CLF Research

Don Randall making a personal appeal to music dealers on why they should carry his new line of amplifiers.

Leo Fender serves Doc Kauffman some Planters Peanuts, which everyone knew Leo loved to munch on, and Ronnie Beers is with them.

This is circa 1967 in the original CLF Research building on Elm Street, before moving to Fender Avenue. Ronnie was Leo’s “handyman” at Fender, where he did all sorts of things including building the shop benches. Ronnie came to work for at CLF Research in 1966 to help Leo continue his R&D work for Fender.

I took this picture next to a 1965 Rockwell Delta drill press owned by Leo, bought new from Power Tool & Supply Company in Anaheim. Fender

Fender Telecaster wiring diagram January 1st, 1953.

Looking through some old files and found this Leo Fender Signature Broadcaster promotional photo and letter from Mike Lewis at Fender. Back then we made a license with FMIC to use the Leo Fender full name, signature and likeness for this project. It was a lot of fun.

R&Delight 🔥 Need to get a better pic of these two together. Taking a break from testing. Right now the ‘70s style one has the MFD pickup wired in series, unlike the original parallel wiring. The tangerine machine, sporting its ‘70s big b***y blended with a sleeker waist and top, has its MFD pickup wired to the mini-toggle for series/single/parallel.

Amanda and I visited Leo and Esther yesterday. The flip flops are off for some earthing.

My Visit to Kahler HQ Kahler Guitar and Bass Bridges where it’s 110 degrees outside in Las Vegas. And they’ve got the raddest stuff in here. Photo dump part 1:
* Doctor Eddie Curnan, Gary Kahler, Dave
* Some G&L Custom Shop stuff in there coming together for cool people
*Eddie with his project L•2000 partscaster I found him some parts for
* Check out this Eddie
* Old school TV setup with Atari 2600 and some Nintendo action
* multi game ‘80s style console

The 4-string body is painted Tangerine Metallic. I think tomorrow we can get it buffed out and add a hole for the side-mount jack. Drop in some pots first, so we can ideally locate the hole and probably drill a hole for a 3-way mini-toggle for series/single/parallel. If all goes well this tangerine dream should be ready to test this week.

Still unsure what to call this bass. I keep saying this is gonna be a knockout and it occurred to me that’s not a bad name. I visualize a knockout punch 🥊 but then I try to think of what’s the worst thing a sh*tposter would say. Probably “Knockoff” but hey, it still sounds pretty badass to me. 😂

My granddaughter Penny Jane McLaren on guitar 🙌 She just had her first birthday and likes to strum 🎸

My girl Andrea is sleeping as we have a meeting in Leo’s Lounge.

My son John “JD” McLaren with his grandma on July 4th, 2000 poking the keys of his grandad’s Steinway. The second pic is him right now after his mom found the old pic. 😄