The Fender Stratocaster is a model of electric guitar designed in 1954 by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top "horn" shape for balance. "Stratocaster" and "Strat" are trademark terms belonging to Fender.Stratocasters have been used in many genres, including country (the genre Fender intended for), rock, pop, soul, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz, and even heavy metal.