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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 8:03 pm
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tokibarron wrote:
TheKingofPain wrote:
FMIC has cut back the basses that Fender Japan makes that are being sold retail here in the states if that's what you're asking.


Yep, that was what I was asking. Well, basses and [treble] guitars. I agree with the other posters that there are some really nice Fender Japan guitars out there. I have a Pawn Shop 51 and like it a lot. I was kind of hoping the answer was "yes, the Tele Deluxe is made in Japan"....sounds like it's not.

Oh and sorry about starting that whole NAFTA/import debate, I was more just wondering what was out there.


Hi - yes sorry, a Standard.

The CIJ was titled Deluxe.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:02 pm
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arth1 wrote:
Yeah, they do have some choices we don't get here.

Image

Image


I'm off to take my GAS-X pills...



The cherry burst Floyd Rose needs to be sold as regular line.. :shock: oh I forgot.. "Have you looked at the Charvel line..." :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan?
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 12:02 am
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Blertles wrote:
Image

The cherry burst Floyd Rose needs to be sold as regular line


Image


Last edited by chromeface on Wed Oct 08, 2014 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan?
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2014 8:12 pm
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I've seen pro guitar shop selling japanese fenders in the past. Some lovely looking instruments.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan?
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 8:58 pm
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That floyded cherryburst sucks, even without the graduated MOP stars and active circuit! :P


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan?
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 8:32 am
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Didn't know importation of the Sting was being discontinued. Pity. That is a fine well made instrument. The 51 was pretty much the same thing only with more body mass and cheaper. The thing with both of them is the electronics don't compare to USA electronics. I put a Lindy Fralin Split Coil in one 51 RI. No more hum. I put a Duncan SCPB3 in another and it is my favorite even though it hums a little. The Fender Japan factory pickups are wimpy. I put in a Sprague Vitamin-Q tone cap in both where green chicklets had been. I left the original pots since they don't matter at all and added pickup and bridge covers and custom pickguards. I bought Leo Quan BAIII bridges. By the time I was done I could have bought an American Standard, but they are better than an American Standard...to me.

Fender Japan still sells the 51 Reissue and you can buy a brand new one on Amazon direct from Japan here: http://www.amazon.com/Fender-Reissue-Precision-OPB51-SD-Electric/dp/B0016KJCKW I have no idea if they will still make Stings though as that is an FMIC model.

The decision of what Fender Japan instruments to import to the USA is all economics and marketing. It is not government controlled, is not NAFTA ordained and is not being done in an effort to artificially prop up Mexican Fender sales. They have the sales figures. If a model is selling boatloads, it won't get discontinued. If it has been trending down and drops off into an abyss it is time to move on.

In 1983 when FMIC struck the deal with Yamano Gakki and Kanda Shokai to form Fender Japan labor costs were relatively low in Japan and the US Dollar was strong against the Yen. That equaled cheap Fenders from Fender Japan if you had US Dollars to spend. The low labor costs and strong US Dollar didn't last but 10 years before the combination of escalating Japanese labor costs and the US Dollar tumbling in value while the Yen was strengthening severely impacted the Japanese export instrument prices in US Dollars. In short by the mid 1990's it cost more to buy anything made in Japan with US Dollars because of the unfavorable Dollar to Yen exchange rate on top of the labor cost increases. This is the exact same formula that led to an early demise of the FMIC Heartfield brand project based in Japan.

There is no "Fender Plant" as such in Japan and all instruments are contracted out to manufacturers like Fujigen, Tokai or Dyna Gakki who have also made or still make instruments also for Epiphone, Ibanez, etc. Fender Japan as such does not actually MAKE anything but has other people make things for them.

Japanese made instruments became more and more costly compared to USA made ones. Why not just pay the $75 to $100 more and get a USA made Fender American Standard with better electronics and save the expense of upgrading the electronics?

That is why different models of Fender Japan made basses and guitars are not as plentiful now as in 1985. James Carville coined the phrase, "It's the economy stupid." In this case it is the world economy and currency exchange rates and not any edict of government or secret plot to flood the market with anything but Fender Japan models. FMIC will sell what makes money. Nothing tells the tale like sales volume. If Sting sales had been tapering off probably about everyone that wanted one already had one. If it had been a strong seller it would still be imported. The fact it isn't tells me it had peaked and sales volume no longer supported carrying it in the line.

I do see how one could feel the Single Coil P-Bass design is the red headed stepchild of Fender and it does look like it has been walked on over and over. But that is only an illusion and our perception as fans of the single coil P-Bass. Fender is in business to make money, not to manipulate things to the disadvantage of a single coil pickup bass. If it was selling great guns it would not be getting discontinued. A single coil P-Bass is to me it's own thing completely and it has a very unique voice that in fact is about the only bass tone that makes my heart skip a beat.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan?
Posted: Thu Oct 09, 2014 7:11 pm
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If you are interested in buying a MIJ Fender and you don't mind buying a near mint used one (they sell new guitars too),there is a site in Japan that sells them at very reasonable prices and even when you factor in the exchange rate,shipping,duties you still can get away with a great guitar for a really good price. I believe that Blinkers has bought a few guitars from these guys with no problems-they also sell Burny,Orville and Orville by Gibson,Edwards,Fresher,Ibanez and several other first class Japanese guitar makers. http://www.guitarsjapan.com/

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