with most researching their buying decisions on-line, we created the FindYourFender experience to assist new players in personally selecting the ideal guitar, uke or bass for them to enjoy."

For new players of all generations, the question of "where to start?" and "what guitar do I buy?" have long been difficult ones. These new players might have an idea about what they want their first guitar to look and sound like, but may not be familiar with all the options – namely the best gear for their need. FindYourFender offers a solution to this problem by first learning about the user, including which genre of music inspired them to pick up guitar, the finishes and colors that match their personal style, and the price range they're comfortable with. The online experience also offers simple, interactive tools so users can listen to what tones Fender instruments and hardware can provide — eliminating technical jargon and instead letting users hear firsthand which sounds resonate most with their musical taste. After the user finds their perfect instrument, they'll be directed to Fender.com and have the opportunity to find the closest Fender dealer. The FindYourFender microsite also takes into consideration the new player's approximate budget — not just for the guitar, bass or uke, but also for the equipment and accessories they need as well.

"The current circumstances have made it harder for new enthusiasts to get the hands-on experience and expert advice they need before investing in their first instrument," said Evan Jones, CMO at Fender. "For any new player to be successful in the long term, it's important they get the information they deserve and right instrument from the start. All too often, the guitar buying experience can be overwhelming for beginners, but FindYourFender is one of the first interactive online experience to offer new players an intuitive, personalized solution."

Three free months of Fender Play is now available for new users at fender.com/playfree. FindYourFender is live for new players in the U.S., U.K .and Australia at findyour.fender.com. For a video walkthrough of FindYourFender click here. To access screenshots of the experience, click here.

For additional information on new Fender products and to find a retail partner near you, visit www.fender.com. Join the conversation on social media by following @Fender.

ABOUT FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORPORATION:
Since 1946, Fender has revolutionized music and culture as one of the world's leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC)–whose portfolio of brands includes Fender®, Squier®, Gretsch® guitars, Jackson®, EVH® and Charvel®–follows a player-centric approach to crafting the highest-quality instruments and digital experiences across genres. Since 2015, Fender's digital arm has introduced a new ecosystem of products and interactive experiences to accompany players at every stage of their musical journey. This includes innovative apps and learning platforms designed to complement Fender guitars, amplifiers, effects pedals, accessories and pro-audio gear and inspire players through an immersive musical experience. FMIC is dedicated to unlocking the power of musical expression for all players, from beginners to history-making legends.

SOURCE Fender Musical Instruments Corporation