The Floyd Rose-Fernandes Connection
Updated: 2 days ago
In the beginning, Fernandes Electric Sound Research Group Co. Ltd. of Japan (not Schaller) was Floyd Rose’s first commercial manufacturing partner, producing the early Floyd Rose tremolo system for Floyd Rose. The following is a concise summary of Fernandes' connection with Floyd Rose and the subsequent development of its own guitar vibrato systems with particular emphasis on left-handed guitar production.
1976–1981: Origins
1976–1980. Following its development in 1976, American guitarist and inventor Floyd Rose builds and personally sells his double-locking guitar vibrato system, promoting it largely by word of mouth. His close friend Randy Hanson is one of the first to receive one. Rose distributes units directly to high-profile players, including Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen), Neal Schon (Journey), Steve Lukather (Toto), Brad Gillis (Night Ranger), and Matthias Jabs (Scorpions), among others.
January 1980. Floyd Rose showcases the system at the 1980 Winter NAMM show on guitars built by luthier and friend Linn Ellsworth.
1981–1983: Genuine Floyd Rose Production
February 1981: At the Winter NAMM Show, Floyd Rose meets executives from Fernandes Electric Sound Research Group Co. Ltd. of Japan. Fernandes presents Rose with a Japanese-made copy of his tremolo, impressing him, after which Rose partners with Fernandes to arrange commercial production of his tremolo system.
Fernandes is a Japanese marketing/distribution company and outsources the actual metalwork to one or more Japanese factories, possibly including Gotoh, although no surviving documentation conclusively confirms the factories involved.
February 1981: Executives from Rockinger of Germany meet with executives from Kramer Guitars at the 1981 Frankfurt Trade Fair (Musikmesse Frankfurt) and present their "Rockinger True Tune Tremolo." The Rockinger TTT is made in Germany and was developed with fine tuners to solve the common complaint with the Floyd Rose system, whereby one has to unclamp, retune, and reclamp mid-performance to maintain tuning. Kramer executives decide to use it on Kramer guitars.
Late 1981: Fernandes begins commercial production of Floyd Rose tremolo units through its Japanese OEM manufacturing network and begins supplying complete units and parts to Floyd Rose in the United States.
Late 1981: Kramer starts using the Rockinger TTT on its Pacer models.
February 1982: Dennis Berardi, CEO of Kramer, is on his way to the 1982 Winter NAMM Show in California and is on the same flight as one of Eddie Van Halen's gear managers. A meeting between Berardi and Eddie Van Halen is arranged. Discussions lead to interest in Eddie Van Halen coming on board with Kramer.
February 1982: Floyd Rose is exhibiting at the 1982 Winter NAMM show, meets Kramer executives, and discusses his double-locking tremolo system.
Early 1982: Eddie Van Halen has been using the original Rose tremolo since 1980 but is not happy with having to unlock the nut to retune mid-performance. He has also been using the Rockinger TTT, which has fine tuners. Van Halen suggests that Rose add fine tuners to his.
Early 1982: Development begins on the first fine-tuner-equipped Floyd Rose. Fernandes supplies parts used by Floyd Rose to construct the first vertical fine-tuner prototypes. Rose assembles or modifies some personally, sometimes using a mix of U.S. and Japanese parts.
March 1982. Fernandes releases its 1982 catalog, featuring the Floyd Rose FRT-1 on select high-end Fernandes models, including an official Neal Schon Les Paul signature model, and an unofficial (unauthorized) Eddie Van Halen "Bumble bee" replica. It is also sold in Japan as a boxed kit.
March 15, 1982: Floyd Rose files a patent for the fine-tuning mechanism.
Mid-1982: Approximately 25 vertical-fine-tuner prototypes are distributed to artists, including Eddie Van Halen, Steve Lukather, and K.K. Downing (Judas Priest). Live video footage shows Downing using the prototype on his red Hamer Flying V at the U.S. Festival in May 1983.
June 1982: The 1982 Kramer catalog is published, featuring the Rockinger "Eddie Van Halen Tremolo."
June 1982: Floyd Rose shares a booth with Fernandes at the Summer NAMM show in Atlanta, exhibiting his new fine-tuner tremolo and formally pitching it to Kramer executives as a replacement for the Rockinger True Tune Tremolo in Kramer's lineup.
July 1982: As confirmed in photographs and concert footage, Eddie Van Halen performs live with a gold vertical fine-tuner Floyd Rose prototype installed on his "Frankenstrat" guitar during the Hide Your Sheep Tour.
July 1982: Rockinger executives attend the opening party of Musicians Place in Hannover, Germany and hear a rumor that Kramer is dumping them for Floyd Rose. They fly to the USA to find out if it is true, meet with Kramer executives, who try to downplay the whole thing. On the same trip, they meet with Eddie Van Halen and present him with a Rockinger guitar fitted with the Rockinger True Tune Tremolo. But it is an empty gesture, as Van Halen is already fully committed to Kramer and Rose.
July 30, 1982: Just a couple of weeks into the tour, Eddie Van Halen speaks with Guitar Player magazine journalist Jas Obrecht in a phone interview, stating that he and Rose are working with Kramer and that he is endorsing the new fine-tuner vibrato.
August 1982: Based on live use, Eddie Van Halen reports that the fine tuners interfere with his playing and suggests putting the tail at an angle to reposition them further back.
August~September 1982: Following Eddie Van Halen's suggestion to move the fine tuners farther back, Floyd Rose develops the angled-tail version of the fine-tuner tremolo, with Fernandes again contributing to the manufacture of the prototypes.
September 1982: The first angled-tail double-locking tremolo prototype is used by Eddie Van Halen on his "Rasta" guitar (prominently featured in live performances of songs including "Unchained" from the 1981 Van Halen album Fair Warning).
October 1982: Eddie Van Halen visits the Kramer factory in Neptune, New Jersey, while on a break from the tour. He installs the angled-tail prototype from his Rasta guitar onto another version of his Frankenstrat guitar. This guitar is then featured in Kramer ads.
October 1982: Eddie Van Halen moves toward a formal relationship with Kramer during the ongoing tour.
November–December 1982: Eddie Van Halen installs a second angled-tail prototype on his Frankenstrat guitar and tests it in live use during the final months of the tour. There are some small visual differences between the two prototypes.
Late 1982: Production of the vertical-fine-tuner tremolo continues in Japan as the Floyd Rose FRT-4 (metric, cast construction). It is embossed with "Floyd Rose" on the baseplate.
