Fernandes Guitars has made plenty of very cool models over the years and even invented the Sustainer pickup. Despite their renown, Fernandes Guitars has sadly revealed they’ve filed for bankruptcy.
According to a statement on the Fernandes Guitars website translated from Japanese, the company owes too much to too many creditors and can no longer stay afloat: “Fernandes Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as ‘Fernandes’) is currently owed a considerable amount of debt to multiple creditors, and unfortunately, it has become impossible to continue business.
“We apologize for the inconvenience caused to creditors and related parties, but in light of the total amount of debt, Fernandes plans to file for bankruptcy proceedings as soon as possible.
“Creditors and business partners who have claims or debts against Fernandes will be contacted in writing by the attorney representing them in the bankruptcy proceedings… We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patronage over the years.”
According to Tokyo Shoko Research via Guitar World, Fenandes Guitars owed 433.89 million yen (roughly $2.75 million) in January 2024. This is especially gonna suck for anyone trying to grab a used Fernandes, as I’m sure all the prices are about to shoot through the roof.
The good news is that bankruptcy doesn’t mean death. Fernandes could be bought out by another company, or restructure in the wake of the bankruptcy filing. So it’s not the definitive end, but it’s also not great.
