Fernandes – Burny: Models & Pickups

Burny’s initial Les Paul replicas bore the Les Paul logo on the guitar headstock. They entered the market in 1973, coinciding with the Firebird replicas featured in Fernandes’ inaugural catalog. Identified by the designation ‘FLG’ followed by a number indicating the yen price at the time, these models denoted the quality of the guitar. The range spanned from FLG-60 to FLG-240.

The early models boasted Gotoh pickups akin to the PAF type for the more affordable guitars, while the higher-tier models featured Seymour Duncan ’59 pickups. Several of these guitars were furnished with fret binding for added embellishment.

By 1982/1983, the use of the ‘Les Paul’ name was phased out in favor of the acronym ‘RLG’: RLG 50, RLG 60, RLG 90, RLG 120, RLG 150. The pickups were designated as L8001 or L8002 for the premium models and L8000 for simpler ones, while the P-90s were labeled as L9000s.

Starting from 1985, the premier models featured VH-1 pickups crafted by Gotoh. These pickups were distinguishable by a small label outlining their identity. Meanwhile, the more basic models came equipped with VH-2 or VH-4 pickups, exclusively manufactured by Gotoh for Fernandes.

The tuners and bridges for both Burny and Fernandes guitars were also Gotoh-made.

In the case of the initial FLG models, the naming convention for guitar and bass models typically comprised 2 or 3 letters followed by a number, indicating the price in Yen. Naturally, the price corresponded to the quality of the model.

• RLG-XX = Les Paul Standard
• RLC-XX = Les Paul Custom
• RSG-XX = SG
• FTS-XX = Strat
• TE-XX = Tele

In 1988, Fernandes began manufacturing its most affordable guitars and basses in Taiwan. The production of instruments labeled ‘Made in Taiwan’ grew significantly during the ’90s. Throughout this period, it’s highly probable that Fernandes also introduced models manufactured in Korea. However, from the early 2000s onward, production predominantly shifted offshore, primarily centered in China.