1983 - 1985: Floyd Rose partners with Kramer, Kramer shifts production from Japan to Germany
Early 1983: Floyd Rose formalizes his partnership with Kramer Guitars.
During this early period, Floyd Rose tremolos are effectively exclusive to Kramer production guitars in the United States.
Kramer, already a major user of Schaller hardware, chooses Schaller in Germany to manufacture the new angled-tail design, effectively displacing Fernandes from Kramer's U.S. supply chain despite Fernandes' existing contract.
March 1983: Fernandes publishes its 1983 catalog. Although it never made it past prototype stage in the United States, in Japan, the vertical fine-tuner FRT-4 is featured as the premier Floyd Rose system, fitted to the Fernandes FST-155 and FST-135 superstrats. Magazine ads follow. The 1983 catalog also features the Floyd Rose FRT-3, which superseded the FRT-1, and is manufactured by Fernandes using the lost-wax casting process with wax patterns provided by Floyd Rose.
The Floyd Rose FRT-3 is also sold in Japan as a boxed kit and aftermarket upgrade. FRT-3s find their way on guitars by other Japanese brands, such as this 1982 Ibanez DT-300FR Destroyer II, this 1983 Aria Pro II ZZ Deluxe Flying V, and this 1983 Aria Pro II PE-R80.
The Fernandes catalog features the FRT-3 on several models in the “Musician’s Limited Series” including official signature models for Brad Gillis and Steve Lukather, and again on the unofficial Eddie Van Halen “Bumblebee” replica.
March 1983: Kramer commissions Hansen Metalworks to produce an interim run of the finalized angled-tail design for Kramer's new 1983 lineup while Schaller prepares for full-scale production. The angled tail is achieved by bending the steel of the baseplate at a 25-degree angle. The end result is a slightly curved-back tail with oval arches between where the forks meet the top of the tail, differing from the later hard-angled cast Schaller version. Approximately 800 units are made.
Eddie Van Halen fits the Hansen units on his "5150" and "Frankenstrat" guitars.
May 1983. Four months after the South American leg of the Hide Your Sheep tour, Eddie Van Halen is interviewed by Music UK magazine. He says that he is no longer using the Rockinger and "... the Floyd Rose is going to be made by Schaller."
July 1983: In Japan, ESP releases a Japanese-made angled-tail, fine-tuner tremolo unit as the "ESP Magician." It is advertised in the July 1983 edition of Young Guitar magazine and is used on ESP Custom guitars, as well as sold to the Japanese public as a boxed kit. It is the same design as the Hansen Metalworks version, with bent-steel construction, swept-back tail, and oval cutouts, but with metric screws. (ESP is in Kramer's OEM supply chain, supplying Kramer with necks, bodies, and whole guitars.)
August 1983: The "ESP Magician" is again advertised in ESP's August 1983 Export Catalog as a boxed kit or factory option for ESP Custom Shop models.
August~September 1983: Schaller begins full-scale manufacturing of Floyd Rose tremolos for Kramer.
September 1983: ESP abruptly stops advertising the ESP Magician.
Late 1983: Fernandes ceases production of its vertical fine-tuner Floyd Rose FRT-4 and is restricted to distributing the new Schaller-made Original Floyd Rose while continuing to produce the domestic FRT-3 for Japan.
December 1983: Matsumoku, the largest OEM in Japan, begins manufacturing Fernandes and Burny guitars and basses to supplement Kawai production.
Matsumoku-built guitars have seven-digit serials, the first number representing the last digit of the year of manufacture.
January 1984: Fernandes hastily publishes its 1984 catalog. (Catalogs are usually published in the final few months of the previous year.) It advertises the new "imported Floyd Rose" unit made by Schaller as the "Floyd Rose FRT-5," but the product page is actually word-for-word the Japanese FRT-4 product page from the year before, just with "FRT-4" in the text substituted with "FRT-5" and new photos.
The Schaller Floyd Rose is featured on the Fernandes FST-155 and FST-135.
1984: Schaller-produced units are used across Kramer’s U.S. and international production, including the Focus Series, which are fully built in Japan by ESP.
1984: Fernandes is restricted to marketing the imported Schaller FRT-5 and locally manufactured Floyd Rose FRT-3 to the Japanese market.
Late 1984: Fernandes draws from the same Japanese OEM supply chain that produced the ESP Magician and releases an identical version of it as the domestic FRT-5. A string-through version is also produced as the Fernandes "Head Crasher" FRT-6.
January 1985: The Japanese FRT-5 is renamed "Floyd Rose FRT-7." Both the FRT-7 and Fernandes' own Head Crasher FRT-6 appear in Volume 1 of the 1985 Fernandes/Burny catalog, published in January.
1985: Fernandes sells both the German FRT-5 and Japanese FRT-7 units as boxed kits and uses only the FRT-7 on Fernandes guitars. The Japanese version is priced to undercut the German version. According to a former Fernandes employee, sales of the FRT-7 "went through the roof."
February 4, 1985: In the United States, Floyd Rose files a continuation application concerning the fine-tuning/string-restraint mechanism, claiming priority to the March 15, 1982 application.
February 5, 1985: U.S. Patent No. 4,497,236, covering Floyd Rose's fine-tuning apparatus and based on the March 15, 1982 application, is granted.
1985: Kawai, the primary manufacturer of Fernandes guitars, also uses the Head Crasher FRT-6 on some of its own Rockoon brand superstrats, even retaining the "Head Crasher" name. Rockoon guitars are available left-handed by special order with a 100-day turnaround and a 20% upcharge.
October 29, 1985: U.S. Patent No. 4,549,461, based on the February 4, 1985 continuation application, is granted.
1985 - month unknown: The contract between Fernandes and Floyd Rose ends. Schaller is now the exclusive manufacturer of the genuine Original Floyd Rose and Non-Fine Tuner tremolos.
1986–1994: Post-Contract Developments
January 1986: The Fernandes Floyd Rose FRT-7 is renamed "Head Crasher" FRT-7 and gains saddle height adjustment and a Floating Lock System whereby the whole unit fits into a carriage that, by rotating the tremolo arm 90 degrees, locks the tremolo from floating to fixed. The '236 patent number is displayed on the baseplate. The Head Crasher FRT-7 debuts in the January 1986 catalog. The Japanese Floyd Rose FRT-3 and German FRT-5 are gone.
