Stacker Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Any ideas - apart from the obvious - why fender USA put the kibosh on Fender Japan exporting its rare ona non-standard reissue stuff to Europe, etc? I've seen some great kit from them ( Have a V-neck Ash tele with Bigsby and '66 dot and bound Jazz) and am just curious if anyone knows why the seppos canned it. Whatever happened to market forces, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Easy, because it was costing Fender US/EU sales and they saw less money at point of sale due to the Jap ones being better specced for lower or similar price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 I contacted MIJ Fenders with a view to buying (spoke with him & everything). Credit card ready to do it. Never rang me back. Very poor customer service. So I bought a USA. I've got 2 CIJs and they are awesome. You got to keep the customer feeling valued though. Interestingly I had the same with another CIJ company too. Poor show Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 (edited) [quote name='BurritoBass' post='535171' date='Jul 7 2009, 09:52 PM']I contacted MIJ Fenders with a view to buying (spoke with him & everything). Credit card ready to do it. Never rang me back. Very poor customer service. So I bought a USA. I've got 2 CIJs and they are awesome. You got to keep the customer feeling valued though. Interestingly I had the same with another CIJ company too. Poor show[/quote] you're talking about Uk companies that import MIJ/CIJ fenders into the UK, The question is more about why Fender the company try and keep most japanese made stuff inside Japan. EDIT: that seems a bit dismissive and rude. sorry, wasnt meant to be I've had two jap fender basses. A CIJ '57 RI and my '82 JV Squier. Both better than anything Ive played in any of the shops round here from the MIA/MIM ranges.. Edited July 7, 2009 by LukeFRC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 [quote name='LukeFRC' post='535178' date='Jul 7 2009, 09:57 PM']you're talking about Uk companies that import MIJ/CIJ fenders into the UK, The question is more about why Fender the company try and keep most japanese made stuff inside Japan. EDIT: that seems a bit dismissive and rude. sorry, wasnt meant to be I've had two jap fender basses. A CIJ '57 RI and my '82 JV Squier. Both better than anything Ive played in any of the shops round here from the MIA/MIM ranges..[/quote] Yeah got that. It was just something recent that really annoyed me. I've been playing MIJ Fender for 20yrs and was just a little disheartened with the poor service. Back to the real matter at hands people! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted July 7, 2009 Author Share Posted July 7, 2009 If you want some good second hand ones, go to [url="http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/e/"]http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/e/ [/url] and click on Fender at the top left. They have some smackers!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 [quote name='Stacker' post='535214' date='Jul 7 2009, 10:19 PM']If you want some good second hand ones, go to [url="http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/e/"]http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/e/ [/url] and click on Fender at the top left. They have some smackers!![/quote] Everything on there I've asked about has been sold before they reply.. That's teh problem of the time difference. There are specialists in Japan who will sort out stuff for you - at a price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I too with MIJ Fenders were more easily available here. They offer much more lefty variations than Fender USA ever has, in much more color options, and there's even a lefty 5-string Jazz, whereas with Fender USA you'd have to turn towards the Custom Shop and pay Custom Shop money for one. There are only a few exceptions that are being sold outside Japan, unfortunately (for example, the '51 Precision, Mustang Bass, Jaguar Bass, Aerodyne Jazz Bass and the Geddy Lee and Marcus Miller signature Jazz Basses). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasher80 Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 i tried all the well known importers of CIJ Fenders and none would import the left handers - this was when Guitar Emporium had gone on temporary hiatus. Then the exchange rate plummeted and i had to go down the MIM route [b]again[/b]. Gutted isn't the word, not many come up on the for sale forum either! I tried Ishibashi's u-box but encountered the same problems as OldGit. I think it is a bit of a poor show, Fender know that their Jap instruments consistently out-perform their other ones, yet they persist in blocking their sale outside Japan. Fender should shut down it's MIM operation and sell MIJ fenders at the entry level IMO. Then i'd have the 75 Jazz and 57 Precision i've always wanted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Really? I've contacted several of the MIJ Fender importers (and traders from Japan, like Guitarshogun.com), who would gladly sell me a lefty PB70/LH or JB75-US/LH. In the end I didn't need to buy a new one because my JB75-US/LH popped up on eBay in Germany, but I gladly would have! I agree Japanese Fenders are of very consistent quality and would do great replacing the Mexican models. Unfortunately though, I fear they would be a bit more expensive so they wouldn't really be entry-level instruments... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 [quote]I tried Ishibashi's u-box but encountered the same problems as OldGit.[/quote] I managed to buy my 70RI P-bass OK from Ishibashi. I asked about three basses and the sales guy put a temporary 'Hold' on each while I decided which one I wanted. So it did work for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jase Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 MIJ's are very good quality these days, the Geddy I used to have was every bit as good as a USA. I tried a MIM P the other day locally, very good too, they've improved a hell of a lot but saying that, USA have too with the Standard, I just got a USA Standard P, in my opinion they're a tad in front of MIJ's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johngh Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 This one was imported from Ishibashi. Not by me but by a previous owner. I bought it off the forum from Mr Russ. It is incredibly well made, and I can't see me parting with it. It's a 75' reissue. [attachment=28489:John_Jazz.jpg] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasher80 Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 [quote name='LeftyJ' post='535586' date='Jul 8 2009, 12:19 PM']Really? I've contacted several of the MIJ Fender importers (and traders from Japan, like Guitarshogun.com), who would gladly sell me a lefty PB70/LH or JB75-US/LH. In the end I didn't need to buy a new one because my JB75-US/LH popped up on eBay in Germany, but I gladly would have![/quote] yeah, i was aware of GuitarShogun and was going to use them, but the exchange rate went all silly and now it's the best part of £1000 once you include shipping, customs charges etc. It's a shame because i couldn't wait for the exchange rate to settle because i needed a "main" bass quickly and neither Ishibashi nor Ebay were any use. I've now got an MIM Jazz but i want a 75 reissue like you wouldn't believe. If they did the MIM 75s as lefty i'd even buy one of those, heard lots of good things about them too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Ah, now I remember, you're the guy who sent me that PM about my MIJ 75RI when I had just joined here Yes, too bad the exchange rate went all crazy. Not just pound to yen, euro to yen is off too. Guitar Emporium currently charges 999 pounds for a lefty MIJ 75RI, at the current euro to pound exchange rate that's about 1100 euros I believe, which doesn't seem half bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rasher80 Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 about a year ago they were about £700 delivered though - i think i'm holding out for the exchange rate to sort itself out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacker Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 You have to be quick with ishibashi. I got a '66 reissue Jazz from them recently, but yeah, the stuff on that site sells very quickly. The Seppos watch it all the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 [quote name='Stacker' post='538585' date='Jul 12 2009, 04:16 PM']You have to be quick with ishibashi. I got a '66 reissue Jazz from them recently, but yeah, the stuff on that site sells very quickly. The Seppos watch it all the time![/quote] Yeah I just missed a PB62 I fancied .. Seppos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingrayfan Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 [quote name='OldGit' post='538921' date='Jul 12 2009, 10:34 PM']Seppos?[/quote] I'm guessing: septic tanks = Yanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 (edited) [quote name='OldGit' post='538921' date='Jul 12 2009, 10:34 PM']Yeah I just missed a PB62 I fancied .. Seppos?[/quote] Yeah I was wondering that too, so I had a google. It's a shortened version of Septic. Edit: there's no way I would have guessed that stingrayfan! Edited July 12, 2009 by Musky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 Seppos = Septics = Septic Tank = Yank British military slang I'm lead to believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGit Posted July 13, 2009 Share Posted July 13, 2009 Ta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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