For guitarists chasing that elusive infinite sustain and controlled feedback, the Fernandes Sustainer system has long been a coveted piece of technology. If you’re intrigued by Fernandes Guitars and their unique sustainer capabilities, you’ve come to the right place. Navigating the world of Fernandes Sustainers can be a bit complex, especially when diving into the different models and variations available. This guide will break down the essentials, drawing from hands-on experience and research to give you a comprehensive understanding of these fascinating systems.
Let’s be clear from the outset: this isn’t a beginner’s guide to sustain itself. We assume you’re already familiar with the concept and are looking specifically into the Fernandes system. With that in mind, let’s explore what makes these sustainers tick and what you need to know before considering a fernandes guitar equipped with one.
Before we delve into the specifics, it’s crucial to address a couple of points that can significantly impact your experience with Fernandes Sustainer systems:
- Repair Challenges: Finding technicians skilled in repairing sustainer drivers or boards can be difficult. Unless a tech has prior experience with these specialized systems, understanding and fixing them can be a significant undertaking. This is something to consider, especially if you’re purchasing a vintage or second-hand fernandes guitar.
- Spare Parts Scarcity: Spare parts are generally hard to come by. Many Fernandes Sustainer systems, particularly older models, are discontinued and were primarily sold in Japan. Finding components on the second-hand market can be challenging and often expensive.
Exploring Fernandes Sustainer Types and Drivers
My journey into the world of Fernandes guitars with sustainers began with a simple desire: to replicate feedback effects when playing through amp modeling software like Amplitube or HX Stomp without deafening volume levels. This led me to discover that Fernandes offers several sustainer models, each with its own nuances. From my research and personal experience, here are the main types I’ve encountered:
- Sustainer Lite: Often paired with driver pickups that double as regular pickups when the sustainer is off.
- “Full” Sustainer (Non-Pickup Driver): Features a dedicated driver that only functions as a sustainer driver and not as a traditional pickup.
- “Full” Sustainer (Pickup/Driver Combo): Similar to the “Full” sustainer but with a driver that can also function as a neck pickup when the sustainer is disengaged. These come in both single-coil and humbucker configurations.
- “Full” Sustainer with FR SUS II/Sustainer II Driver (Post-2020): A more recent innovation featuring a significantly smaller driver, about the size of a guitar fret, allowing for more traditional neck pickup options alongside the sustainer.
For those outside Japan, the second-hand market is the most common source for fernandes guitar sustainer models, primarily types 1 through 3. While I haven’t personally used type 4, it’s worth including in our discussion of driver types. Each type presents different considerations when you’re looking to purchase a fernandes guitar with a sustainer.
Understanding Sustainer Driver Types
The driver is the heart of the sustainer system. It’s the component that, in conjunction with the bridge pickup (usually a humbucker), vibrates the guitar strings to create that endless sustain. Over the years, Fernandes has employed various driver designs. Here’s a closer look at the driver types I’m familiar with:
Driver with No Pickup Function
Often found in older fernandes guitar models, this driver type is solely dedicated to sustainer operation. When the sustainer is off, it’s inactive, serving no other purpose as a pickup.
Driver with Active Pickup Function
Available in both humbucker and single-coil sizes, these drivers are more versatile. When the sustainer is deactivated, the driver functions as a neck pickup. When engaged, it switches to driver mode, working with the bridge pickup in a feedback loop to create infinite sustain. It’s important to note that it cannot be both a driver and a pickup simultaneously.
Variations exist within these pickup/driver combos, including models with pole pieces, screws, and active or passive circuitry. While subtle differences likely exist, in-depth comparisons require more extensive hands-on experience.
Sustainer II Driver
The Sustainer II represents a more modern approach, shrinking the driver’s size dramatically. Positioned between the neck pickup cavity and the 24th fret (as seen in the image), it frees up the neck pickup slot for a standard pickup. This design offers greater flexibility in pickup configurations while retaining the full sustainer functionality.
