About:

Guitar Player Editor’s Pick awards for the Fano Alt de Facto SP6 and new GF6 models. A Guitarist magazine Guitarist’s Choice award for the popular Alt de Facto JM6 model. Bass Player Editor Award wins for the Alt de Facto PX4 and new GF4 bass models, with the PX4 bass also winning Premier Guitar magazine’s Gear of the Year award. Master builder Dennis Fano and his Fano Guitars brand are an exciting new movement in boutique lutherie; an alternative point of view that fuses timeless classic elements with a bold new look, feel and energy.

The Alt de Facto line is inspired by Dennis’s unique vision of an alternate reality where the great American luthiers of the 1950′s work together under one roof, as a collective. It’s a world where aged nickel hardware, time-tested woods and classic aesthetics are fused with modern features including a compound radius fingerboard, TonePros hardware, ToneStyler tone controls and custom wound Fralin pickups. The result: unsurpassed look, feel and tone. And with an extraordinary range of tonewood and electronic options, every player can find the Alt de Facto that’s “just right for me.”

Given his unique design perspective, it’s not surprising that Dennis is largely self taught. He began his career in 1988, repairing all types of instruments, from electric guitars and basses to acoustic guitars, mandolins, ukuleles and banjos. From 1995-2000 he performed repairs at a leading New York City guitar shop while also building custom instruments for players like Andy Partridge (XTC) and Ed Robertson (Barenaked Ladies).

All the while, Dennis’s Alt de Facto vision was percolating. In 2000, he decided to strike out on his own and began building guitars full time. His Alt de Facto models have since been embraced by a wide range of leading artists, including Chris Carrabba, Nels Cline, Brady Cohan, Popa Chubby, Susanna Hoffs (Bangles) Matthew Sweet, Jeff Tweedy, Jared Scharff, James Valentine and Pete Yorn.

In late 2009 Dennis joined Premier Builders Guild (PBG) in order to make his Alt de Facto guitars available to a greater number of players and to afford him more time to focus on design and prototyping for future Fano models. From his design workshop in Fleetwood, Pennsylvania, Dennis is keenly focused on “what’s next” for the Alt de Facto line and beyond. Alt de Facto guitars are expertly produced at the state-of-the-art PBG guitar workshop in California, under the supervision of PBG Chief Master Builder Gene Baker. Dennis and Gene are in close touch at every stage of the Fano design and build process.

Contact:

Fano Guitars, USA

E-mail: info(at)fanoguitars(dot)com