Japanese Jazzes

[Reggaebass]

I’m thinking of getting a white 62RI Japanese jazz , I’ve had over 35 USA and Mexican jazzes  but to my knowledge never a jap one, I noticed some are CIJ and some are MIJ , what’s the differences and what’s the build quality like, many thanks ☝️

[BigRedX]

@Bassassin should be along in a bit with all the facts, but IIRC MIJ and CIJ come from different factories.

[Reggaebass]

1 minute ago, BigRedX said:

@Bassassin should be along in a bit with all the facts, but IIRC MIJ and CIJ come from different factories.

Thanks BigRedX 👍

[Steve Browning]

I have had numerous Japanese Precisions and the build quality (CIJ or MIJ) has been consistently exemplary. Frankly, I see spending the extra on one from the American continent as pure waste.

That said, I have tended to go for the US variants as they have alder or ash bodies (for example PB-75US).

[hooky_lowdown]

All Japanese fender basses are superb, ive yet to a play a bad one. The 62RI's are excellent, nothing further to be said. 😃

[Reggaebass]

Thanks hooky, this is the sort of thing I’m looking at, I wondered if some years are better than others and also some have the grounding strip and some don’t, 

[ead]

I think the grounding strip is particular to the '62 reissue basses but not 100% on that.  Over the years I've had three Japanese jazzes and all have been excellent.  Currently (selfishly) playing a couple of Japan Geddy Lee jazzes both excellent but at some point will need to let one go.

These are probably my favourite of the various offerings, one is CIJ and one MIJ.  From different manufacturers in Japan I beleive but you'd be hard pressed to spot a difference bewteen them.

A couple of 62RIs

...and a 65RI

One of the Geddy Lee basses

 

Edited August 23, 2020 by ead

[Guest]

Definitely try before you buy. Build quality is uniformly excellent but I tried one just like that - sounded great but must have been more than 11lbs. Others I’ve played are stupidly light ( 7.5lbs or less) - probably basswood or something similarly light - but most were a bit lifeless. A good few year ago Far East Guitars were importing Japanese Fenders and they listed the standard 62 jazz but also a 75 reissue with blocks and binding and a similar model with PJ layout. Spec’ed with US pickups. Candy apple red and lake placid blue with matching headstocks IIRC. Stunning but even then they were close to £1,000 before Fender put a stop to grey imports.

[ead]

Interesting ref. the weights.  Mine have been pretty uniform between 9.0lbs and 9.3lbs.  Pretty sure all Alder but as you can see they were painted so hard to be sure.

[Reggaebass]

15 minutes ago, ead said:

I think the grounding strip is particular to the '62 reissue basses but not 100% on that.  Over the years I've had three Japanese jazzes and all have been excellent.  Currently (selfishly) playing a couple of Japan Geddy Lee jazzes both excellent but at some point will need to let one go.

These are probably my favourite of the various offerings, one is CIJ and one MIJ.  From different manufacturers in Japan I beleive but you'd be hard pressed to spot a difference bewteen them.

A couple of 62RIs

...and a 65RI

One of the Geddy Lee basses

 

Thanks very much ead, they all look really good 🙂

[Geek99]

Just do it, every single one I’ve had has been fabulous 

 

well worth the premium and like @Steve Browning I do not think us is sufficiently better to justify the extra outlay 

Edited August 23, 2020 by Geek99

[Reggaebass]

1 minute ago, Geek99 said:

Just do it, every single one I’ve had has been fabulous 

Cheers  Geek, that’s great to know 👍

[Geek99]

7 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Cheers  Geek, that’s great to know 👍

I’m not usually subject to sellers remorse, but in the case of my sunburst 62ri (from oldgit on here) I really miss it and regret deciding to sell. 

[Bassassin]

2 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

I’m thinking of getting a white 62RI Japanese jazz , I’ve had over 35 USA and Mexican jazzes  but to my knowledge never a jap one, I noticed some are CIJ and some are MIJ , what’s the differences and what’s the build quality like, many thanks ☝️

Quick skim through the thread, don't think anyone's answered the specific question so if boring details are your ting, here goes.

