American musician, singer-songwriter, guitarist, writer, visual artist and record producer, best known as a co-founder of the alternative rock band SONIC YOUTH, Lee Ranaldo is certainly an exceptional Vertigo user. He has a few Fernandes guitars in his collection, including a customized Vertigo Standard, fitted with the Fernandes Sustainer.

Lee started his career in New York in several bands and joining the electric guitar orchestra of Glenn Branca. Among Lee's solo records are Dirty Windows, Amarillo Ramp (For Robert Smithson), pieces for the guitar, and Scriptures of the Golden Eternity. His books include several with art or photography by Leah Singer, including Drift, Bookstore, Road Movies, and Moroccan Journal: Jajouka excerpt (from a full-length book of writings on Moroccan travels and music). Lee has also published Jrnls80s (published by Soft Skull Press), as well as a book of poems, Lengths & Breaths, with photography by Cynthia Connolly. His most recent book of poetry, Against Refusing, was published by Water Row Press in April 2010 with cover artwork by Leah Singer. His visual and sound works have been shown at galleries and museums in Paris, Toronto, New York, London, Sydney, Los Angeles, Vienna, and elsewhere.

Lee has produced albums for artists including Babes in Toyland, You Am I, Magik Markers, Deity Guns, and Dutch art rock-ensemble Kleg. He has edited a volume of tour journals from the 1995 Lollapalooza Tour written by himself, Thurston Moore, Beck, Stephen Malkmus, Courtney Love, and others.

Lee has been ranked in many major publications as a top guitarist of all time, including Rolling Stone and Spin magazines.

Looking ahead. 2001 was a time of progressive changes for Fernandes product line and specially, for the Vertigo Series. Focusing on a more modern aproach, the Vertigo Standard was discontinued and replaced with a pioneering instrument. Following the great and groundbreaking success of the Nomad Deluxe released the previous year, the product development team installed the same digital effect processor designed by Japanese electronics innovator Zoom corporation, creating the Vertigo FX - the first full-size guitar with built-in effects.

Musician interest kept growing that year, artists that joined the Vertigo user list at this time included Todd Youth of Danzig, Randy Torres of Project 86, Mike Miller of Godhead and Kevin Quinn of American Pearl.

Stay tuned for part 9 coming next week!

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Building Foundations. At the beginning of the millennium, the Vertigo Series continued their successful presence and evolution in the expanding guitar market, gaining a new generation of followers. The Vertigo Deluxe was revamped with see-thru burst finishes and flame maple tops, giving it a more modern look that enhanced the body shape and broadening the spectrum of colors and variations of the series.

Many well-known guitarists came seeking a Vertigo guitar around this time, including Riggs of Rob Zombie band, Mike Clark of Suicidal Tendencies, Tommy Victor of Prong, Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, Davey Johnstone of Elton John Band and Kevin Quinn of American Pearl.

Stay tuned for part 8 coming next week!

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Tommy Victor, one of the most influential rock musicians of the late 1980's and early 1990's, lead singer and guitarist for the crossover thrash/industrial metal band PRONG that he founded in New York in 1986, was one of the most notable Vertigo users.

In the late 1980's Tommy worked as a sound engineer at the trendy venue, CBGB in New York City, when PRONG's fist two independent albums attracted the attention of Epic Records, who signed the trio in 1989. After the release of Rude Awakening in 1996, PRONG disbanded and Tommy moved to Los Angeles. Since then, he has sporadically toured and released new PRONG material, while worked alongside rock musicians including Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Trent Reznor and Glenn Danzig. Tommy has toured and recorded with Ministry and Danzig. He has also provided guest vocals for the Soulfly album Omen. Latest PRONG album Carved Into Stone features Fernandes signature artist Tony Campos on bass.

Tommy was amongst the first American guitarists to pick up a Vertigo H-65 in 1997 while in Japan, making it one of his main guitars live and in the studio.

Stay tuned for more Vertigo artist profiles coming next week!

Thrash titans MUNICIPAL WASTE and extreme metallers EXHUMED are currently on tour with NAPALM DEATH accross US/Canada tour, several dates are sold-out! Don't miss Ryan Waste with his Fernandes Custom V-Hawk and MW guitars, as well as Matt Harvey with his Sustainer-loaded Vortex guitars and Rob Babcock setting the low end with his Tremor basses.

REPULSION will also join them on select dates, featuring Marissa Martinez and her Vortex Elite guitar equipped with the Fernandes Sustainer.

Tour dates and more: facebook.com/municipalwaste |  facebook.com/exhumedofficial

"The hardest working man in metal", current SOULFLY bassist Tony Campos will be joining CAVALERA CONSPIRACY for their upcoming string of South American tour dates, which kick off November 1 in Mexico City and end November 18 in Curitiba, Brazil.

Don't miss Tony with his Signature Tremor bass through the 7 countries and 11 cities where they will be performing at.

Check out the full list of dates on the band's website: cavaleraconspiracy.com

Code of Conduct. 1999 was a year of big changes for Fernandes USA and the Vertigo, setting new rules for the way the guitar and bass product lines were designed and marketed, with clear disctinctions between the different series, as it is to this day. The Elite featured top construction and parts along with the Fernandes Sustainer. The Deluxe had the same construction standards as the Elite but didn't have the Sustainer system or certain parts and was available in different finishes. The Standard was a mid-level version, stripped down but with great craftsmanship and affordable price. And Finally the X series was the entry-level model, featuring bolt-on neck and basic features.

Stay tuned for part 7 coming next week!

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Sean Chamilian of hardcore giants BETRAYAL with his Monterey Deluxe at recent Japan tour. Don't miss Sean and Andrew Adolph with his Retrospect bass at the California Metal Fest, taking place November 24 at N.O.S. Event Center in San Bernardino, California.

Check out the photos, videos and band news at the band's facebook page: facebook.com/betrayalhc

INQUISITION's part in The Conquerors of the Worlds North American tour was a total success, according to band reports, now they will be returning to the Lone Star state after 2 years for the Destroying Texas Fest 7, co-headlining together with Absu, this coming Saturday November 3rd.

Check out the photo galleries featuring Dagon with his Ravelle guitars, and stay tuned for band news and tour dates at their facebook page:

facebook.com/inquisition.official

Quality video footage of SUICIDAL TENDENCIES entire August 10, 2012 concert at the This Is Hardcore festival at Electric Factory in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania can be seen at link below, featuring Dean Pleasants with his Fernandes Sustainer-loaded Revolver Elite and Nico Santora with his Monterey Deluxe Tremolo.

vimeo.com/hate5six/suicidaltendencies-tihc2012