Fernandes retains the Head Crasher FRT-6 but also offers it with the bridge locking mechanism as the Head Crasher FRT-9.
Also new is the "Body Crasher" FRT-8 tremolo. The design is actually a shared OEM unit first used by Fresher Guitars and Kawai in 1985. The Fresher version is called "Sound Crasher." The Kawai version is called "Rockoon Roller." Aria Pro II also introduces it as the "FT-1 Fine Tuning Locking Tremolo" on three models in its 1986 lineup. Yamaha introduces it in 1987 as the "RMX". No versions have Floyd Rose licensing statements, despite having fine tuners. It is a single-locking bridge where you feed the strings through the back of the saddles.
July 1986. Matsumoku is impacted severely by the strong Yen against the USD as a consequence of the Plaza Accord, and its guitar exports to the USA have crashed. In July, the company sinks into the red, and despite Aria Pro II, Westone, and Fernandes being its largest OEM contracts, announces that the company will be entering bankruptcy proceedings.
December 1986. Matsumoku completes its final run of guitars. According to an ex-Matsumoku employee: 最後は会社が終わるのに駆け込み注文で8000本注文があった。 (“At the end, because the company was closing, there were rush orders for 8,000 units.”) The last-ever produced instrument was a Fernandes bass.
January 1987: Fernandes rebrands its entire tremolo to FRT Tremolo System. The original Floyd Rose FRT-7 is reintroduced with the front saddle blocks of the Head Crasher FRT-6 as the new FRT-4 (second use of the FRT-4 name.) The Head Crasher FRT-7 with the bridge locking mechanism is still the FRT-7; without it is now the FRT-5 (second use of the FRT-5 name.) The '236 patent number is again displayed on their baseplates.
February 1987: Matsumoku closes its doors. Fernandes guitars continue to be built by Kawai (L serials for regular production and F serials for shop exclusives.) Burny production shifts to Dyna Gakki.
1988: P-Project, originally the independent operation of a single Japanese luthier, becomes Fernandes' custom/high-end guitar builder. P-Project continues as an associated brand, appearing in Fernandes catalogs through the 1990s and 2000s. Some P-Project models are incorporated into the Fernandes lineup (e.g. Hisashi Imai P-Project STJ-BT becomes the Fernandes STJ-80BT).
1988: Fernandes designs and produces arguably the most advanced Floyd Rose-style tremolo of its era: the new FRT-4. (Third use of the FRT-4 name.) It has horizontal fine tuners. Fernandes also releases a version with saddle height adjustment as the new FRT-5. (Third use of the FRT-5 name.) Both are made in Korea. The horizontal tuners are the same concept as the Jackson JT-6, released the year before. While the JT-6 has "Licensed Under Floyd Rose Patents" on it, the Fernandes version has no acknowledgement of Floyd Rose patents.
March 1988: The new FRT-4 and FRT-5 debut in Volume 2 of the 1988 Fernandes catalog, published in March 1988.
1988: ESP uses Fernandes' Head Crasher FRT-4 (1987 design) without branding on the 1988 Japan-only Kramer Japan EK Series. It is designated “KLK-I.” The Head Crasher FRT-6 is used, also unbranded, on the companion LK Series, designated “KLK-II.” The KLK-II has slightly different saddles. Some Greco guitars are also built with the KLK-II (none left-handed).
1988–1989: Fernandes begins shifting some domestic and export‑market models to factories in Korea and Taiwan.
In 1988, Fernandes commissions the Yako factory in Taiwan to produce a run of SSH‑40 models for the 1989 model year. These Yako‑built SSH‑40s are identifiable by their D‑shaped tuners, block saddles, square jack plate, and 8XXXXX serial stickers (occasionally with an F‑serial). While the January 1989 catalog lists the SSH‑40 with a coil‑tap on the tone control, many Yako examples omit this feature, and overall build quality is generally regarded as inferior to Japanese or Korean production. The SSH‑40 is subsequently replaced by the SSH‑38 in the October 1989 catalog.
Korean manufacturing includes Saehan Guitar Technology, which is also the factory used by Samuel Music Company in the United States for its Vester brand of guitars. It is well-documented that Samuel Music did not design its own guitars but instead rebranded instruments already being produced by Saehan for other brands. As it so happens, export-market versions of the 1988 Fernandes ST-40 and 1989–1990 Fernandes SSH-38 appear in the United States and Europe as models in the Vester Maniac series. Budget versions of the Hisashi Imai STJ-80BT, Hidehiko Hoshino TE-75BT, and Robbin Crosby FGJ-85RC Artists Models, and entry-level models in the Revolver FR and TEJ series are also sold as Vester Maniac models. Although they have plywood bodies and cheap electronics, some have Gotoh tuners. The seller of this STJ-80BT Vester copy, which appeared in a Mercari Japan marketplace listing in 2024, even identifies Fernandes as the "parent company" (もともとの親会社のフェルナンデスさんが企画したメーカーです。) GrunSound, one of many Japanese dealers that operated within Fernandes' supply-chain ecosystem, describes the Vester Maniac as a "Fernandes overseas-market brand" (Fernandesの海外向けブランド), providing direct industry-source evidence of a Fernandes–Vester connection. The precise contractual relationship between Fernandes and Samuel Music is not public knowledge.
Note: All documented Vester Maniac examples identified to date carry E7XXXXX serial numbers, despite being produced by Saehan after 1988. This establishes that E-series serial numbers were not exclusive to the earlier Young Chang-produced Vester instruments and that the “7” cannot reliably be interpreted as signifying the year 1987.
1989: Fernandes starts incorporating the Sustainiac system licensed from Maniac Music in the USA. It is introduced on several models in the Revolver series as the "FRS" series.
1989: Kramer defaults on its obligations to Floyd Rose, ESP, and American Precision Metal Works (APMW). Floyd Rose sues Kramer for unpaid royalties and wins the case.
1989: Kawai ceases OEM work for Fernandes. Japanese production goes to Dyna Gakki.
October 1989: The Body Crasher FRT-8 gets a redesign and is now made in Korea. It first appears in Volume 2 of the 1989 catalog, published in October 1989. This version is now a unique Fernandes product (Kawai otherwise continues to use the original on its Rockoon guitars.)
