Fernandes Retro Rocket

[Edge_Orchestra]

I got a great deal on a 2004 RetroRocket. It sounded like The Edge's but in it's blue finish, it didn't quite look the part.

But after a trip to Marty Bell, it now looks exactly like the Retro Rocket that Edge has used for "With Or Without You" on the Vertigo and 360 tours.

HERE IS MINE BEFORE THE REFINISH:

HERE IS MINE AFTER THE REFINISH:

 

[Chill Mike D]

Very nice.

 

[Galeongirl]

Nice! Love that shiny plate!

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Best part is that it sounds amazing. But yes, now it looks the part too.

 

[theedgeu2]

I approve! And I'm most certain The Edge approves as well. The specs are basically exactly as Edge's right?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

I approve! And I'm most certain The Edge approves as well. The specs are basically exactly as Edge's right?

The specs of mine and Edge's are exactly alike.

Same finish (now that mine has been refinished), same neck, same pickups, same pickguard...

The only difference is that Edge's is a 2003 and mine is a 2004.

It's a bit of a rare bird. Why?

Fernandes didn't make the Retro Rocket Elite in black when Edge got the first one. So a black Retro Rocket, black pickups, grey marble pickguard and rosewood fretboard. You can't get these details/specs any longer.



For the newer model of the Retro Rocket Elite, Fernandes does offer the Retro Rocket Elite in black now but the pickups are white, the pickguard is white pearloid and the neck/fretboard are maple. The one that Edge is using for "UltraViolet is the newer model.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Actually, double checked the serial number on mine. It is a 2003.

So it is the same vintage, make, model and now finish, as The Edge's.

Neat.

The specs of mine and Edge's are exactly alike.

Same finish (now that mine has been refinished), same neck, same pickups, same pickguard...

The only difference is that Edge's is a 2003 and mine is a 2004.

It's a bit of a rare bird. Why?

Fernandes didn't make the Retro Rocket Elite in black when Edge got the first one. So a black Retro Rocket, black pickups, grey marble pickguard and rosewood fretboard. You can't get these details/specs any longer.



For the newer model of the Retro Rocket Elite, Fernandes does offer the Retro Rocket Elite in black now but the pickups are white, the pickguard is white pearloid and the neck/fretboard are maple. The one that Edge is using for "UltraViolet is the newer model.

 

[domo-kun]

The black finish makes the marble plates stand out even more, lovely guitar

 

[theedgeu2]

Oh man that's awesome! The exact guitar The Edge has. Year, model, brand, finish, hardware. Everything!

 

[7cs]

I felt in love with this guitar after I saw edge playing Ultraviolet in Milan last year.
The infinite sustain is AMAZING!!!

 

[mirrorballman]

The one that Edge is using for "UltraViolet is the newer model

I've never seen Edge change the Fernandes in between Ultra Violet and With Or Without You. Doesn't he use the same guitar?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

I've never seen Edge change the Fernandes in between Ultra Violet and With Or Without You. Doesn't he use the same guitar?

He doesn't use the same guitar for both. If you haven't seen it, you've not been paying attention.

For WOWY, Edge uses a 2003 Retro Rocket -- like mine, with the grey marble pickguard. (You can see it in the video below)


Then for UV, he uses a newer 2009 Retro Rocket w/white pearl pickguard.

You can see this in the Pasadena DVD and YouTube clips of the two songs.

 

[mirrorballman]

He doesn't use the same guitar for both. If you haven't seen it, you've not been paying attention.

Damn you're right. But who can blame me for not paying attention to that after Ultra Violet!?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Damn you're right. But who can blame me for not paying attention to that after Ultra Violet!?

Hahahahaha...

 

[ewen]

Edge_Orchestra - that's one sweet find, congrats and great looking paint job. I have had very little success in finding one myself. However, for anyone interested there is someone on Harmony Central Forums selling one (same blue finish as Edge_Orchestra's originally was) - personally I don't like buying guitars online that I've never played first, so I'll pass on it. I might just settle for a new version with maple fretboard.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Edge_Orchestra - that's one sweet find, congrats and great looking paint job. I have had very little success in finding one myself. However, for anyone interested there is someone on Harmony Central Forums selling one (same blue finish as Edge_Orchestra's originally was) - personally I don't like buying guitars online that I've never played first, so I'll pass on it. I might just settle for a new version with maple fretboard.

I have a friend that is looking to get one. She's bought two so far and both were F'ed up. It seems the quality control at Fernandes could use attention.

Both of the Retro Rocket Elite's that she bought had issues with the Sustainer not working. Plus the first one was supposed to be new but had wear like it had been played for a year.

Fernandes guitars are becoming harder to find too. I haven't seen them in a shop in ages. Guitar Center hasn't carried them. I've not seen them in Sam Ash. Mesa Boogie in Hollywood used to carry Fernandes but I've not seen them there the last few times I have been there...

...as for online stores... Musicians Friend do no carry them anymore. Seems it's only smaller online dealers, many of which operate out of homes, are the only place to find them.

It might be better to try to find an older one and refinish it.

Refinish? They didnt make them in black. Edge had his refinished. It wasn't until they changed the model a bit... and went to the maple neck, white vs. black pickups, and white pearloid vs. grey marble pickguard... did they begin to offer the Retro Rocket Elite in black.

