Nobody around here (Eugene, Oregon) sells Fernandes, so I gathered quotes from a number of mail-order sources. The best price was from Subway Guitars in Berkeley, CA -- $400 with a very nice (second hand) Mooradian gig bag, including shipping. This was quite a bit lower than the other quotes I received but Subway is a different sort of company -- they don't take credit cards, for one thing, so I had to send a cashier's check; they were also a bit slower than expected in shipping it out. However, it was given a good set-up, & they threw in a cord & strap.

OK, about the bass. The quality control is outstanding, esp. considering the price. The body is a nice piece of alder; you can see the grain through the light part of the sunburst. There are no flaws in the wood, the neck joint is snug & even. The finish on both body & neck is smooth & consistent. The fretwork doesn't exactly melt under the hand like a $2000 Sadowsky, but there are no burs or gaps either. The pickguard fits nice & flat, but it is white -- I might upgrade to a tortoise shell color at some point which would look nicer. Other potential upgrades down the road might include a Schaller bridge & straplocks, & maybe Bartolini pickups, although the single coils sound pretty good.

How does it play? Unplugged, this is one of the most resonant solid body basses I have played at any price. You can hear the notes in the next room. Plugged in, it has the classic warm & meaty jazz bass sound. It debuted yesterday with my church band & here's what they said: "very punchy" (director/keyboard player) "lots of pop but with a strong bottom end too, & that's unusual" (lead guitar player) Keep in mind that I was playing through a Sadowsky preamp (see review under "miscellaneous") which boosts output & adds an active tone control. This device is highly recommended for any passive bass.

Summary: I have played USA Fenders & Japanese ESPs that weren't as good, or were about the same, but cost 2-3X as much. It is far better than a MexiJazz, which is about the same price. Definitely worth a try if you want the traditional J-bass sounds and are on a budget.