Only the FRT-4 and FRT-8 are featured on FRT-equipped guitars, despite the catalog still advertising the FRT-5, FRT-6, and FRT-7 as part of the "FRT Tremolo System."
November 5, 1989: Floyd Rose applies for a design patent for the "whale tail" feature of the Original Floyd Rose.
1990 – month unknown: Kramer is declared bankrupt.
January 1991: Fender becomes the new exclusive distributor of Floyd Rose products.
1991 – month unknown: The Fernandes FR Series changes from a four-bolt neck joint with a neck plate to a heel-less neck joint.
1992 – month unknown: Fernandes has been exporting to the United States through third-party distributors since the 1980s and now opens a direct Fernandes office in the United States. The U.S. operation has independent input on what guitars it wants, what specs, and whether there will be lefty models. As a result, some North American models are different from their Japanese equivalents. This direct U.S. presence eventually develops into a custom-shop operation.
1992 – month unknown: Floyd Rose sues Gary Kahler and American Precision Metal Works (APMW) for patent infringement (Case No. 8:92-cv-00166, C.D. California). The litigation results in APMW's exit from the tremolo market.
February 1992: Fernandes introduces its own proprietary Sustainer system in Volume 1 of the 1992 catalog, published in February. It is called "FER Sustainer" and replaces the OEM-supplied Sustainiac system. There are 5 Japanese and 3 U.S. patents pending.
March 1993: The FER Sustainer is now called "Fernandes Sustainer." It continues to be featured on FRS models within the Revolver series, as shown in Volume 1 of the 1993 catalog published in March.
March 1993: Advertising ceases for the FRT-5, FRT-6, and FRT-7. The FRT-4 and FRT-8 continue to be the only FRT tremolos used on Fernandes and Burny guitars.
March 17, 1992: Floyd Rose is issued U.S Patent USD324693S "Tremolo Bridge for a Guitar" for the ornamental design of the "whale tail" feature of the bridge.
1993: Entry-level guitar production is close to being fully transitioned to Korean and Taiwanese manufacturing while the FST and FR Series, which utilize the FRT Tremolo System, continue to be built in Japan. Stratocaster-style models are sold in export markets as the LE series, but with the headstock of the FR series. The LE-2L is available left-handed internationally, but not in Japan.
1994–1997: Proprietary tremolos are discontinued
January 1994: Fernandes adopts the Floyd Rose-licensed Takeuchi TRS-PRO. It is designated FRT5-PRO-TRS and is used across the entire FR and FST range.
1994: The FRT-8 undergoes a name change only to FRT8-PRO. 1994 is the first and last year of use on the FR Series under the new name.
1994: Fernandes introduces TARGET by Fernandes, a lower-priced brand aimed at the entry-level market. The brand is particularly associated with lower-cost versions of guitars from Fernandes' Musician Models series, including models associated with Japanese rock guitarist Hideto Matsumoto (known professionally as “hide”), but also included other models.
Note: When the Vester brand ceased in 1994 due to legal pressure from Fender, Fernandes still maintained two production lines through Saehan: an import line for its own brand, and an export line for both Fernandes and the Vester arrangement. With Vester production ending, it would have been in Fernandes' interest to keep that capacity active, making a conversion of that line to Target models a plausible outcome. As it so happens, the launch of the Target brand coincides directly with the end of Vester. Surviving examples prove that some Target guitars were made in Japan (sharing Dyna neck pocket stamps), while others share distinct manufacturing traits with Vesters. Although speculative, it is entirely possible that the Target guitars Saehan produced were simply a continuation of the earlier Vester-branded instruments.
1995: Fernandes publishes English catalogs for the U.S. market with slightly different product names, e.g., Japan FR Series = AFR Series in the USA. Burny H-Series in Japan is called Fernandes "Vertigo" in the USA. A PRS-style range is released via the U.S. operation as the APG Series. The LE Series continues to be advertised.
The FR Series receives a body redesign adopting Perspective Contoured (パースペクティブコンタード) shaping, first introduced on the limited 1993 25th Anniversary FR-85QC and then on the 1994 high-end Sustainer models FR-150S and FR-120S. Higher models use the full Perspective Contoured body (sculpted contours on both the upper forearm and lower belly/back sides), while some lower models use the Half-Perspective Contoured body (only the upper forearm contour).
The Japanese catalog features USA models in a new section "Fernandes Guitars USA." These models are positioned as a premium range. The blurb says: "The 'U.S.A. Custom Shop' was originally established in Los Angeles for the purpose of musician support and new product development. In 1992, it added a sales section and had a renewal opening as 'FERNANDES GUITARS U.S.A.' > Product planning is carried out to match the American and European markets and to respond to requests from musicians. The 'U.S.A. Custom Series' is a lineup produced from this worldwide approach." In reality they are made in Japan by Tokai and Dyna. The LE Series is not included in Japanese catalogs.
1995: The last Fernandes Japan model to use the FRT8-PRO is the 1995 FST-45.
1996: For reasons unknown to the public, the Fernandes FRT-4 is discontinued, along with its FRT-5 sibling.
1997: The FRT8-PRO is officially discontinued.
1997–2024: OEM licensed Tremolos Only
1997: Higher-end Japanese-made models are now fitted with the Floyd Rose-licensed Gotoh GE1996T supplied as an OEM product, branded as "Fernandes" with the model number FRT-10.
1997: Fernandes introduces the Schaller Licensed Floyd Rose tremolo on some models. It is designed SFRT-2.
1998: The U.S. APG (PRS-style) series is integrated into the standard Japanese lineup with no reference to or mention of its U.S. provenance. In export markets, the model undergoes a name change to "Dragonfly." The AFR Series disappears from the Japan catalog, as it is really just the FR Series anyway. The export market LE Series is also gone from U.S. catalogs.
1999: The U.S Fernandes 25th Anniversary catalog explicitly states that the Vertigo (H-Series in Japan) and Native are available left-handed. These are one-year-only offerings, with the Vertigo available only in Dark Green, and the Native available only in Black or Silver finishes. Neither are available left-handed in Japan.
1999: The FR series is renamed "Revolver" series for export markets and reduced to two model variations.
2000: The Fernandes-branded Takeuchi TRS-PRO is discontinued and replaced with an OEM-supplied GE1996T clone by Ping Well in Taiwan, branded as "Fernandes" and designated FRT-11.
2000: Entry-level production shifts fully to China (Yako factory) including the lower-end FR Series.
