what happened to fender's made in japan models? i want to know everything about that... why were they discontinued? do these models still exist only selling in japan or are they discontinued everywhere? and if so, how could i get a made in japan instrument without leaving my area?

Thats why it cool living in Japan almost all the fender guitars here are made in japan. I was in the states for the last 3 weeks and I never saw one the was made in japan, only mexico and US

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the vacuum store is a lot like the guitar store. but they do not attract the same clientele as the guitar store, cause if they did, the vacuum store would be loaded with a bunch of broke guys who just wanted to run the new vacuums.

so you're telling me that they still exist but only in japan?... any chance in having them in europe?

I live in Europe and we still get the odd Japan model. My local store has a lovely Japanese 62 Custom Tele in right now.

CC

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Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

I got my CIJ vintage 62 Tele in Glasgow, guitarguitar carry quite a stock of Japanese made Fenders.

Fender USA occasionally imports Japanese models, but they are mainly for the Asian market. You can find people selling imports on eBay. I'd love to get one of those Jazzmasters with the block inlays. Check out the JM66B . . .

http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/fender/2008fender/jazzmaster_jaguar.htm

nice!!! this is gonna be of major help they make some really wicked guitars... is the colour coded as OLB the same as lake placid blue?

Hi ralfcaetano: so are you in Europe? Where?

Here in the UK we can buy Japanese Fenders here, and he will ship them to other countries for a fee:

http://www.guitaremporium.co.uk/

And also here:

http://www.mijfenders.com/

We also have several realworld shops that deal in Japanese Fenders, including www.guitarguitar.co.uk/glasgow_shop.asp in Glasgow (as mentioned above by Snowy) and Regent Sounds in Denmark Street, London. Also here, where I bought my CIJ: http://www.guitar-xperience.com/onlinestore/ .

Elsewhere in Europe: there is a gentleman based in Switzerland who imports CIJ Fenders and sells them Europewide on Ebay. And there are one or two other occasional Ebay CIJ sellers too: you will find them if you search.

Why is it like this? Since the start in the '80s Fender US have only owned 50 percent of Fender Japan, whereas they own Fender Mexico outright. Therefore, over the last few years they have been visibly raising quality of the Mexican product and shifting models sold in the West from Japan to the Mexican factory - because they keep more of the profit on those guitars.

Japanese Fenders sold in the West are imported by individuals who have set themselves up to do it. That is called a "grey market": it is perfectly legal but Fender US would rather we didn't buy guitars this way because it is less profitable for them. Though they still make money out of it, so...

Cheers - C

I wish you had posted the mijfenders.com link sooner Ceri, I just paid £700 for a Thinline Tele. It comes with the flimsy gig bag I just saw a nice mahogany thinline + tweed case for £575 on your link I think you already know, I'm a big fan of the Japanese Fenders (my siggy pic is a clue ) Suffice to say I've saved the link to my favs, cheers buddy

Yikes, sorry!

What makes that worse, the gent who runs MIJFenders is located in Scotland, though I don't quite remember where (0131 phone number?). You might be able to save the shipping cost he quotes on his website too!

Still. There's always next time, eh?

All the best to you - C

that'll be the embra (edinburgh)area ceri

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Hey Ceri,

I hope you know I was just kidding bro, I pick my new thinline up on Friday. I'm looking forward to that, I'll no doubt post a few pix in the Tele forum over the weekend. This outfit seem to be based in Edinburgh, that's a 30 min drive for me. The thinline is tele number five for me, six seems a much better number

A visit to the capital is on the cards Good to see ya C, and a few other old timers hereabouts

Oh and apologies to the OP, for invading his thread

thanks ceri this helped me out a lot!!! a friend of mine is desperate for a lefty jaguar bass and a lefty aerodyne jazz bass and i'm kinda interessted on the strats and mustangs on there

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live life one string at a time...

once you love a strat you'll never want to go back...

'Course I do, mate!

Edinburgh, huh? Be fascinated to hear if you or Alan try that gent out. With recent currency movements now is a good time for us to be buying from Japan, so I bet Mr MIJFender will be happy to hear from you! Good luck...

And to ralfcaetano: ah-ha, Portugal I see, now you've added your location. Well good luck to you too, and enjoy those Japanese Fenders!

Cheers all - C

thanks ceri will do... might post them on the respective sections later on