Who manufactured the Revival Series

[tzurby]

I am curious about who actually manufactured the 1980s Revival Series Strats and Teles, as, according to music-trade.co.jp, "Fernandes didn't have their own factory." The author thinks the 1981-90 Revival Series was made "probably" by Tokai. So, when I go for a Revival Strat or Tele, the basic built quality should be in the range of vintage correct Tokai guitars from that period.

Others think, the Revival Fender style guitars have been made by "Fuji-Gen Factory in Matsumoto".
Then, the basic built quality should be in the range of vintage correct Greco Strats and Teles.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

That can't be generalized (as per usual) - a few models were made by Tokai at some point in time indeed, others were (likely) made by Fujigen but very likely also other factories producing for Fernandes - Dyna, maybe Kasuga and Matsumoku... not sure if the Revival series also really marks the end of the Kawai production or just the usage of "elongated" neck plates. You'll never know for sure until you disassembled the guitar and found (with luck) signature features of a particular factory.

It's also very hard to predict built quality (which includes materials/wood selection) from the factory alone, they were all capable of producing any grade of quality and the model number (usually higher=more expensive=better) is more deciding than the name of the factory.

 

[tzurby]

O.K. This would mean, the quality had exclusively been the hands of Fernandes, who defined it. And all manufacturers were able to build the guitars according to these specifications. So, it would not matter if I take a RTE-80 from 1981 built (let's guess) by Tokai and a 1986 RTE-80 built by (another arbitrary guess) Fujigen?

 

[Lumi71]

hmm, I have a Revival RST-50 (70s model). Should be more lowend model from price point, but it has top notch build quality, birs eye maple neck, fret edges are bot visible (litte pieces of wood glued at edge of neck)...
Would say built quality is better as on most vintage Tokais, JVs. Cant see any flaws..

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

O.K. This would mean, the quality had exclusively been the hands of Fernandes, who defined it. And all manufacturers were able to build the guitars according to these specifications. So, it would not matter if I take a RTE-80 from 1981 built (let's guess) by Tokai and a 1986 RTE-80 built by (another arbitrary guess) Fujigen?

That is for the most part correct, but the model number is not a reliable indicator for refinement/features, particularly when you compare guitars of different years but with the same model number - because that number is defined by the RRP and not tied to a feature set. An -80 can have suffered cost-cutting in its appointments in later years of the model, so a hypothetical -80 in 1980 would've been named -100 in 1986 and the 1986 -80 would've been the -60 in earlier years. Except...

hmm, I have a Revival RST-50 (70s model). Should be more lowend model from price point, but it has top notch build quality, birs eye maple neck, fret edges are bot visible (litte pieces of wood glued at edge of neck)...
Would say built quality is better as on most vintage Tokais, JVs. Cant see any flaws..

(I know you probably know the following, just wrapping it up for tzurby

Besides 50,000 JPY not being the lowest shelf guitars until, let's say the late 80s, they all (particularly Fernandes) seems to have gone great lengths to both outdo and undercut the competition in the "golden" or "replica war" years (which is why they are so interesting in first place, even the -50(0) -60(0) etc. models)

On top of that, there is a number of outliers - special runs were made for store chains etc. with flashy features like figured wood, special colors or other added value for the same price. Sometimes surplus parts meant for higher tier instruments were used up for lower tier models - IIRC there was a number of Greco EG-500s that got one-piece -800 necks (or something along these lines) and so on.