2000: Fernandes introduces a formal and broad Custom Order System. Although it does not explicitly state that the system also applies to left-handed guitars, non-listed left-handed guitars are made through this system. Surviving examples from the first few years of the system indicate that orders were accepted only for FR- or FGZ-based models.
2001: The Fernandes FR-48 is the last catalogued left-handed guitar built with an FRT Tremolo system. It is one of the listed LH models in the January 2001 Japanese catalog, but is deleted from the October 2001 catalog. The LH list otherwise continues until 2004.
2002–2024: Most Fernandes and Burny guitars are made in China via Yako, except for limited domestic runs. Chinese-made guitars use serial numbers beginning with "FG," followed by the last two digits of the year of manufacture and a factory production run number. (Note: later entry-level builds have an "FER" prefix denoting "export market," including guitars made in Vietnam in 2011–2012.)
2002–2003: U.S and International markets get the Revolver Pro which comes with a single EMG HZ pickup and the Fernandes Sustainer Lite (1 switch) system. It is also available left-handed. The Revolver series is the export-market continuation of the Japanese FR series.
2003: The 2003 Fernandes Japan catalog advertises a Hisashi Imai signature model as a production left-handed guitar separate to the official LH set list. (Imai is a very famous Japanese lefty guitarist and one of Fernandes' most famous endorsers.) It is fitted with a Schaller Licensed Tremolo.
2004: U.S and International markets get the revised Revolver Pro (2-switch) with Active EMG pickups and full Sustainer. Left-handed versions are made, with examples from 2004 and 2005 documented.
2005: The official Custom Order System page is dropped from Japanese catalogs, but the system continues.
2005: The LH set list, in use since 1991, no longer appears in Japanese Fernandes catalogs.
2005–2024: Left-handed Fernandes and Burny models are otherwise produced sporadically in "spot runs" initiated by Japanese retailers, or as one-offs, or in small runs for export markets. Surviving left-handed examples are a mish mash of models suggesting a high degree of ad hoc production, consistent with what a Custom Order System would result in. Various listings for left-handed Fernandes and Burny guitars and basses have come up on secondary markets with build dates of 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2015. More recent examples include this Burny RLC-60 (year?), this Burny RLC-55 from 2018, and this Fernandes bass made in 2019.
March 17, 2006: U.S Patent USD324693S "Tremolo Bridge for a Guitar" expires.
2009: Fernandes Japan is now running only four Fernandes guitar lines, not including bass guitars. The Japanese catalog is now dominated with Burny products. ZO-3 practice guitars are also well-represented. There is no Colour Chart, no Custom Order System, no mention of P-Project, and no more mention of Fernandes Repair Service.
2010: In the United States, Geoffrey McCabe and Kahler International sue Floyd Rose, Floyd Rose Marketing, AP Global Enterprises, Schaller Electronic, Ping Well Industrial, Davitt & Hanser Music and others. McCabe, an inventor of fulcrum tremolos, and Kahler seek a declaration that they can manufacture and sell their own fulcrum tremolos without infringing Floyd Rose's claimed rights in the distinctive "whale-tail" shape and appearance. McCabe and Kahler accuse Rose of continuing to seek royalties and assert control over tremolo designs even after his original patents have expired, and of claiming rights in the appearance of the "whale-tail" design, for which no patents ever existed. The dispute stems partly from an incident in 2004 when an AP Global Enterprises executive told Gary Kahler that the "whale-tail" characteristic required payment of royalties to Rose.
2010–2012: Three Hisashi Imai Signature models feature in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Japanese catalogs with left-handed options. All three were available in 2010 and 2011, and two of the three models were available in 2012 (none are FRT-equipped models).
2013: The McCabe/Kahler case is dismissed for lack of an actual controversy, finding that Floyd Rose had never sued or formally accused McCabe or Kahler of infringement. The court therefore does not rule on the underlying allegations that Rose was improperly seeking to enforce rights associated with expired patents.
2013–2024: Any and all mention of left-handed guitars vanishes from Japanese and international Fernandes catalogs.
2014: Fernandes U.S. custom shop quietly fizzles out.
April 26, 2023: Osaka Fernandes Co. Ltd, the wholesale and distribution company for Fernandes Co. Ltd. files for bankruptcy.
2024: The Gotoh GE1996T tremolo is the only Floyd Rose-style tremolo used on Japanese-built, FRT-equipped guitars .
July 2024: Fernandes officially ceases business operations and announces its intent to file for bankruptcy: "We are currently burdened with a considerable amount of debt to multiple creditors, and unfortunately, we are unable to continue our business." Official reports state that as of the fiscal year ending January 2024, Fernandes Guitars had accumulated 433.89 million yen in debt. While an initial bankruptcy petition was made around mid-July 2024, that specific application was subsequently withdrawn.
July 9, 2025: Following a new application in June 2025, the Tokyo District Court ordered the commencement of bankruptcy proceedings on July 9. Reports following the official 2025 court proceedings updated the total tracked liabilities/debt to approximately 730 million yen.
Trademark status: Reports surrounding the formal 2025 proceedings noted that while the corporate entity came to an end, portions of the Fernandes trademarks had already been transferred/assigned to other entities, though a unified revival or active production line under a new owner has not materialized, leaving their iconic legacy (and innovations like the Sustainer) to live on through the vintage and second hand market.
2026: Author's note: In the catalog material, dealer records, auction archives and surviving-instrument evidence reviewed to date, no post-2005 left-handed Fernandes guitar fitted with an FRT-series tremolo has been identified. This is an evidence boundary, not proof that no such instrument was ever made.
Fernandes Left-Handed Guitar Production - with Floyd Rose / Fernandes FRT Tremolo Systems 1982 - 2024
Note: Years showing “–” in both Production and Custom columns indicate that no left-handed guitars were offered with the listed tremolo, even if the tremolo appeared in the catalog that year. This does not mean that other models in the lineup were not available left-handed.
