Wouldn't normally bother to launch a thread about a new purchase - but this one has been a very long time coming!

The back story: last summer there was a lot of chat on this Forum about buying Japanese Fenders, and I confidently claimed that they were easy to get in my country - which they used to be. All that talk got my juices going and I decided to shop for a Fiesta Red '57 RI MIJ. At which point I discovered that it had all changed and the Japanese product was now very hard to find.

There are some specialist importers in the UK, but at that very time the bottom was falling out of the currency, goods sold in Yen became unprofitable to import on a small-scale basis and all doors seemed to have closed. In the end I found a shop that was prepared to accept an order: I placed my deposit for said Strat on 6 October last year, at Charlie Chandler's Guitar Experience.

Patience people; patience. Contrary to predictions my currency has steadily strengthened this year - to the point Japanese Strats are worth importing again. Few days ago I got the call: my MIJ had arrived!

Here it is:



And unwrapped:



Tuners installed nice and straight (not always the case):



And in fulfilment of a longstanding promise:



Finally:



That fella's actually extremely happy with his newest baby. C'mon, dude: crack a smile...!

Cheers - C

Congratulations.That guitar is absolutely beautiful.Now I want one:)

Wow Congrats Ceri!!!!

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Congrats - That baby was definitely worth the wait!

Congratulations Ceri! I know you are happy with it. That neck feels great huh? I know I like the feel of my MIJ's neck as much as any guitar I own. Thanks for posting!!

Ceri, I could not tell from pictures, does it have MIJ or CIJ on it and where is it located? Headstock or base of the neck on the back. I do see the CIJ on hang tag now! Cool my friend!

A bassist i jammed with a couple of months back, got a J'Bass from the dealer in scotland. Its only just come to the forefront of my memory upon seeing this thread that you were sceptical about them (not having a physical address i seem to remember).

Anyhow lovely 57, look at that neck tint thats what its all about. Is this the one you ordered through Charlie Chandlers?

I still think we should take a pedlo to tokyo and drag a load back on a raft.

Smuggling and pirating as we go.

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No no and no

looking good Ceri!

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"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

Very, very nice; lots of luck with it!

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You dig?

Thank you! For the pictures and for not blaming me for the GAS that inspired this long-in-coming purchase. Please remind us of the model number!? And isn't it CIJ (not MIJ)? What does it say at the base of the neck?

Enjoy it!

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Hi Niki: I've got a Japanese Jazz Bass too - the '75 RI.

Glad to hear the Scottish importer is back on the tracks. I couldn't get confindence inspiring communications out of them, which was why I ended up with Charlie Chandler instead. Always happier to leave a deposit with a bricks & mortar shop.

Though my understanding is that they sourced the guitar via this gentleman: http://www.guitaremporium.co.uk/ . I had no luck trying to deal direct with him last year either, but apparently he was badly ill. Now he seems to be back, cos his website has had some updates recently.


Hi Hop: it's CIJ, and it's at the base of the neck. That neck is a very soft V - so soft you could almost call it a hard C! That suits me fine, but I'm not sure how historically accurate it is...

Excellent build quality though. I can't fault it. Very happy!

Cheers - C

Hi Orville: I absolutely blame you! That ain't a bad thing, though...

The model is ST57-US; the serial number is S08****. Does that mean it left the factory last year?

And yes, of course: it's a CIJ. I tend to say MIJ generically - but then I call my Dyson vacuum cleaner a Hoover, so...

Cheers - C

Gorgeous, Ceri. Thanks for sharing and I hope you enjoy it immensely.

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Ignorance IS bliss - and I am the happiest person here!

Very Cool Ceri! I'm sure you will get many enjoyable hours of playing time out of that beauty!!!!!

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Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Beautiful--Hank Marvin would approve!

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I really like all them "Aster" guitars. You know, like the Stratoc, Telec and Jazzm.