MIJ - Made exclusively by Fujigen Gakki, and basically covers all Fender Japan output between 1982 and 1997. There have been a few Fujigen-built MIJ batches subsequently.

CIJ - Post-Fgn production, from Dyna Gakki & Tokai Gakki. Some might've heard of one of those. Not 100% sure but there are probably a few pre-'97 CIJs in circulation.

Real-world differences - a letter. High-end Japanese manufacturing consistentcy's always been incredibly good, there's never really been a "best" factory. There won't be a fag-paper between MIJ & CIJ.

Just a little addendum - Fender Japan (a partnership between Kanda Shokai & retail chain Yamano Gakki) came to an end in 2015, and I don't know who's responsible for subsequent Japanese Fenders, or who makes them. I should probably find out.

[Geek99]

Were you honestly expect us to jump in and steal your thunder o’ guru ?

[hooky_lowdown]

2 hours ago, Reggaebass said:

Thanks hooky, this is the sort of thing I’m looking at, I wondered if some years are better than others and also some have the grounding strip and some don’t, 

Nope, as far as I can tell Japanese basses are very consistent, MIJ and CIJ. 👍

[Reggaebass]

1 hour ago, Bassassin said:

Real-world differences - a letter. High-end Japanese manufacturing consistentcy's always been incredibly good, there's never really been a "best" factory. There won't be a fag-paper between MIJ & CIJ.

Bassassin as always, thank you very much, so I needn’t concern myself over mij or cij, that will make my search easier 👍

[Steve Browning]

Ishibashi is a good source and they are good to deal with.

[Reggaebass]

7 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

Ishibashi is a good source and they are good to deal with.

Cheers Steve, that’s good to know,  I’ve often looked there but never bought anything.

[Steve Browning]

55 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

Cheers Steve, that’s good to know,  I’ve often looked there but never bought anything.

Just remember VAT and Duty on the cost. I have bought from them twice and communication was excellent.

[uk_lefty]

I had an MIJ PB70 and sold it to fund a CIJ JB75-US. Coincidentally both are "US" versions so had Alder bodies and US hardware. Excellent, excellent basses. The PB was great and I was reluctant to sell, but other basses were doing its job and I'm more of a jazz bass man at heart. My CIJ Jazz is unreal. The quality of build is flawless, you can see woodgrain through the butterscotch paint, everything is fitted perfectly, the neck feels great and could only be better with a more satin finish, but the gloss is the best gloss neck I've played. It looks, feels and sounds stunning. And second hand it was around half the price of a new USA jazz bass. The only change I may consider is to add ashtrays and a thumb rest. The pickguard is pre drilled for them but the body isn't. 

Edited August 24, 2020 by uk_lefty

[Reggaebass]

38 minutes ago, uk_lefty said:

 

I had an MIJ PB70 and sold it to fund a CIJ JB75-US. Coincidentally both are "US" versions

 

That’s a nice jazz lefty👍,  How does that work that they are Japanese/US, are they made in both countries 🙂

[ead]

54 minutes ago, Reggaebass said:

That’s a nice jazz lefty👍,  How does that work that they are Japanese/US, are they made in both countries 🙂

I think it's more about the spec and the parts.  Still MIJ but to USA specifications and, I think, with US p/ups.

[Steve Browning]

4 minutes ago, ead said:

I think it's more about the spec and the parts.  Still MIJ but to USA specifications and, I think, with US p/ups.

Someone correct me but I seem to recall reading that the pickups are Japanese made but to US spec.

[leftybassman392]

I can't match @Bassassin's expertise, but I've had quite a few Japanese Fender guitars and basses (including 2 jazzes IIRC). They were all superb instruments: beautifully built and fantastic sound. If you can get your hands on one at anything like a decent price I would buy it. Even if you wind up not liking it, somebody else surely will.