Brazilian Fenders

[Iago]

Hi everybody!

Just for an educational and curiosity matter I remembered to make a little post about these long forgotten guitars - The Southern Cross Fenders, that were produced by the Giannini factory in the early 90's in Brazil, and about which I never read anything in boards outside of the country.

I never played one myself since they are quite rare, but every once in a while I see one or two at mercadolivre.com (the Braz Ebay).

link to pics:
http://picasaweb.google.com.br/marce...05076323508194

That has been modified to some extent, new output jack, nut, pickguard, a Dimarzio pickup on the bridge position and new pickup covers.

So, anyone here ever knew they existed?

[just strum]

Iago,

I don't know anything about them, but that is a sweet looking guitar.

[Iago]

Yep, doesn't look bad at all!

I think in terms of quality they were comparable to the MIM standards of the time.

[Brian Krashpad]

Wow, I am no Fender expert but I had never heard of those before!

Obrigado!

[Iago]

Somewhere I read an interview with the Giannini owner where he talks about the whole Fender deal.. I'll try to find that and post a translation for you guys.

[tremoloman***]

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL guitar there!

That CAR Strat has just about the same exact colors as the custom Jazzmaster/Telecaster/Stratocaster hybrid I'm almost FINALLY done working on. I'll post pics as soon as I get the custom pickguard back in and wired up.

[LagrangeCalvert]

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL guitar there!

That CAR Strat has just about the same exact colors as the custom Jazzmaster/Telecaster/Stratocaster hybrid I'm almost FINALLY done working on. I'll post pics as soon as I get the custom pickguard back in and wired up.

Scott! Its been months!

How are you? Glad to hear its almost done .

Your 51 is still stock (I'm still Jobless except the band thing..... I had to put my mother in a nursing home....she broke her right ankle and I couldn't do it anymore mentally or physically) but I'm collecting parts and biding my time.

Sorry to jack the thread but I haven't heard from Tremoloman in quite some time..




On the thread note.... that is a pretty strat!

[LagrangeCalvert]

Absolutely BEAUTIFUL guitar there!

That CAR Strat has just about the same exact colors as the custom Jazzmaster/Telecaster/Stratocaster hybrid I'm almost FINALLY done working on. I'll post pics as soon as I get the custom pickguard back in and wired up.

Scott! Its been months!

How are you? Glad to hear its almost done .

Your 51 is still stock (I'm still Jobless except the band thing..... I had to put my mother in a nursing home....she broke her right ankle and I couldn't do it anymore mentally or physically) but I'm collecting parts and biding my time.

Sorry to jack the thread but I haven't heard from Tremoloman in quite some time..




On the thread note.... that is a pretty strat!

[Iago]

Following, we have a part of an interview with the engineer Carlos Assale, founder of the Dolphin brand of guitars and responsible for the Fenders made in Brazil while he worked for Giannini. Everything roughly translated by your one and only.

"Interviewer: You were the responsible for the “Fenders by Giannini”. How was it possible to have the license for the Fender brand?
CA: That’s true, the Southern Cross project. In 1990 Giannini got a license for the production of Fenders here (in Brazil). The objective of the American factory was to have a traditional producer of acoustic guitars, to who they could trust this line of instruments. It was an exchange of interests. Coincidentely, it was by the same time that I was leaving Dolphin. Giorgio Giannini – despite being a great competitor, had to me a respectful and friendly relation –made me an invitation to take over the technical direction of his enterprise and, among other things, lead the Fender/Giannini project. In 1991 we started sending samples for approval. I visited both Corona and Ensenada factories many times with Roberto Giannini, and we worked on the product and gave classes about design and manufacturing of acoustics."

"So, in a short time we got the necks approved but the bodies took two years and MANY samples – it was needed many changes in tooling. It’s incredible how Fender is sensible to the Stratocaster shape, that is in fact it’s trademark, it’s identification. After all, we received a fax from Dan Smith, Fender’s marketing director, saying that the product got 4.000% better and that the trust was such that for the first time they would let a guitar produced outside their factories and without their commercial involvement bear the Fender name on the headstock.
We produced about 5.000 instruments from 1993 to 1995. The guitars only went to the market after a representor from Fender would go through a detailed inspection."

"The project was aborted because of Brazil’s economical peculiarities, added to the high royalty, that made everything economically inviable. Some would say we had to stop because of technical problems, but there was never anything of the kind."

[Iago]

By the way, that comes from the superguitarra.com.br website, an online "guitar magazine". The interviewer was Gustavo Mafra.

and here you can check it on it's integrity: http://paginas.terra.com.br/arte/cir...revista_ca.htm

Trem, I'm really looking forward to see your hybrid guitar!