A Fernandes FEG-160(or EG-160), it’s the second FEG-160 for me.

No serial number is on the back side of the headstock, but this should be FEG-160 because head logo is completely same as the first one.  The escutcheons seem to be have exchanged.

Its Hawaiian koa body has thick conducting vessels and looks rough appearance.  It’s considerably different from my first FEG-160.  

At the beginning of 1980s, Japanese guitar companies began to use Hawaiian koa for high grade guitars.  As far as I know, most of guitar companies except for custom made companies seems to have used rough koa like this.

Hawaiian koa has several grade same as the other wood material.  Fine figured koa is usually used for extremely expensive ukuleles and guitars.  Rough appearance with unclear stripes are usually seen on old low price koa guitars.  Of course there should be difference of the price, but in those days, it was most important for users whether the material was koa or not and its quality was the second importance.  So Japanese companies needed to buy low grade Koa in bulk for the demand.  That’s why it is difficult to find fine koa among old guitars.

That is to say, old Japanese guitars which were made of rough koa, tell the history of such a circumstance.

This koa is not so bad.  A little rough but stripes are beautiful.  3.87kg(includes strings). (Updated 2016.8.21)