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
1981 Burny
Monterey Deluxe
ZO-3
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 gameUm Jammer Lammy, similar to Lammy's guitars.
Musicians using Fernandes
Billie Joe Armstrong of Green Day with his Fernandes The Revival RST-50 (stratocaster style) nicknamed "Blue" in 2022
Heath of X Japan with his signature Fernandes bass guitar in 2011
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.
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]
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.
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.
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.
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