Fender Looks to Rock the Public Markets Fender Musical Instruments, whose guitars have been plucked by the likes of the Beatles and other famed artists, is now aiming to rock a different stage: the public markets. The company filed on Thursday for an initial public offering of stock, as it looks to reduce debt and amplify its standing in the music world. Fender expects to raise $200 million from the offering, according to a regulatory filing. The company has yet to say how many shares it will sell, or at what price. Founded by Leo Fender, the company's roots trace to 1946. In 1965, Mr. Fender sold to CBS, which spun off the business 20 years later in a deal with a pair of businessmen, William Schultz and William Mendello. Weston Presidio, a private equity firm, also owns a stake in the company, which is based in Scottsdale, Ariz. Over the last several decades, the company's guitars, banjos, ukuleles and mandolins have struck a chord with a broad range of musicians in rock, pop and blues. Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Guy, recognized as some of the world's best guitarists, have all played Fender guitars. The company also claims to have the No. 1 market share by revenue in electric and acoustic guitars. "We believe that the Fender brand in particular is closely associated with the birth of rock "n" roll and has a strong legacy in music and in popular culture," the company said in the regulatory filing on Thursday. We believe our guitars and guitar amplifiers revolutionized the way music is written, played and heard. But their status has not always translated into strong earnings. The company said on Thursday that its net revenue climbed to about $700 million in the 2011 fiscal year, up from $617 million in 2010. Fender swung back to a profit last year, reporting net income attributable to common stockholders of $3.2 million, compared with a $17.3 million loss in 2010. Now, Fender hopes to use an estimated $100 million earned from the I.P.O. to cut its debt load. The remaining proceeds, the company said in the filing, will go to "working capital and other general corporate purposes." The company said it would offer its shares on Nasdaq under the ticker FNDR. JPMorgan Chase was named lead underwriter of the offering.