NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

Animal

Animal

Well-known member
Well, not quite NGD, this arrived arrived on my doorstep all the way from Tokyo a few weeks ago:

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Made in Japan sometime in 90's. Almost mint condition. Stays in tune very well and the intonation seems to be fine. Still trying to adjust to the 24.75" scale length. I'm used to strats and teles. Also quite heavy. Solid maple top, mahogany back, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard with abalone inlays.

Plugged in, the tone is FAT and sounds HUGE on the overdrive channel on my Blackstar HT-5 head going into a Marshall 4x12. A lil' bit bassy when played clean but that can be alleviated with a slight reduction of the volume knob.

The VH-1 pickups I think are Alnico 5s and seem to be of moderate to hot output. I'm not quite sure what to compare them too, maybe SD 59s? They have a full but slightly scooped body. Smooth treble.

All out rock n' roll machine. Overall I'm very pleased. :approve:
 
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Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

Very very nice indeed. I have one of those exact guitars, although unfortunately it had been savaged by some fool who'd fitted a middle humbucker and other various horrible fittings. However, i got it very cheaply ($395 Aussie) and filled the middle hole and re-finished the top and fitted new bridge, tailpiece, tuners and pickups. (I built hybrid pups for mine, Custom/59 bridge and Jazz/59 neck). They are fantastic guitars, and those VH-1 pickups are supposed to be great.

Do you know what year it was made? The Fernandes LP's have always been great, and when i finally got to own one, I added my name to the list of those who sing their praises. I don't think of them as being a LP copy, they are LP's. Mine is better than the gibson i owned, and better than many Gibbo's that i've played. Have a close listen to it with a clean sound and you will hear just how good it is....i doubt you'll improve it with a pickup swap, unless you go to scatterwound boutique units.

Congratulations, that is a fine looking guitar, and i have no doubt it is as good or likely even better than it looks. I doubt you'll get a better LP guitar even if you spent another two grand. Enjoy it to the max bro, you've made a great purchase there !
 
Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

Hehe wow! I've never played a real Gibson Les Paul but that's great to hear!

It's certainly my number one guitar now. The pickups do have a slight dark/rolled off tone. My only quibble maybe is that they're not as open as I would like, more so on the neck pickup. Though, if I did replace them, I would probably go back to the stock ones. I've got a Pearly Gates neck lying around I could replace the neck position. But part of me is just thinking that I shouldn't go down that avenue and be forever changing things around on this guitar. I've also got a PATB-2, PATB-3, Custom, PAF Pro, SH-6, Steve's Special, and a Jazz neck also lazing around as potential replacements but I think I'd rather just play the **** thing instead of tinkering.

One thing I forgot to mention is just how awesome the natural sustain of the guitar is!
 
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Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

what'd you pay man? that looks like an awesome LP, neiLs is sweet too

and i agree that you don't need to rush into swapping pickups... you have some excellent candidates on hand? especially for driving the HT-5 and a 4x12
if it's boomy the pickups might've been set a bit close
; ]
:beerchug:
 
Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

That's a real nice looking guitar. :approve:

How about a full length shot sitting on a stand in some sunlight? :cool2:
 
Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

Animal said:
Well, not quite NGD, this arrived arrived on my doorstep all the way from Tokyo a few weeks ago:




Made in Japan sometime in 90's. Almost mint condition. Stays in tune very well and the intonation seems to be fine. Still trying to adjust to the 24.75" scale length. I'm used to strats and teles. Also quite heavy. Solid maple top, mahogany back, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard with abalone inlays.

Plugged in, the tone is FAT and sounds HUGE on the overdrive channel on my Blackstar HT-5 head going into a Marshall 4x12. A lil' bit bassy when played clean but that can be alleviated with a slight reduction of the volume knob.

The VH-1 pickups I think are Alnico 5s and seem to be of moderate to hot output. I'm not quite sure what to compare them too, maybe SD 59s? They have a full but slightly scooped body. Smooth treble.

All out rock n' roll machine. Overall I'm very pleased. :approve:
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It looks alot like my Tokai Love Rock LE that I bought new in 01 but I upgraded all the electronics and put Seths in mine...I Love mine....I'll see if I can get some pictures up on here on mine...Nice guitar...
 
Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

Nice-lookin' LP....Congrats!

....+1 that we need a full body shot!
 
Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

Nice top. Tops like those are the ones that convince me that plain is best. Or even better, plain with tons of streaking with just a hair of flame.
 
Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

dr. ad said:
what'd you pay man?
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Got it for $850 US, plus it was another $120 US to get it shipped from Tokyo. So all up I payed over $1000 AUD. I've almost had my finger on the button to buy an Edwards LP in the past for around the same price, but I think my Fernandes may be of better build quality, and also much rarer!

....+1 that we need a full body shot!
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Full body shots in broad daylight will be coming a few days when I get a chance to be at home during the day. Though, I may have to take it out into the street as I live in an apartment and our little court-yard has metre high weeds growing all over the place. :eyecrazy:
 
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Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

crusty philtrum said:
Do you know what year it was made?
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It's kind of hard to date some Fernandes LPs because apparently they only ocassionaly used serial numbers on the older models. That's why it was sold as a "1990s" model. According to this website http://guitarsjapan.com/burnyfernandesinfopage.html it should be an early 1990s model.

My one has the white band and ridges coming out from the side of the truss rod cover. It also has a "Made In Japan" sticker on the back of the neck. These things I guess could be easily forged with a post 2000 Korean or Chinese model but the seller I got it from is highly respected.

is it heavy?
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It sure is heavy compared to my other guitars. It weighs 4.8kg (10.58lbs). I'm not sure if that's heavy for an LP or not.
 
Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

I seem to remember reading that the truss-rod cover with the pointy bits on the sides came around 1982, and i don't think they've had the VH1 pickups for quite a while, so my guess would be that it could be from the eighties, but i can't be rock solid about that. They re-appeared here in the early 90's for a short while, then disappeared again. At that stage, they cost about $1000 - 1200 AU. I have seen several sell here for around $1200 second hand over the last couple of years, so i feel you paid a very fair price, and it will continue to increase in value.
 
Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

You better bring that beast to the next Melbourne Forum get together!!!!
 
Re: NGD! Fernandes Super Grade LP Copy (Lefty content)

Man that's a beauty of a guitar... I love the finish, and imo plain tops are the best... love em... Enjoy it, and play the heck out of it...


-J
 
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