Fernandes Vertigo Bass

Year: Mid 1990s
Finish: Sherwood Green (custom)
Origin: Japan
Acquired: 2003
Mods: Refinished, Fender Lace Sensor pickups, Badass II bridge, Q-Parts knobs, aftermarket tuners, Schaller straplocks
Still owned: No

The Story:
My research suggests the Vertigo Bass was only made from 1993 to 1996, so I was never able to determine exactly when mine was made. I bought it used on eBay because I loved the wild shape and I missed the Jazz bass that Kat sold. It also came with a whole bunch of upgrades (pickups, bridge, tuners, knobs), and the price was right considering all the improvements. It was originally silver (the other two factory finishes were — what else? — sunburst and black) but there were several nicks and some pretty obvious and ugly touch-ups in the paint. So, after consulting with Kat, we decided to have it completely refinished by Greg at Orbiter Guitars in a classic Fender finish, Sherwood Green, with a nitro lacquer. Old-school technique with a retro-future look!

I really loved this bass for all its inherent Jazz feel (love that neck) but its totally different Jetsons style. The weird body shape also had plenty of wood, so the sustain was lovely. Ultimately, with so many other great instruments in the house, I just didn’t play it enough to warrant keeping it, so when I wanted to get the Variax 700 Bass for its sheer versatility (including its ability to mimic not one but four different Fender Jazz basses), I sold this to a friend.

Fernandes Vertigo Bass