Snakeskin Fernandes P bass - any ideas what on earth this is ?!

[millar138]

Hi guys! Yesterday this popped up on my Facebook and I fell in love with it.
admittedly, it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but I’ve never been one for anything normal.

 

I bought it from a lad in Italy (I believe he’s on here somewhere).

I paid around £700 for it, not including the postage.

 

I’m not interested in what people think it’s worth.

 

I am, however interested to find any information about it or if anyone else has ever seen it before or has anything similar.

 

For example: was it done as a limited edition in the factory (it says limited edition on the stock).. was it done as an aftermarket modification..

 

Whatever the answers are, I’m very excited to get this on stage because I think it’s wonderful.

fyi - it’s not real snake skin I’m assuming it’s some form of leather wrap.

[anthomp]

Lovely.

[Beedster]

Is that tone leather?

[Beedster]

BTW love it, wonder how the leather affects degree of contact at the bridge and neck plate?

[millar138]

10/10

28 minutes ago, Beedster said:

Is that tone leather?

10/10 

[millar138]

28 minutes ago, Beedster said:

BTW love it, wonder how the leather affects degree of contact at the bridge and neck plate?

I’m wondering that myself too. It appears from the photo the leather goes underneath the bridge.
 

I also wonder if the leather will take away some of the high-end snap.

 

I guess all will be revealed when it’s delivered!

[Beedster]

15 minutes ago, millar138 said:

I’m wondering that myself too. It appears from the photo the leather goes underneath the bridge.
 

I also wonder if the leather will take away some of the high-end snap.

 

I guess all will be revealed when it’s delivered!

 

Might just be a improvement, you never know ..... 🤔

[Reggaebass]

Very cool, there must be some hisssstory to this ..

[millar138]

5 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Very cool, there must be some hisssstory to this ..

I know right! I’m dying to find out

[Gizmo]

1 hour ago, millar138 said:

Hi guys! Yesterday this popped up on my Facebook and I fell in love with it.

 

 

Nice....sssssssss

 

[Bassassin]

Looks like a vintage-ish Fernandes P (hardware looks old) that someone has recently decided to cowboy-up with a novelty leather/pleather exoskeleton. In contrast to the metalwork the stuff on the body is unworn, the stitching's intact & looks perfectly clean, & the studs on the back are new-looking & shiny. I doubt it's been played much since it was done.

 

I shall reserve my opinion on the aesthetic merits of the modification - and I'm sure we can agree that's for the best... 

[Musicman666]

some might say a tarts window box... or i didn't know huggy bear slappa da bass ...but i think it's very nice. 

[tauzero]

Not my cup of Earl Grey, especially as it's a P without enough strings, but it looks to have been very well done.

[velvetkevorkian]

Rare example of an instrument that can give your belt bass rash with all those studs on the back.

[police squad]

for those old enough to remember

Hissing Sid is innocent

[King Tut]

Love it - bet it’s great for metal!

[MacDaddy]

I'm sure we have members who are knowledgeable about that era of Fernandes (et al) but until they reply this is what AI has to tell us...

 

---

 

If you’re trying to figure out what this Fernandes P‑bass actually is, here’s a breakdown based on the features you’ve described.

 

The serial number **5021593** on the neck plate unfortunately won’t tell you much by itself. Fernandes didn’t use a consistent or date‑coded serial system during this era, and neck‑plate numbers in particular are basically production or batch numbers rather than true date markers.

 

The real clues are on the **headstock**. The combination of:

 

- **“Fernandes Limited Edition”**  

- **“Electric Sound Research Group”**  

- A classic **P‑Bass layout** with a single split‑coil pickup  

 

…points very strongly to a **mid‑1980s Made‑in‑Japan Fernandes**, most likely from around **1984–1987**. This was the period when Fernandes was producing high‑quality Fender‑style instruments through Japanese OEM factories, and the Limited Edition line fits right into that timeframe.

 

Your bass lines up closely with models like the **PJR‑45** and other Limited Edition Precision‑style variants from that era. Typical specs for these include an alder body, maple neck with rosewood board, 34" scale, and standard P‑Bass electronics.

 

Regarding the **snakeskin covering**: Fernandes did *not* offer factory snakeskin finishes on P‑bass models in the mid‑80s. They did experiment with snakeskin‑style finishes on some later guitars (mostly Revolver and Vertigo models), but not on Precision‑style basses from this period. In the 1980s, snakeskin wraps and coverings were a very popular **aftermarket mod**, especially during the glam‑metal era. Many players or retailers applied vinyl snakeskin, faux leather, or patterned wraps to otherwise standard instruments. It was common enough that a lot of Japanese‑market Fernandes basses from this era show up today with custom coverings that were added either by the original shop or a previous owner.

 

If you want to check whether yours is a wrap or a full refinish, look for seams along the body edges, or check inside the neck pocket or pickup cavity—if you see the original paint underneath, it’s definitely an aftermarket wrap.

 

If you want to pin down the exact year, the most reliable method is to **remove the neck**. Fernandes often stamped dates or model codes on the **neck heel** or inside the **neck pocket**, and those markings will give you a much clearer answer than the neck‑plate serial ever will.

 

[Sparky Mark]

On 22/01/2026 at 11:01, millar138 said:

I’m wondering that myself too. It appears from the photo the leather goes underneath the bridge.
 

I also wonder if the leather will take away some of the high-end snap.

 

I guess all will be revealed when it’s delivered!

If the top end is reduced too much, you could remove an area of leather under the bridge and insert a metal block/shim to ensure direct bridge to body contact. (As long as the neck joint is tight and stable, that isn't really any different to the plastic under-plate used on plenty of F shapes basses).