Year(s) | LH Production (Batch) | LH Custom Order only / Spot | Tremolo System |
1982 (catalog does not specify which models can or cannot be ordered) | – | FST‑90TH, FST‑70TH, FST‑70TH‑C, ST-130, EX-145, FV-135 | Floyd Rose FRT-1¹ |
1983 (no Floyd Rose models are marked as LH production guitars) | – | FST-120H, FST-115, FST-90H, ST-120, ST-130, ST-160, FV-135, EX-145 | Floyd Rose FRT-3¹ |
1983 | – | FST-95, FST-80, FST-75, FST-90H, EX-95 | Fernandes Head Banker FRT-2² |
1983 | – | FST-155 | Floyd Rose FRT-4¹ (Japanese production version) |
1983 | – | FST-135 | Floyd Rose FRT-4¹ (Japanese production version) |
1983 | – | FV-135 | Floyd Rose FRT-4¹ (Japanese production version) |
1984 | – | FST-155 | Floyd Rose FRT-5¹ (Schaller) |
1984 | – | FST-135 | Floyd Rose FRT-5¹ (Schaller) |
1984 | FST-85 | – | Floyd Rose FRT-3¹ |
1984 | FST-80 | – | Floyd Rose FRT-3¹ |
1984 | FST-65 | – | Fernandes Head Banker FRT-2² |
1984 | – | BSV‑90 | Floyd Rose FRT-3¹ |
1984 | – | BSV-70 | Fernandes Head Banker FRT-2² |
1984 | – | EX‑100 | Floyd Rose FRT-3¹ |
1984 | – | EX-85 | Fernandes Head Banker FRT-2² |
1985 | FST-65 | – | Fernandes Head Crasher FRT-6² |
1985 | BSV-60 | – | Fernandes Head Banker FRT-2² |
1985 | – | FST-90 | Floyd Rose FRT-7² |
1985 | – | FST-85 | Floyd Rose FRT-7² |
1985 | – | FST-75 | Floyd Rose FRT-3¹ |
1985 | – | BSV-90 | Floyd Rose FRT-7² |
1985 | – | BSV-70 | Head Crasher FRT-6² |
1986 | FST-65 | – | Head Crasher FRT-6² |
1986 | FR-55 | – | Body Crasher FRT-8² |
1986 | BSV-60 | – | Body Crasher FRT-8² |
1986 | BX-60 | – | Body Crasher FRT-8² |
1987 | FST-65 | – | Head Crasher FRT-4² |
1987 | FR-65 | – | Head Crasher FRT-4² |
1987 | FR-55 | – | Body Crasher FRT-8² |
1988 | FST-65 | – | Head Crasher FRT-4² |
1988 | FR-55 | – | Body Crasher FRT-8² |
1988 | FR-65 | – | Head Crasher FRT-4² |
1988 | FR-55T | – | Body Crasher FRT-8² |
1989 | FST-65 | – | New FRT-4 (Horizontal fine tuners)² |
1989 | FST-55 | – | FRT-8² |
1989 | FR-65 | – | New FRT-4 (Horizontal fine tuners)² |
1989 | FR-55 | – | FRT-8² |
1989 | FR-55T | – | FRT-8² |
1989 | FR-55X | – | FRT-8² |
1989 | FR-50X | – | FRT-8² |
1989 | FR-50 | – | FRT-8² |
1990 | FR-50X | – | FRT-8² |
1990 | FR-50 | – | FRT-8² |
1991 | FR-55 | – | FRT-8² |
1991 | FR-65 | – | New FRT-4 (Horizontal fine tuners)² |
1992 | FST-65 | – | New FRT-4 (Horizontal fine tuners)² |
1992 | FR-55 | – | FRT-8² |
1992 | FR-65 | – | New FRT-4 (Horizontal fine tuners)² |
1993 | FST-65 | – | New FRT-4 (Horizontal fine tuners)² |
1993 | FR-55 | – | FRT-8² |
1993 | FR-65 | – | New FRT-4 (Horizontal fine tuners)² |
1994 | FR-55 | – | FRT-8PRO³ |
1994 | FR-65 | – | FRT-5-PRO-TRS³ |
1995 | FR-55 | – | FRT-5-PRO-TRS³ |
1995 | FR-65 | – | FRT-5-PRO-TRS³ |
1996 | FR-55 | – | FRT-5-PRO-TRS³ |
1996 | FR-65 | – | FRT-5-PRO-TRS³ |
1997 | FR-55 | – | FRT-5-PRO-TRS³ |
1998 | FR-55 | – | FRT-5-PRO-TRS³ |
1999 | FR-55 | – | FRT-5-PRO-TRS³ |
2000 | FR-55 | – | FRT-11⁴ |
2001 | FR-48 (Feb 01–Sept 01 only) | – | FRT-11⁴ |
2001 | – | FR-55S (through Fernandes Custom Order System) | FRT-11⁴ |
2001 | – | FGZ-550S (through Fernandes Custom Order System) | FRT-11⁴ |
2002 | – | FR / FGZ models (through Fernandes Custom Order System) | FRT-11⁴ |
2002 | (Export market) Revolver Pro | – | FRT-11⁴ |
2003 | (Export market) Revolver Pro | – | FRT-11⁴ |
2003 | Hisashi Imai "Stabilizer" | – | SFRT-II⁵ |
2003 | – | FR-55S (through Fernandes Custom Order System) | FRT-11⁴ |
2004 | – | FR-55S (through Fernandes Custom Order System) | FRT-11⁴ |
2004 | Hisashi Imai "Stabilizer" | – | SFRT-II⁵ |
2004 | Revolver Pro (Export market) | – | FRT-11⁴ |
2005 ( - 2010?) | Revolver Pro (Export market) | – | FRT-11⁴ |
2005–2024 | Export models (non-FRT) | Spot/Custom LH models | – |
Classification Legend
¹ Genuine Floyd Rose (OEM production under Floyd Rose contract)
² Fernandes proprietary design (Japan domestic manufacture)
³ OEM – Takeuchi (Japan)
⁴ OEM – Ping Well (Taiwan)
⁵ OEM – Schaller (Germany)
Fernandes Policy on Left-Handed Guitar Ordering
Years | Japanese (original) | English translation |
1980 and 1981 (before Floyd Rose contract) | ●サウスポーギター 左用ギターは、常時生産していませんので機種に よっては、在庫のない場合があります。オーダー の場合は、約3ヶ月の納期が必要で、価格は定価 の20%アップとなっています。なお、FPB-40、BO-50、BO-60、FMT-50、およびこのカタログ にない機種の左用オーダーは受付けていません。あらかじめご了承お願いします | ● Left-handed guitars Left‑handed guitars are not produced regularly, so depending on the model, they may not be in stock. If ordered, a delivery time of approximately three months is required, and the price is 20% higher than the regular list price. Please note that orders for left-handed versions of the FPB-40, BO-50, BO-60, FMT-50, and any models not listed in this catalog are not accepted. Thank you for your understanding. |
1982 (Page 19 of catalog) | ③サウスポーギター
左用は常時生産していませんので器種によっては在庫のない場合があります。新たにオーダーする場合は、約3ヶ月〜4ヶ月の納期が基本となっています。価格は本体価格の20%アップとなっています。
<注>左用の場合は、パーツの関係上基準仕様のパーツとは異なる場合もありますので、あらかじめご了承ください。 | ③ Left‑hand Guitars
Left‑handed guitars are not produced regularly, so some models may be out of stock. For new orders, the standard delivery time is about 3 to 4 months. The price is 20% higher than the instrument’s regular list price.
