Fernandes APB-5

Made in Japan, ash body, neck 24 frets rosewood fingerboard,
mechanical oil bath Gotoh, adjustable nut, Gotoh bridge (excellent)
mic preamp TC 9500.2 IGF J5 Pro (Fernandes, type jazz bass)
4 controls: volume, balance, bass, treble
active (9 volt battery)
all hardware is gold

UTILIZATION

The handle is very comfortable, quite fine, not tiring and offers a high velocity because of the strings close enough.
Access to acute is good, easy to box the 21 th
The bass is fairly light and well balanced (not itchy nose) which is useful during long recording sessions because little tiring

SOUNDS

Very versatile in terms of sound with simple but effective corrections, it easily adapts to all styles, the active preamp allows you to send the "big sound" (by boosting the bass) while remaining well defined, and conversely, in reducing the treble, we can find a soft jazz sound to perfection.

OVERALL OPINION

Purchased 8600 En (1313 €) in 1992, I used it on different amps (green audio, trace elliot, ampeg) mostly rock and jazz to rock and it fulfills its role very well, the finishes are of good quality and in particular the beautiful painted translucent colored (green, purple, black ...) which reveals the wood grain. This is my first 5 string and I think it was a very good choice, 19 years later even if I using it less (I went to frettless "luthier"), it is always nickel and very enjoyable to play, the handle has not moved an poil.Son only flaw might be that the hardware is a bit tarnished and the "golden" a little piqued, but given the many tours she has suffered, it is normal to have some wrinkles, the preamp is active only, no possibility to switch to passive so if the battery makes the soul (but I got caught only once in almost 20 years) when most of her, yet she turns very easily in seconds (back plate with 2 screws). Although a bit expensive at the time it remains a great bass qualité.Je think she is replaced today by the gravity deluxe 5 much worse unfortunately.