Fernandes Guitars
 |
This article relies on references to primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject, rather than references from independent authors and third-party publications. Please add citations from reliable sources. (July 2011) |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Musical instruments |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Osaka, Japan |
| Area served | Global |
| Subsidiaries | Burny |
| Website | www.fernandesguitars.com |
Fernandes Guitars is a guitar and accessory manufacturer that originated in Japan in 1969, building flamenco guitars. As the company grew it expanded production to include more acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars, amplifiers, and accessories to become one of the biggest guitar manufacturers in Japan. During the 1970s, it became Japan's premier manufacturer of Fender copies; its Stratocaster copy, in particular, is generally considered a vastly superior instrument to the actual Fender Stratocaster's; this is due to the fact of the high-quality guitar craftsmanship that came from Japan during the early '70s to compete with the American market. Fernandes also owns a brand for Gibson replicas: Burny.
Despite its high production figures, Fernandes is better known in the United States for its Sustainer system, which uses electromagnetism to vibrate a string for an infinite period, so long as the user continues to fret a note. Unlike the similar E-Bow, it can be used with a standard plectrum. Fernandes' custom shop has installed numerous Sustainers into guitars built by other manufacturers.
Fernandes continues to manufacture guitars that cover the range from inexpensive starter models to custom instruments of exceptional quality.
In 2000, Fernandes made a guitar to promote the video game UmJammer Lammy, similar to Lammy's guitars.
[edit] Famous users
- The Edge (U2): Uses a Fernandes Decade Elite for "Discothèque" and several other songs on the Pop album. Often uses a Fernandes Sustainer when playing "With or Without You".
- Ed O'Brien (Radiohead): Uses a Fernandes Native Pro guitar
- Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day): First electric guitar was a Fernandes Stratocaster copy known as "Blue". He changed the stock single coil bridge pickup to a humbucker and has had about 19 copies made. He still uses the original mainly when playing old songs live.
- hide (X Japan): Was rarely seen without a Fernandes guitar, of which he owned a large collection and has several of his own signature models. Regularly used the Sustainer.
- Heath (X Japan): Has his own signature model bass guitar. Previously used Burnys.
- Tomoyasu Hotei: Has a couple signature models.
- Hisashi Imai (Buck-Tick): Has two signature models. Uses the Sustainer.
- Hidehiko "Hide" Hoshino (Buck-Tick): Has his own signature model.
- Steve Hackett (Genesis): Uses a Les Paul Black, a Les Paul Gold and a Burny Pink Strat.
- Robert Fripp (King Crimson)
- John Wetton (King Crimson, Asia): Used Fernandes basses throughout the 90s and early 00s. In 1998 his main stage instrument was a white doubleneck with a 12-string electric guitar and bass.
- Reeves Gabrels (David Bowie, Robert Smith, Ozzy Osbourne)
- Neal Schon (Journey): Fernandes Sustainer & signature model.
- Brad Gillis (Night Ranger): Used Fernandes signature model through the 1980s.
- Kirk Hammett (Metallica): Used in the mid-1980s.
- Mark Knopfler: Owns a blue strat from them, that was used on the sessions for the 1982 album, Love Over Gold by his rock group Dire Straits.
- Steve Jones (Sex Pistols): Used a Fernandes Burny Les Paul Custom.
- Robert Trujillo (Black Label Society, Suicidal Tendencies, Metallica)
- Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen): Uses the Sustainer in a number of his custom Peavey Wolfgangs.
- Joe Walsh (The Eagles)
- Dave Kushner (Velvet Revolver): Has his own signature model; used the Sustainer at the beginning of "Slither".
- Todd Rundgren: Plays a Project P Fernandes named "Foamy".
- Kurt Cobain (Nirvana): Used a Fernandes neck with his Fender Stratocaster guitar as a replacement. [1]
