Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

[IMENATOR]

I have seen Joe Ed O'brian signature Stratocaster to have a Fernandes sustainer in the neck position. I personally love the neck position of a strat so much so I dont get why he chose that. Can a Fernandes Sustainer single coil be installed in the middle position of a Stratocaster? Pros and cons? I have an Strat I was trying to sell but it has not gone so maybe I will decide to turn it into something super different to my other guitars.

 

[Silver]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

No. The way it works is that the driver (sustainer) drives the string, and works in unison with another pickup (usually the bridge). This means two things:

It needs to be as far as possible from the bridge because it is easier to physically move a string the further along the scale length you apply the force.

It cannot be too close to the pickup it is working with (the bridge pickup)... or else there will be interference.

Therefore, the best place for the driver is in the neck, working with the bridge pickup. This is why you don't see any in the middle position.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

I agree here, only for the neck. It would be wonderful if there was another way to do this, but other than handheld devices like the Ebow, or something you attach to the guitar, like the Gizmotron, it isn't possible yet.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

The sustainer doubles as a pickup. So you don’t lose that.

Does anyone know why you can’t buy these sustainers anymore?

I have an ebow. It’s fun, but it’s trickier to use. I might have to go with the Sustainiac system.


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[Mincer]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

I have a new Ebow, and one from the mid 70s. They are both fun to use. I'd love an onboard sustainer system, but I don't own a guitar with one. As much as I use my Ebows, I'd really get some mileage out of one.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

I have a new Ebow, and one from the mid 70s. They are both fun to use. I'd love an onboard sustainer system, but I don't own a guitar with one. As much as I use my Ebows, I'd really get some mileage out of one.

You have the chrome ebow without the power switch?

I have a black one with the switch from the 80s.

Here’s how I keep it handy for grabbing it mid song. [emoji6]

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[Mincer]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

Great idea!
Yes I have a chrome one with the leather holster without the power switch. My gripe about the power switch is that it can accidentally get bumped, and drain the battery. It really isn't a great design- it should be recessed, at least.

 

[allstarrme]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

The sustainer doubles as a pickup. So you don’t lose that.

Does anyone know why you can’t buy these sustainers anymore?

Schecter sell tons of guitars with the sustainiac built in. Really the only downside is they are all active emg’s and most are floyded as well. I guess you can still find Fernandes guitars with them too. They even sell them separately still but they are expensive and hard to wire.

I built one of these back years ago with a sustainiac and an Emg, in a schecter no less. The wiring took forever, and I never got the neck pickup to work when not in sustainer mode. I got tired of the emg and parted it out. Maybe someday I’ll buy another.

 

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

Schecter sell tons of guitars with the sustainiac built in. Really the only downside is they are all active emg’s and most are floyded as well. I guess you can still find Fernandes guitars with them too. They even sell them separately still but they are expensive and hard to wire.

I guess I need to contact Fernandes. I’m a luthier and have been wanting to offer some guitars with them as an option.


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[Despair]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

Maniac Music still sells the Sustainiac Stealth Pro. Can get them directly from their website for $229. There's some extra cost options for easier installs for some common models of guitar, too.

Sustainiac appears to be the best commonly available magnetic pickup-style sustainer system, though installs are apparently a bit tricky. (I plan to eventually have in one of my guitars, wish I thought I could adapt to an ebow, as not having to install it would remove the "which guitar" and "what about neck pickups" dilemmas...)


Semi-related aside:
I'd like to see a noise-cancelling hexaphonic sustainer, but so far cost/bulk issues have been prohibitive. I keep wondering if alternative materials might help (silver wire, for higher output with less wire volume? I think there are more efficient audio amplifier designs, too...)

There is a youtube video where someone did a very simple hexaphonic sustainer design, so I'm not sure it's quite so impossible these days... But it lacks the noise tuning, mu-metal shield plate, or any of the other features and options of higher end ones.


More tenuously related:
I'm disgusted at Harman/Samsung killing Digitech R&D, no successors to FreqOut from them...

 

[Mincer]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

Maniac Music still sells the Sustainiac Stealth Pro. Can get them directly from their website for $229. There's some extra cost options for easier installs for some common models of guitar, too.

Sustainiac appears to be the best commonly available magnetic pickup-style sustainer system, though installs are apparently a bit tricky. (I plan to eventually have in one of my guitars, wish I thought I could adapt to an ebow, as not having to install it would remove the "which guitar" and "what about neck pickups" dilemmas...)


Semi-related aside:
I'd like to see a noise-cancelling hexaphonic sustainer, but so far cost/bulk issues have been prohibitive. I keep wondering if alternative materials might help (silver wire, for higher output with less wire volume? I think there are more efficient audio amplifier designs, too...)

There is a youtube video where someone did a very simple hexaphonic sustainer design, so I'm not sure it's quite so impossible these days... But it lacks the noise tuning, mu-metal shield plate, or any of the other features and options of higher end ones.


More tenuously related:
I'm disgusted at Harman/Samsung killing Digitech R&D, no successors to FreqOut from them...

Is Digitech even a functioning company any more?

 

[Despair]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

Is Digitech even a functioning company any more?

Sort of... Tom Cram left several years of product map about ready to go, before they laid everyone off. So some of their ideas will come out... As interpreted by outsourced production.

 

[OLDERBUDWISER]

Re: Fernandes Sustainer in middle position of a Stratocaster?

Schecter sell tons of guitars with the sustainiac built in. Really the only downside is they are all active emg’s and most are floyded as well. I guess you can still find Fernandes guitars with them too. They even sell them separately still but they are expensive and hard to wire.

I built one of these back years ago with a sustainiac and an Emg, in a schecter no less. The wiring took forever, and I never got the neck pickup to work when not in sustainer mode. I got tired of the emg and parted it out. Maybe someday I’ll buy another.

Mine doesnt have an EMG