"It’s a bit of detective work left to do, I’m still not sure if these were made in the FujiGen or the Tokai factory. It’s most likely made in 1988, well if you can trust Guitar world crazy in Japan, but he seems to know his stuff. The number on the back plate has nothing to do with the year but the first digit of the number stamped on the neck seems to indicate the production year, at least during the 1980’s. Mine has #Y80801 and ’57 stamped and the heal so that should be a Fernades RST-50 ’57 Strat from 1988. However, this guy on eBay claims that Fernandes changed from the proper Fender head to a sharpier head in 1986. He claims that mine should have been made between 1982-85 since it has “Electric Sound Research Group” under the Fernandes The Revival logo on the headstock. I think I’ll go with the Guitar world crazy guy, he seems to know a thing or two. We can be pretty sure that the material is the following, both Guitar world crazy and Music-Trade Japan says the same. The RST-50 ’57 were made between 1981-90, came with Revival Logo, had a 3-piece alder body a Small head and a 1-piece maple neck, poly lacquer, L-5000 Vintage Arched PP Gray Bobbin pickups, separate Diecast & FSRG Press saddle. However, then it says that from 1984 the pickups changed to VS-2 and the saddle to non press marked which is weird since mine clearly has “Revival F.S.R.G” stamped on them."
"One of the best-kept secrets in collecting vintage Japanese guitars, if you're a Stratocaster fanatic like I am, is a line of
guitars offered by Fernandes/Burny back in the early 1980s called "The Revival." Essentially, they "revived" the
original Fender Stratocaster, years before Fender caught on to start reissuing their own classics. These guitars were
sold along-side the 7okai "Springy Sound" and Greco "Super Real" models in stores in Japan. Most were lower-end
models, but they did make a few very high-end instruments, of which this is one. It's in mint condition; the body is made
of Japanese Sen Ash, bookmatched, and has an extraordinary thick maple C-shaped neck with super-nice grain.
Add gold hardware, nitro finish, high-end wiring and those to-die-for L-series single-coil pickups, and you have a
Stratocaster that is not only rare, but made with such attention to detail, it puts Fender Custom Shops to shame. If
you ever get a chance to play a Fernandes from "The Revival" series, take the opportunity."
Flame neck. Electric Sound Products (ESP) Custom Lab (?)
Ca. 1981 Fernandes Stratocaster '64 Reissue 'The Revival', fiesta red. Made in Japan. This guitar was completely overhauled by ESP's Custom Lab, it features a thin skin nitro finish with nice weather checking, CTS pots, CRL switch, Sprague Orange Drop tone cap, steel tremolo block, Raw Vintage steel bridge saddles and 60's Pribora Pickup. It looks like it also had a recent professional refret as there is no wear on them and the fretboard is wonderfully clean. Nice flamey grain on the back of the neck and the profile has very comfortable round shoulders. Comes with a hardshell case. Weighs 3.7kg, feels perfectly balanced.