MIJ Fenders

[stratfan]

Hi Guys.

Does anyone know a way for US-based buyers to get their hands on brand-new CIJ Fenders?

I have seen lots of used ones on Craigslist, "MIJ, CIJ, basswood, alder, ash, USA pickups, Texas Special pickups", who knows what they are really selling?

So I have had the realization that original 7okai Springy Sounds are a bit thin on the ground, and 7okai are making JV Fenders now, so why not try and get a hold of a new ash-bodied, CIJ, 50's Fender?

If anyone knows of a reliable seller that deals brand-new JV Fenders to overseas customers, I would like to hear about them.

Thanks,

John.

 

[youami]

Why buy brand new when you can get as good as new, but for much less money, from Ishibashi:

www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box

They've currently got 4 pages worth of recent Fender Japan goodness, including these top of the line VSP models:

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/ubox.cgi?T=syosai&sline=2488&print=1&keys2=sannomiya%40ishibashi%2Eco%2Ejp&tid=list3

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/ubox.cgi?T=syosai&sline=1940&print=1&keys2=machida%40ishibashi%2Eco%2Ejp&tid=list3

and this cool natural finish, DMC model:

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/ubox.cgi?T=syosai&sline=4111&print=1&keys2=tsudanuma%40ishibashi%2Eco%2Ejp&tid=list3

I believe that Ishibashi aren't allowed to sell new Fender Japan instruments to the US, but there's nothing stopping them selling second-hand. I have owned a second-hand ST54 VSP from Ishibashi in the past, awesome guitar.

Check out www.fenderjapan.co.jp/fender/2008fender/stratocaster.htm for the specs, or ask on here and someone will help you out.

 

[JVsearch]

The above is VERY good advice - Ishibashi are well known and loved on this forum. Also, you will have a better selection by buying in Japan - they keep some good stuff for their domestic market that we never see (only my suspicion, no actual proof of this).

 

[SUSHI GUY]

fender japan gtrs lately are for the domestic japan only so they basically wont allow anyone to sell them as new to the overseas. but as the used its ofcourse ok so as always ishibashi is the way to go really and usually nobody does better than them. some stores might do secretly but finding them is difficult. have you tried kurosawa? they might do i guess...
http://www.kurosawagakki.com/english/
fender japan gtrs are really good lately. both the tokai made and the dyna made. i just tried a dyna made f/j strat today and it felt very good. in som ways it absolutely felt better than the USA regular vintage reissue. like the neck shape and the price ofcourse! they are only about $700 and have no problem at all !!!

8) http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/

 

[Anonymous]

Is there an easy way to tell a Tokai FJ from a Dyna FJ? Apologies if this has been answered before.

Mike

 

[stratfan]

thanks for all the info.

 

[Koubayashi]

The above is VERY good advice - Ishibashi are well known and loved on this forum. Also, you will have a better selection by buying in Japan - they keep some good stuff for their domestic market that we never see (only my suspicion, no actual proof of this).

They do. I have seen plenty of candy and sweets in their stores that they had not put on the website. All guitar shops do like that (in my experience).

 

[JVsearch]

The above is VERY good advice - Ishibashi are well known and loved on this forum. Also, you will have a better selection by buying in Japan - they keep some good stuff for their domestic market that we never see (only my suspicion, no actual proof of this).

They do. I have seen plenty of candy and sweets in their stores that they had not put on the website. All guitar shops do like that (in my experience).

I didn't realise that, but it's not a surprise.
I was referring to Japan generally - I believe there's some great Fender Japan guitars that are not sold outside Japan no matter what shop is stocking them, and the same would happen with many other top Japanese makes. If you think about stuff like Moon, PGM and Van Zandt who all make exact Fender clones (at or above Fender Custom Shop quality) with modern improvements, it would not be possible to officially sell these in the US, because they are in breach of Fender's trademark. This is why there is no more Bacchus Vintage Series (except in Japan), because Bacchus has gone global with official channels into Europe, US, Australia etc.

In fact there's a rumour going round that Fender Japan will no longer be sold into the US because they have the Mexican factory supplying the US now, and want to keep the (possibly) better Japanese guitars out, even though they are official Fender guitars.

Quite naturally, Fender has a monopoly on Fender guitars, but there are ways to get around that (thankfully), one of which is Ishibashi.