(Note) For left-handed models, due to parts supply constraints, there may be cases where parts differ from the standard‑spec parts, so please understand this in advance. |
1983 (Page 38 of catalog) 1984 (Page 46 of catalog) | ③サウスポーギター
左用は常時生産していませんので器種によっては在庫のない場合があります。新たにオーダーする場合は、約3ヶ月～4ヶ月の納期が基本となっています。価格は本体価格の20％アップとなっています。 ＜注＞左用の場合は、パーツの関係上基準仕様のパーツとは異なる場合もありますので、あらかじめご了承ください。
※印のものは生産していますが、常時生産しておりませんので、器種によっては在庫のない場合があります。その場合約3ヶ月～4ヶ月の納期が基本となっています。定価の20％アップになります。
―印のものはオーダーできません。 無印のものはオーダーできますが特注となり、納期は4ヶ月～5ヶ月が基本となります。定価の20％アップになります。 | ③ Left-Handed Guitars
Left‑handed guitars are not produced continuously, so some models may not be in stock. If a new order is placed, the standard delivery time is approximately three to four months. The price is 20% higher than the instrument’s base price. Note: Due to parts availability and compatibility, left-handed versions may sometimes use parts different from those specified for the standard model. Please understand this in advance.
Models marked with ※ are produced, but not continuously, so some models may be out of stock. In that case, the standard delivery time is approximately 3 to 4 months. The price is 20% higher than the instrument’s regular list price.
Models marked with ― cannot be ordered. Unmarked models can be ordered, but are treated as special orders. The standard delivery time is approximately 4 to 5 months. The price is 20% higher than the instrument’s regular list price. |
1985 (Vol. 1 & 2 ) (Page 49 of catalog) | ③サウスポーギターについて
●印のもの ロット生産していますが、常時生産しておりませんので、器種によっては在庫のない場合があります。その場合は、約3ヶ月～4ヶ月の納期が必要となります。定価は、本体定価の20％アップになります。
▲印のもの ロット生産していませんが、特注で受付できます。その場合納期は、約3ヶ月～4ヶ月以上の納期が必要となります。定価は、本体定価の20％アップになります。
×印のもの は、オーダーを受付けていません。
無印のもののオーダーを受付けておりますが、新たな治具が必要となる場合がありますので納期及び料金は、器種によって異なりますのでご注文以前にご確認ください。 | ③ Regarding Left-Handed Guitars
Models marked with ● are produced in batches but not continuously, so some models may be out of stock. In that case, a delivery time of approximately three to four months is required. The price is 20% higher than the instrument’s regular list price. Models marked with ▲ are not produced in batches but can be accepted as special orders. In that case, a delivery time of approximately three to four months or longer will be required. The price is 20% higher than the instrument’s regular list price. Items marked with × cannot be ordered. Unmarked models [column left blank] may also be ordered, but since new jigs may be required, delivery times and prices vary depending on the model, so please confirm these details before placing your order. |
1986 (Vol. 1) (Page 71 of catalog) | ② サウスポーギターについて
●印のもの／ロット生産していますが、常時生産しておりませんので、器種によっては在庫のない場合があります。その場合は、約3ヶ月〜4ヶ月の納期が必要となります。定価は、本体定価の20％アップになります。
▲印のもの／ロット生産していませんが、特注で受付できます。また、新たな治具が必要となる場合がありますので納期及び料金は、器種によって異なりますのでご注文以前にご確認ください。
（注）空白の欄のものは受け付けておりません。
●左用はMODELによってパーツ仕様が若干異なる事が有りますので、あらかじめご了承ください。 | ② Regarding Left-Handed Guitars
Models marked with ● are produced in batches, but not continuously, so some models may not be in stock. In that case, a delivery time of approximately three to four months is required. The price is 20% higher than the instrument’s regular list price.
Models marked with ▲ are not produced in batches, but may be accepted as special orders. As new jigs may also be required, delivery times and prices vary according to the model, so please confirm these details before placing your order.
Note: Models in blank columns cannot be ordered.
● For left-handed versions, parts specifications may differ slightly depending on the MODEL, so please be aware of this in advance. |
1987 -1990 (usually Page 71 of catalog) | ② サウスポーギターについて
●印のもの／ロット生産していますが、常時生産しておりませんので、器種によっては在庫のない場合があります。その場合は、約3ヶ月～4ヶ月の納期が必要となります。定価は、本体定価の20%アップになります。
〈注〉空白の欄のものは受付けておりません。
●左用はMODELによってパーツ仕様が若干異なる事が有りますので、あらかじめご了承ください。 | ② Regarding Left-Handed Guitars
Models marked with ● are produced in batches, but not continuously, so some models may not be in stock. In that case, a delivery time of approximately three to four months is required. The price is 20% higher than the instrument’s regular list price.
Note: Models in blank columns cannot be ordered.
