Fernandes Guitars

Japanese musical instrument manufacturer

Fernandes Guitars is a guitar brand of Japanese marketing company Fernandes Co. Ltd. It is one of two guitar brands belonging to the company, the other being Burny Guitars which are Gibson guitar replicas.^[1] Its parent company originated in 1969 as Saito Musical Instruments before changing its name to Fernandes in 1972. The company started as a distributor of flamenco guitars sub-contracting to Japanese factories to build them. As the company grew, it expanded production to include electric guitars, bass guitars, amplifiers, and accessories to become one of the biggest guitar producers in Japan. Early manufacturing was done by Kawai Gakki who had guitar building experience from their acquisition of Teisco in 1967. Other major Japanese manufacturers have built guitars for Fernandes under original equipment manufacturer (OEM) arrangements, including Matsumoku, Dyna Gakki,^[2] and Tōkai Gakki.^[3] From the late 1980s, lower-spec guitars were also been built in Korea and more recently China.

The growing second-hand market and intensifying competition adversely affected sales, and the company reported debts of 434 million yen for the year ending January 2024. On 11 July 2024, Fernandes ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy.^[4]

Overview

Despite its high production figures, Fernandes is better known in the United States for its Sustainer system, which uses electromagnetism^[5] to vibrate a string for an extended period, so long as the user continues to fret a note.^[6] Unlike the similar manual EBow sustainer, the Fernandes Sustainer can be used with a standard plectrum, because the sustainer is embedded in the body of guitar.^[7] Fernandes' custom shop has installed numerous Sustainers into guitars built by other manufacturers.

Also, Fernandes produced the SB-3000 "Brad Gillis" Fernandes Booster, basically active preamp (9V) gain, which is installed instead of standard output jack plate. It was standard on Fernandes Brad Gillis Signature Model ST-120BG superstrat guitars made in 1985–1987.

Fernandes continued to manufacture guitars that cover the range from inexpensive starter models to custom instruments. In 2000, Fernandes made a guitar to promote the video game Um Jammer Lammy, similar to Lammy's guitars.

Musicians using Fernandes

• Robert Trujillo of Metallica has been seen using a variety of Fernandes basses, mainly 5-string neck-thru types appearing to be based on the "Gravity Deluxe" production model. Allegedly, Rob's personally owned Fernandes basses were custom made by either the Fernandes North Hollywood and/or Japanese custom shops. The specifications and complete history of Rob's personally owned and stage-played Fernandes basses by most accounts is still a mystery.
• Brad Gillis of American rock band Night Ranger and former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist had his own stratocaster-type model that was red with a black pick guard. Gillis still uses his Fernandes guitar as his main guitar when he performs in concert with Night Ranger.^[8] Fernandes made Brad Gillis Signature Model ST-120BG superstrat guitar, with SB-3000 Booster (active preamp) and Fernandes VS-1 and VH-2B pickups.
• Billie Joe Armstrong of American punk rock band Green Day had a Fernandes The Revival RST-50 Stratocaster since he was 10 named "Blue" from his mother, and has played it live^[9] for nearly every show he has played, near exclusively used for all songs in Eb tuning.
• The Edge of U2 has started using a Retro Rocket and Native Pro guitar with Sustainer to play With or Without You when playing live.^[10]
• Heath of Japanese heavy metal band X Japan uses his signature Fernandes model FJB-115H bass guitar almost exclusively.^[11] Previously he used several Burny guitars, including his signature model DB-85H.
• hide of Japanese heavy metal band X Japan used Fernandes guitars almost exclusively. He has numerous signature models with the company.^[12]
• Hidehiko Hoshino of Japanese rock band Buck-Tick uses Fernandes guitars almost exclusively. He has had several signature models with the company.^[13]
• Hisashi Imai of Japanese rock band Buck-Tick uses Fernandes guitars almost exclusively. He has several signature models with the company.^[13]
• Tomoyasu Hotei of Boøwy and solo fame was one of the leading Japanese artists to front Fernandes in the mid-80s onwards, launching several versions of the TEJ model guitar.
• You of Japanese hard rock band Dead End has his own signature model with Fernandes.^[14]
• Steve Hackett, formerly of Genesis and GTR, has used Burny guitars with sustainer units (one black and one gold) on studio recordings since his 1999 Darktown album and live since his 1996 Tokyo Tapes shows. They have since replaced his previous stock Les Paul guitars as his electric guitar of choice for every album and live show since then.^[15]
• Tony Campos of Static-X, Fear Factory, and Asesino, formally of Ministry, Prong, Possessed, and Soulfly, has his own signature model Tremor 5 Deluxe and Tremor 5X.
• Dave Kushner of Velvet Revolver, Wasted Youth, and DKFXP uses Fernandes Ravelle Signature guitar.
• Kasper Eistrup of Kashmir, Danish Band, has used a Fernandes Telecaster with a Fernandes Sustainer kit for several years, and has since acquired another black Fernandes Telecaster, as well.
• Tobias Forge of Ghost.^[16]
• Kirk Hammett of Metallica used a Fernandes Stratocaster, seemingly an EMG equipped FST-135 nicknamed "Edna", for clean parts on some of the early Metallica albums such as Ride the Lightning as well as live on early tours. He also used a customized red 1985 FST-65 with a CS Style 22F wood neck option.^[16][17][18]
• Kurt Cobain of American grunge rock group Nirvana used a Fernandes Stratocaster neck on a Japanese Fender Stratocaster body during their live performance at the Paramount^[19]
• Neal Schon of Journey used the sustainer system in Fernandes guitars, Aria Pro II guitars, and eventually in his black Les Paul (replacing the neck P90), as well as his own production models. Many of his famous leads, such as "Send Her My Love", are examples of the sustainer system's abilities.
• John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants used a Fernandes The Revival RST-50 Stratocaster for most of the songs on Lincoln as well as in concerts from the band's early era.
• Ryan Clark of Training for Utopia used a Fernandes WS-500, and endorsed the brand on the inside cover of the 1998 Split ep.^[20]
• Robert Fripp of King Crimson used a modified Les Paul styled Fernandes Goldtop Custom including a Seymour Duncan bridge pickup with it along with other Fernandes custom models, he often used one of them for the band along with his wife, Toyah Willcox to perform together.
• Andy Sneap and Neil Watson of Sabbat played matching white Fernandes JS-85 guitars with sharkfin inlays (modelled on Jackson's Rhoads V) for their live performance in East Berlin in 1990 that was recorded and released on video as The End of the Beginning.

