The Fernandes Sustainer
Hold any note or chord for as long as you want, with feedback and harmonics on tap, and no pedals or extra gear. This is the feature that made Fernandes famous, built right into the guitar.
Fernandes closed in 2024 and no longer builds new Sustainers or Sustainer kits. Original models still trade actively on the used market, where trusted sellers ship worldwide.
Find one on ReverbHow the Sustainer works
The Sustainer is a built-in electronic system that keeps any note, or group of notes, ringing at a steady level for as long as you want. Switch it on and the strings keep sounding until you stop them, even with the guitar unplugged.
A driver in the neck pickup position generates a magnetic field that keeps the strings vibrating, the same way a loud amp does at high volume, but fully under your control. Powered by a 9-volt battery, it works together with the bridge humbucker and a small circuit board to feed energy back into the strings. The result is endless sustain and controllable feedback at any volume, clean or distorted, with nothing plugged in between.
It is the kind of sustain you normally only get from a cranked amp, available at bedroom volume and with both hands still on the guitar.
Three modes
Harmonic mode
Within a second or two, the ringing note rises to a higher harmonic for a singing, overtone-rich sustain.
Natural mode
The note holds its normal fundamental pitch for as long as the string is free to vibrate and the system is on.
Mix mode
Blends Natural and Harmonic so every note harmonizes indefinitely, for a controlled feedback effect. Found on select models and the FSK-401 kit.
Guitars with a built-in Sustainer
These 29 models shipped with the Sustainer already installed, from the flagship JP Elites to the more affordable Pro versions. Each card lists its full specs.
Dragonfly Elite JP
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Mahogany Back
- Neck:
- Mahogany, Set Neck
- Fingerboard:
- Rosewood, 24 3/4" Scale
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), Seymour Duncan SH-4JB (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- See-Thru Black, See-Thru Black Cherry, See-Thru Blue
Monterey Elite JP
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Mahogany Back
- Neck:
- Mahogany, Set Neck
- Fingerboard:
- Rosewood, 24 3/4" Scale
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), Seymour Duncan SH-4JB (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Snow White, Black, Honey Burst
Ravelle Elite JP
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Mahogany Back
- Neck:
- Mahogany, Set Neck
- Fingerboard:
- Rosewood, 24 3/4" Scale
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), Seymour Duncan SH-4JB (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black Cherry, Cherry Sunburst, See-Thru Black
Retrorocket Elite JP
- Body:
- Light Ash
- Neck:
- Maple, Bolt-On
- Fingerboard:
- Maple, 25 1/2" Scale
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), Seymour Duncan SHR-1N (Middle), SHR-1B (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black, Cream White, 3-Tone Sunburst
Revolver Elite JP
- Body:
- Maple
- Neck:
- Maple, Neck Through
- Fingerboard:
- Rosewood, 25 1/2" Scale
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), EMG-81 (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- See-Thru Black, See-Thru Purple, Tobacco Sunburst
Vertigo Elite JP
- Body:
- Mahogany
- Neck:
- Maple, Set Neck
- Fingerboard:
- Rosewood, 24 3/4" Scale
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), EMG-81 (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Metallic Black Satin, Snow White, Dark Army Green
Vortex Elite JP
- Body:
- Mahogany
- Neck:
- Mahogany, Neck Through
- Fingerboard:
- Rosewood, 25 1/2" Scale
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), EMG-81 (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black, Snow White, Crimson Red
Vulcan Elite JP
- Body:
- Alder
- Neck:
- Maple, Set Neck
- Fingerboard:
- Rosewood, 25 1/2" Scale
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), EMG-81 (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Chameleon Purple, Chameleon Green
V-Hawk Elite
- Body:
- Mahogany
- Neck:
- Mahogany, Set Neck Through
- Fingerboard:
- Rosewood, 25 1/2" Scale
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), EMG-81 (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Chameleon Purple, Chameleon Green
Dragonfly Elite
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Mahogany Back
- Neck:
- Mahogany, Set Neck
- Fingerboard:
- Ebony, 24 3/4" Scale
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- See-Thru Emerald Green, Cherry Sunburst, See-Thru Black
Dragonfly Pro
- Body:
- Alder
- Neck:
- Maple, Bolt On
- Fingerboard:
- Rosewood, 25 1/2" Scale
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- See-Thru Amber, Cherry Sunburst, Black
Monterey Elite
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Mahogany Back
- Neck:
- Mahogany, Set Neck
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- See-Thru Black Cherry, See-Thru Black, Cherry Sunburst
Monterey Elite Tremolo
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Mahogany Back
- Bridge:
- Floyd Rose Licensed Tremolo
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black
Monterey Elite Limited
- Body:
- Mahogany
- Neck:
- Mahogany, Set Neck
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black
Monterey Deluxe Tremolo Sustainer
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Mahogany Back
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black Satin, Wine Red Satin
Ravelle Elite
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Mahogany Back
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- See-Thru Black Cherry, Cherry Sunburst, See-Thru Black
Ravelle Elite Tremolo
- Bridge:
- Floyd Rose Licensed Tremolo
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- See-Thru Black, Cherry Sunburst
Ravelle Pro
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Tobacco Sunburst
Retrorocket Elite
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Ash Back
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black, See-Thru Blue Burst, 2-Tone Sunburst
Retrorocket Pro
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black, Vintage Cream, Tobacco Sunburst, Cherry Sunburst
Revolver Elite
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Top + Mahogany Back
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- See-Thru Black, See-Thru Amber, Lemon Drop
Revolver Elite JS
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), EMG S (Middle), EMG 81 (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Red Camo
Revolver Elite Limited
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System, Barbwire Inlays
- Colors:
- Metallic Black Satin
Revolver Pro 81
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black, Snow White
Vertigo Elite
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Metallic Black Satin, Snow White, Wine Red Satin
Vertigo X
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System (select models)
- Colors:
- Black, Snow White, Dark Green Metallic Satin, See-Thru Black
Vortex Elite
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Metallic Black Satin, Snow White, Urban Camouflage
Vortex Pro
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- Black, Tobacco Sunburst, Snow White
Revolver Classic
- Body:
- 5A Quilted Maple Veneer Top + Alder Back
- Pickups:
- Sustainer (Neck), Seymour Duncan SCR-1 (Middle), SH-6 (Bridge)
- Features:
- Fernandes Sustainer System
- Colors:
- See-Thru Black, See-Thru Red, Lemon Drop, Natural, Tobacco Sunburst, See-Thru Amber
Looking for the whole range? See all electric guitars.
Sustainer kits
Fernandes also sold the Sustainer as a retrofit kit, so players could add it to a guitar they already owned. Two versions covered most builds.
FSK-401
The original Fernandes kit, built around a single-coil-size driver. A complete electronics package that adds full Sustainer control, including Mix mode.
In the box
- Single-coil-size Sustainer driver
- Sustainer circuit board
- Optional high-output humbucker
- Easy-access battery box
- Volume, tone, and Sustainer intensity pots
- 5-way selector and stereo jack
- 9-volt battery
FSK-101
A simpler, more affordable kit with a humbucker-size driver. It brings infinite sustain to any guitar set up for a neck humbucker.
In the box
- Humbucker-size Sustainer driver
- Sustainer circuit board
- Easy-access battery box
- Stereo jack and battery connector
- Connection wires and clips
- 9-volt battery
- Installation manual