For left-handed versions, parts specifications may differ slightly depending on the MODEL, so please be aware of this in advance. |
1991 - 2004 (list usually on last page of catalog) | ● サウスポーギターについて
下記の機種については、左用の生産をしております。ただし、常時生産はしておりませんので、機種によっては在庫のない場合があります。その場合、目安として約3ヶ月〜4ヶ月の納期が必要となります。定価は、本体定価の20％アップです。 | ● Regarding Left-Handed Guitars
We produce left-handed versions only for the models listed below. However, they are not produced continuously, so some models may not be in stock. In that case, an estimated delivery time of approximately three to four months is required. The price is 20% higher than the instrument’s regular list price. |
Fernandes Repair Service
1980 - 1983 | ④ 購入後、加工を要さないパーツ変更
ピックガードやツマミ、ブリッジ、ペグなどの変更はご希望のパーツを購入していただきす。フェルナンデス・リペアサービスでパーツ交換する場合は、技術料金をいただくこともあります。なお、パーツが新品の場合でも、下取りはいたしておりません。 ⑤ 購入後、木工加工及びその他の加工を要するパーツ変更
シングルコイルピックアップをハンバッキングピックアップに 変更したり、回路変更などの場合です。料金は内容により異なります。フェルナンデスのリペアサービスにご相談ください。パーツが新品の場合でも下取りはいたしません。 特注ギター、改造、カラー特注などについてのご相談は——。 東京 03-950-8147 大阪 06-458-2710 のリペアサービスへどうぞ。 | ④ Parts changes after purchase that do not require machining For changes to parts such as the pickguard, knobs, bridge, and tuners, you must purchase the desired parts yourself. If Fernandes Repair Service performs the parts replacement, a technical service charge may also apply. Please note that we do not accept [removed] parts as trade-ins, even if they are brand-new. ⑤ Parts changes after purchase that require woodworking or other machining This applies, for example, when changing a single-coil pickup to a humbucking pickup or modifying the circuitry. Charges vary according to the work required. Please consult Fernandes Repair Service. We do not accept [removed] parts as trade-ins, even if they are brand-new. For enquiries regarding custom guitars, modifications, custom colours, etc., please contact the Fernandes Repair Service at: Tokyo: 03-950-8147 Osaka: 06-458-2710 |
1984 - 2004 | ④購入後、木工加工を要さないパーツ変更
ピックガードやノブ、ブリッジ、ペグなど基本仕様以外変更は、ご希望パーツを購入していただきます。 フェルナンデス・リペアサービスでパーツ交換する場合は、技術料金をいただくこともあります。 なお、パーツが新品の場合でも、下取りはいたしておりません。 ⑤購入前、木工加工を要さないパーツ変更 基本的には、一本単位の特注となりますので見積が、必要な場合が発生します。 フェルナンデス・リペアサービスで、見積金額を確認の上、オーダーをしていただく様お願いいたします。 ⑥購入後及び購入前に木工加工を要するパーツ変更 購入前の場合基本的には、一本単位の特注になりますので見積料金確認の上、ご注文してください。 又、購入後シングルコイルPUをハムバッキングPUに変更したり、回路変更などの場合、内容により料金が異なります。フェルナンデス・リペアサービスにご相談ください。 なお、購入後の場合パーツが新品でも下取りはいたしません。
特注ギター、改造、カラー特注などについてのご相談は——。 東京 03(950)8141 大阪 06(458)2710 のリペアサービスへ | ④ Parts changes after purchase that do not require woodworking For changes from the standard specification, such as changing the pickguard, knobs, bridge, or tuners, you must purchase the parts you wish to use. If Fernandes Repair Service carries out the parts replacement, a technical service charge may also apply. Please note that we do not accept [removed] parts as trade-ins, even if the parts are brand-new. ⑤ Parts changes before purchase that do not require woodworking As these changes are treated as individual, per-instrument custom orders, a quotation may be required. Please confirm the quoted amount with Fernandes Repair Service before placing your order. ⑥ Parts changes requiring woodworking, before or after purchase For changes requested before purchase, the instrument will generally be treated as an individual custom order. Please confirm the quotation before placing your order. For changes requested after purchase, such as converting a single-coil pickup to a humbucking pickup or modifying the circuitry, charges vary according to the work required. Please consult Fernandes Repair Service. Please note that, for modifications made after purchase, we do not accept trade-ins, even if the [original] parts are brand-new. For enquiries regarding custom guitars, modifications, custom colours, etc., contact Fernandes Repair Service at: Tokyo: 03(950)8141, Osaka: 06(458)2710 |
Fernandes Custom Order System 2000 - 2004
2000 - 2004 | Custom Order System
御見積り
まず、オーダー内容を詳しく伺って仕様を決定していくことから始まります。使用するパーツや加工内容によって価格が変わってきますので、オーダー・シートに仕様を書き込んで下さい。オーダー・シートは最寄りの楽器店で受け取ることができます。また、主な項目は以下の通りです。（楽器店を通しての御連絡となります）
ボディー・ヘッドシェイプ
本カタログに掲載されている商品で、ミュージシャン・モデルを除く全てのものが対象です。
＊なお、オリジナル・シェイプ、スケール（弦長）、ネックジョイント方法等の変更は承っておりません。
--- some information omitted ---
セットアップ
サスティナー取り付け、特殊配線、パーツ・セッティング等について、ご希望の内容を記入してください。
全てのスペックが決定された後、楽器店を通して具体的な価格を御連絡いたします。御見積りは何度でも無料です。また、ご不明な点や特にこだわりたいポイント等ございましたら、弊社スタッフまでお気軽にお問い合わせ下さい。
② 発注・製作
●御見積り内容がまとまり、御確認いただいたのちに楽器店を通しての発注となります。
●納期は発注後4ヶ月から6ヶ月程度で、内容によっては多少の遅れが生じる場合がございますが、ご了承下さい。
●製作途中のスペック変更は、進行状況によっては不可能な場合があります。
＊発注後のキャンセルについては、お受け致しかねます。 | Custom Order System
Estimate
First, we begin by discussing the details of your order and determining the specifications. Since the price varies depending on the parts used and the modifications involved, please fill in the specifications on the order sheet. The order sheet can be obtained from your nearest musical instrument store. Also, the main items are listed below. (Communication will be conducted through the musical instrument store.)
Body & Headstock
All items listed in this catalog are eligible, with the exception of Musician models.
* Please note that we do not accept changes to the original shapes, scale length, or neck joint methods.
--- some information omitted --- Setup
Please fill in your desired specifications regarding Sustainer installation, special wiring, hardware setup, etc.
Once all specifications have been finalized, we will provide you with the specific price through the musical instrument store. Estimates are free of charge, no matter how many times you request one. Also, if you have any questions or specific preferences, please feel free to contact our staff.
② Ordering & Production
● Once the estimate details have been finalized and confirmed by you, the order will be placed through the musical instrument store.
● Delivery time is approximately 4–6 months after the order has been placed. Please understand that slight delays may occur in some cases, depending on the work involved.
● Making changes to specifications during production may not be possible depending on how far production has progressed.
* We cannot accept cancellations after an order has been placed. |
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