Cliff 'Em All

[Highlander]

Mybe Ah-Re-Ah-Pro-Tu is something phoenitically translatable into Japanese.... (where is Harry when you need him...?) 

[gweimer]

You know, I've never thought a lot of Fernandes gear, but they have to be doing something right in order for Robert Fripp to use one of their guitars for quite a while.

[Dave W]

You know, I've never thought a lot of Fernandes gear, but they have to be doing something right in order for Robert Fripp to use one of their guitars for quite a while.

Like most companies, they made gear at different price points, some good, some not so hot.

Whenever I think of Fernandes, I think of a former Minneapolis music store whose owner had Gibson but couldn't get a Fender dealership. He would tell any customer and even new employees that Fernandes predated Fender and that Leo Fender visited Japan in 1947 and stole all his ideas from Fernandes.

[uwe]

Isn't my Punisher made in the Fernandes factory? Fine quality they then have.


Steele played an Esh Stinger, which looks a bit like a reverse (or non-reverse) Iceman would. The company went defunct some years (which might explain Steele's desertion to Fernandes), but was resurrected two or three years ago and Steele was to have been in negotiations with them re a signature model in 2009. They now have a model with green pup and green inlays to commemorate him. When TON where still a hot topic, you certainly saw him playing that Esh a lot.

http://esh-bass.com/content/view/45/40

[patman]

Don't know if this is true, but I was told the first MIJ Fenders were made on contract by Fernandes.

I had an old MIJ Precision that was the best I ever owned...always wondered if it was made by Fernandes.

[Dave W]

Don't know if this is true, but I was told the first MIJ Fenders were made on contract by Fernandes.

I had an old MIJ Precision that was the best I ever owned...always wondered if it was made by Fernandes.

According to Fender Japan's official history, Fuji Gen Gakki was the original manufacturer of MIJ Fenders.

I don't know if Fernandes had its own factory or if it was a brand name made under contract by a factory.

[Garrett]

Those are nice Uwe! Love the Stinger 1!

[Hornisse]

Here is a video with the Washburn M-10 bass that he was using pretty much until he passed away.  You can see it at around the 30 second mark.