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

I got a great deal on a 2004 RetroRocket. It sounded like The Edge's but in it's blue finish, it didn't quite look the part.

But after a trip to Marty Bell, it now looks exactly like the Retro Rocket that Edge has used for "With Or Without You" on the Vertigo and 360 tours.

HERE IS MINE BEFORE THE REFINISH:

HERE IS MINE AFTER THE REFINISH:

 

[the tourist]

Can I make a silly picture of an artist saying "[artist] approved" and then quote myself and put that picture up after a week of thread inactivity where I was the last poster, too?

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Can I make a silly picture of an artist saying "[artist] approved" and then quote myself and put that picture up after a week of thread inactivity where I was the last poster, too?

Go for it.

 

[gitarrero]

Hi!
I´ve recently bought a Fernandes Retrorocket pro (the old model with rosewood fingerboard). It looks nearly like the Edge´s, except the pickups and the knobs (2 instead of 3).
Now, i´m thinking about to change the pickups to the seymour duncan hot rails but i´m not really shure if i should do that. I´m not shure, if i would get the sound what i want.
Ok, the Edge is playing it, but i want to use this guitar for those songs, where edge is playing a strat. it´s clear to me, that his strat all have different sounds, but i don´t want to buy x diffenrent strats. so, i want to find a compromise with the retrorocket pro.

what do you think, will the guitar sounds much better with the hot rails? I´m not sure wether they sounds too much hard/ heavy?
Could you describe the sound of the hot rails in comparison to a single coil of a strat or a humbucker, please?

Thanks for your help!

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Hot Rails are high output pickups. They are essentially a single coil size HUMBUCKER.

So I don't think it will sound so much like a Stratocaster.

That said...

The Fernandes that Edge uses for "With or Without You" is a Retrorocket Elite. The only 'custom' thing about that guitar was the finish. They didnt make the Elite in black when he got his.

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU (PASADENA)
U2 360 - With or Without you live at the Rose Bowl (HD) - YouTube

The Fernandes that Edge uses for "UltraViolet"... judging by the specs of the guitar appears to be a Retrorocket Pro that has had Hot Rail's put in it.

ULTRAVIOLET (PASADENA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUD4CQT33w4&feature=related

The UV RetroRocket is from 2009. In 2006 the Elite and Deluxe began using set-neck. The Pro still has the bolt-on neck (like Edge's original 2003 Elite) You can see the black truss rod cover on headstock of the set-neck Retrorockets. Edge's don't have the truss rod cover = bolt-on neck.

Also, the Elite and Pro have different bridge systems. The Elite has the Wilkinson tremolo and the Pro has the Synchronized Bridge.

So - Edge's UV Retrorocket having the bolt on neck and Synchronized Bridge lead me to believe that it is a modified guitar; most likely a Retrorocket Pro with Hot Rail pickups - Made to order.

Hi!
I´ve recently bought a Fernandes Retrorocket pro (the old model with rosewood fingerboard). It looks nearly like the Edge´s, except the pickups and the knobs (2 instead of 3).
Now, i´m thinking about to change the pickups to the seymour duncan hot rails but i´m not really shure if i should do that. I´m not shure, if i would get the sound what i want.
Ok, the Edge is playing it, but i want to use this guitar for those songs, where edge is playing a strat. it´s clear to me, that his strat all have different sounds, but i don´t want to buy x diffenrent strats. so, i want to find a compromise with the retrorocket pro.

what do you think, will the guitar sounds much better with the hot rails? I´m not sure wether they sounds too much hard/ heavy?
Could you describe the sound of the hot rails in comparison to a single coil of a strat or a humbucker, please?

Thanks for your help!

 

[gitarrero]

Edge_Orchestra, thank you!

I just want to reach with this guitar the most possible edge sounds in which he plays a Strat. (e.g. Bad, Pride, UV, With or without you,...) But I know, too, the Retrorocket with the bridge humbucker is not a Strat with a Single coil. I would like to find a way between those two guitars (I hope you understand, what i mean. Its not so easy in english ) What do you think, should i try the Bridge Hot Rail or should i use the standard pickup of my Retrorocket, furthermore? What i mean is, now i have a high output humbucker in the retrorocket, too. Will the Hot Rail sounds much better or much more like the Edge? What do you mean?

Thank you!

 

[Edge_Orchestra]

Hot Rails are high output and they are humbuckers.

Sounds like you'd be changing one high output pickup for another. That said, the Hot Rails are good sounding pickups.

Edge's Retrorocket has one in the bridge and one in the middle position. The Fernandes Sustainer pickup is in the neck position.

Will it sound like Edge's Stratocasters? I don't think so. Being high output, it may be similar to the all black Danvel/Nelson custom guitar that Edge used in Rattle And Hum or the Clapton Stratocasters used during the Love Town tour.

Edge_Orchestra, thank you!

I just want to reach with this guitar the most possible edge sounds in which he plays a Strat. (e.g. Bad, Pride, UV, With or without you,...) But I know, too, the Retrorocket with the bridge humbucker is not a Strat with a Single coil. I would like to find a way between those two guitars (I hope you understand, what i mean. Its not so easy in english ) What do you think, should i try the Bridge Hot Rail or should i use the standard pickup of my Retrorocket, furthermore? What i mean is, now i have a high output humbucker in the retrorocket, too. Will the Hot Rail sounds much better or much more like the Edge? What do you mean?

Thank you!