The Fernandes ST-65JL JAKE E LEE model Whitey in all its glory

[ http://alienxnation.com/guitar/fernandes-jake-e-lee ]

OK. After many many years enjoying hardtail stratocasters of all kinds that are filled with a humbucker and fed through a Marshall Plexi, I finally sat down and wrote about this particular Jake E lee model.

One of my all time favorite guitars. The Fernandes ST-65JL. Of course as soon as I write this the price will go up in the used market for these awesome guitars. Why? Because I’m The Sensei of 1980s guitars and i speak in facts.

Jake e lee’s main go to guitar in Ozzy Osbourne was The Whitey. His Whitey guitar was labelled as a Charvel but was actually a hardtail 1974 hardtail Fender Stratocaster. By the 1980s Fernandes was already known for over-the-top accurate copies of vintage Fenders and Gibsons. To make a copy of Jake’s Whitey was just an exercise in creativity by Fernandes.

jake-e-lee-fernandes-image.jpg

Some unique features of Jakes real Whitey are a bullet truss rod at the headstock, 3-bolt neck, vintage tremolo string spacing 2-7/32”. Funny note here, the specifications i just mentioned are NOT included in any of the recent Charvel/Fender re-issue JEL Whitey replicas for sale today… just saying LOL

Some history, Jake worked at music store when he was young and tried a bunch of Strats. The owner said he would give Jake a good deal so Jake could pick out something he liked. He played all the fenders there and walked off with the hardtail Strat.

Jake owned the 74 hardtail Strat in LA in the early 80s and used it in all its 3-tone sunburst glory with the band Rough Cutt. All the rockers in Hollywood had flashy guitars so Jake was after a little individuality. Jake was friends and roommates with John his buddy that worked in the Charvel shop in San Dimas Glendora CA. John  shaved the big Strat headstock down and put a Charvel logo on the headstock. Needless to say the guitar got paint and a full a remodel. It became The Whitey. If you look close at Ozzy concert footage you can see that there is a 3 bolt fender style neck plate on the real Whitey guitar. Go check out vintage live footage of Ozzy from the 1980s theres is some technical things to learn.

FERNANDES ST-65JL JAKE E LEE WHITEY GUITAR[ 1985 FERNANDES CATALOG PHOTO ]

FERNANDES ST-65JL JAKE E LEE WHITEY GUITAR

[ 1985 FERNANDES CATALOG PHOTO ]

Alrighty, so there is my condensed story. Most of which came strait from Mr. Lee. Who is widely acknowledged as a guitar player that we all have ripped licks off at one time or another. I’d say a living legend.

I personally spent many nights trying to play Ozzy riffs just like Jake. So you can call me guilty… As a matter of fact i still try to play like Jake at times. So there you go some well deserved compliments.. you reading this Jakey?

Again, the Fernandes guys already had a lot of practice re-producing copies of Fenders and Gibsons. As The Sensei of 1980s guitars i will let you in on this little secret… Fernandes outsourced its guitar manufacturing all through the 1970s and 1980s to different subcontractors.

Kawai was the manufacturer that made the JEL guitar in the pictures i’ve included here and Fernandes was the marketing. This guitar was and is a great example of a well executed and accurate replica celebrating 1980s LA METAL.

FERNANDES ST-65JL JAKE E LEE WHITEY GUITAR - Image Gallery

So there it is. In conclusion i would like to say enjoy the photos. I left all the technical information in the photos. Those measurements pretty much sum it up. The above guitar is factory original. There is only one addition and that was i put new locking black 90 degree Gotoh tuners on the pictured guitar without any modification… they fit..! I enjoyed using this puppy live a a show or two!

HERE IS THE GUITAR IN OUR ARCHIVES [ http://alienxnation.com/guitar/fernandes-jake-e-lee ]

Best Wishes Johnny - Sensei of 1980s Guitars

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