References

1. "Burny and Fernandes Brand Information & History".
2. Benedittini, Frankie (April 15, 2019). "Dyna Gakki". Vintage Japan Guitars. Archived from the original on 2022-11-15. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
3. Benedittini, Frankie (April 7, 2019). "History of Tokai". Vintage Japan Guitars. Archived from the original on 2022-11-09. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
4. "国産エレキギター「FERNANDES」販売 フェルナンデスが事業停止、破産へ". Livedoor News. Retrieved 2024-07-14.
5. John Schneider (2015). The Contemporary Guitar. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 48. ISBN 9781442237902.
6. "Guitar Sustainer Guide". WiredGuitarist. 3 May 2016. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
7. Andy Fraser (2022-03-21). "Guitar Sustainers: Everything you Need to Know". Guitar Inside Out. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
8. "Night Ranger's Brad Gillis and Joel Hoekstra Burn Rubber on 'High Road'". Guitar Player. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
9. "Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong Once Again Proves the Power Chord is King". Guitar Player. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
10. "MusicRadar talks to Dalas Schoo". MusicRadar. 14 October 2009. Retrieved 2017-01-14.
11. "Heath - Fernandes Official Website". Fernandes Official Website. Archived from the original on 2015-12-04. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
12. "hide - Fernandes Official Website". Fernandes Official Website. Archived from the original on 2015-12-06. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
13. "Buck-Tick - Fernandes Official Website". Fernandes Official Website. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
14. "Dead End - Fernandes Official Website". Fernandes Official Website. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
15. "http://www.hackettsongs.com/instrument.html Hackettsongs - Steve Hacketts Official Website; Equipment page.
16. "So What! - A Spirited Chat with Kirk Hammett & Tobias Forge". Youtube. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
17. "The World of Musical Instruments Brochures - Fernandes Catalog 1985".
18. "The World of Musical Instruments Brochures - Fernandes Catalog 1985".
19. Nirvana - Drain You (Live At The Paramount, Seattle / 1991), archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2019-09-18
20. Training For Utopia / ZAO - The Split EP, 1998, retrieved 2023-08-13

External links

• Official website