Sustainer Lite vs. Full Sustainer: Key Differences
For someone new to fernandes guitar sustainers, distinguishing between Sustainer Lite and Full systems isn’t always straightforward. Visually, the most apparent difference lies in the control layout. A Full sustainer typically has two switches and sometimes a knob, while the Lite version has a single switch and often a knob.
Full Sustainer Controls:
- ON/OFF Switch: Engages or disengages the sustainer system.
- Mode Switch (HARMONIC/FUNDAMENTAL/MIX): Selects the sustainer mode.
- Fundamental: Sustains the fundamental note.
- Harmonic: Emphasizes specific harmonics (like the 5th or octave) of the fretted note.
- Mix: Blends fundamental and harmonic modes.
- Sustainer Intensity Knob: Adjusts the strength of the sustainer effect.
The Sustainer Lite system omits the mode switch (point #2), simplifying the controls to just ON/OFF and intensity.
My Personal Sustainer Guitar Journey
Initially, I leaned towards a fernandes guitar with a Sustainer Lite, thinking its simplicity might be more reliable and that I didn’t necessarily need the harmonic mode (already covered by pedals like the Digitech Freqout).
My first foray was with a Fernandes FR-65s. The “FR” denotes Fernandes Revolver, and the “s” signifies the sustainer. Unfortunately, this guitar arrived with issues. The sustainer was intermittent and emitted a high-pitched squeal when malfunctioning. Upon inspection, I discovered a surprising difference in the Sustainer Lite circuitry.
Contrary to my expectation of a single circuit board, the Sustainer Lite in my FR-65s had two boards: one with the switch and another hidden beneath the battery compartment.
This revelation meant that troubleshooting advice for “Full” sustainer boards might not directly apply to this unique Sustainer Lite configuration. Furthermore, replacing the Sustainer Lite with a standard Fernandes sustainer kit (like FSK-401 or FSK-101) wouldn’t be a simple drop-in replacement due to potential size and layout differences.
Ultimately, I returned the FR-65s due to the damage, learning a valuable lesson: Sustainer Lite systems, while simpler in control, can have unique and potentially less documented circuitry.
Finding Sustainer Satisfaction: The FR-95s
Undeterred, I pursued my sustainer quest and acquired an FR-95s, this time equipped with a Full sustainer system.
This FR-95s features an 18V Full sustainer system, powered by two 9V batteries. While it had its own set of minor issues (detailed in a separate post), the sustainer itself worked flawlessly and proved to be incredibly enjoyable. Surprisingly, I found myself using the HARMONIC/FUNDAMENTAL/MIX switch frequently and appreciating the added tonal versatility.
Peeking inside the control cavity revealed another interesting detail:
This board, with its two trimpots, is different from the later 90s Fernandes boards and kit versions, which typically have four trimpots. However, crucially, the PCB is fully contained within the control cavity, increasing the likelihood of compatibility with a kit replacement should it ever become necessary.
Newer four-trimpot boards usually offer adjustments for:
- FGC (Neck Pickup Output): Balances the driver/neck pickup output with other pickups.
- VBC (Vibration Control): Adjusts sustainer attack and impacts battery life.
- AGC (Sustainer Gain Control): Sets sustainer gain, reducing for feedback issues.
- MBC (Mode Balance Control): Balances output between fundamental and harmonic modes.
Without further inspection, the function of the two trimpots on my older board remains unclear. It seems experimentation will be needed to decipher their purpose.
Continued Tinkering and Exploration
My journey with fernandes guitar sustainer systems is ongoing. As I continue to explore and tinker with my FR-95s, I anticipate encountering more challenges and insights. I plan to share these discoveries in future posts, hoping to contribute to the collective knowledge base for fellow Fernandes sustainer enthusiasts.
(Edit): A closer look at the underside of the board unfortunately reveals no labels for the trimpots. Trial-and-error adjustment will likely be the key to understanding their function.
