How come we can’t get the cool fender Japan stuff :(

[stingray_stinger72]

Hi people

 

 I just had a look at the fender Japan website (set your location to Japan) and saw that they have so much cool stuff that is so much more interesting than the stuff we get to pick from imo.

There these signatures that are really nice with unique pickup placement etc and it made me sad that we don’t have those options too

 

I get that some of the famous bassists there wont be as popular in the uk and us but some of the other stuff like heritage/traditional series would be cool to have on top.

There might be a valid reason for it tho

[bakerster135]

This guy imports a load of Fender Japan guitars, quite a few specials https://www.whitstableguitars.co.uk/.

 

No basses listed but he could probably get hold of them.

[Doctor J]

You used to be able to get this stuff direct from Ishibashi and other Japanese retailers but, in the mid-00's, FMIC told them to stop selling to Europe. After they couldn't ship here, I asked a local Fender supplier about a few specific Fender Japan items and the price they were being charged by their Fender-approved European distributor was already more expensive than Ishibashi were charging retail including shipping and import duties, before they even got to add their cut to it. A giant swindle, courtesy of FMIC, to gouge more out of their customers.

 

I can see why they did it. When you could get Fender Japan gear for half the price of Fender USA, why would anyone ever buy USA again? It still stank, though.
 

You can still get this kind of thing from the u_box as the rule meany old Fender imposed applies only to new gear.

[Lw.]

The great thing about fender derivative stuff is it's all standardised - just buy the bits you like and bolt them together, it's all available individually. 

 

Ok the routing for that mm pickup you'll need to pay someone but the rest anyone can do from home. 

[Gareth Hughes]

I’d highly recommend going through Danny Stewart at BassJapanDirect. I’ve bought from him twice, both times everything went as flawless as could be. First time he sourced a bass for me, second time he shipped out a bass I had found, saving me a few quid on ridiculous shipping. Great communication from him too.

[Baloney Balderdash]

Because then people would discover that Fender Japan is better than Fender USA and never buy a US produced Fender anymore.

[LukeFRC]

keep digging deeper into Digimart and you will realise that Fender Japan are some of the least interesting basses to come out of Japan... 

[Cat Burrito]

I remember in the later days of the old Bassworld forum and the early days of Basschat, loads of people raving about Fender Japan. I don't think Fender USA liked this and it's interesting that they aren't as accessible these days.

[LukeFRC]

34 minutes ago, Cat Burrito said:

I remember in the later days of the old Bassworld forum and the early days of Basschat, loads of people raving about Fender Japan. I don't think Fender USA liked this and it's interesting that they aren't as accessible these days.

They aren’t made by the same companies these days but that’s another story! 

[BlueMoon]

The price versus quality comparisons would likely show the Japanese offerings to be the best of “Big F’s” entire range.

[BreadBin]

5 minutes ago, BlueMoon said:

The price versus quality comparisons would likely show the Japanese offerings to be the best of “Big F’s” entire range.

Ssssshhh!

[snorkie635]

23 hours ago, stingray_stinger72 said:

Hi people

 

 I just had a look at the fender Japan website (set your location to Japan) and saw that they have so much cool stuff that is so much more interesting than the stuff we get to pick from imo.

There these signatures that are really nice with unique pickup placement etc and it made me sad that we don’t have those options too

 

I get that some of the famous bassists there wont be as popular in the uk and us but some of the other stuff like heritage/traditional series would be cool to have on top.

There might be a valid reason for it tho

Try looking on Fenderfever website. They're in London and carry lots of Japanese gear.

[TheGreek]

Member @dutchwife lives in Japan....

 

I'm sure he could be persuaded to pass things along for a small fee. 

[dutchwife]

1 hour ago, TheGreek said:

Member @dutchwife lives in Japan....

 

I'm sure he could be persuaded to pass things along for a small fee. 

Always glad to oblige,  🙇🏼‍♂️. Actually, if anyone needs/ would like assistance with anything J-related (Japan, not just Jazz) please shoot a PM across. It'll be nice to have something to distract me from the STWA thread 😂. Happy to post links to local sites too...

  

[dutchwife]

Also, a word to the wise; while it isn't the be-all-and-end-all, most folk who know what's what over here (surprisingly few TBH) shop online at Soundhouse, especially for strings, accessories etc. Here's a link to their current Fender bass inventory. Not able to comment on how local prices stack up against international prices but for new gear over here this is the go-to place for (generally) lowest prices. 

https://www.soundhouse.co.jp/search/index?search_all=FENDER Bass&i_type=s&suggest=y

Hope this is of use, or of interest at least. 

[BigRedX]

If you really wanted a Fender Japan bass, then why not go to Japan to get one?

 

Not only will you get to try before you buy (a prerequisite for any Fender bass IMO), you be able to go to the shops that won’t deal with “weird foreigners” on line, plus you get a holiday in Japan.

[White Cloud]

22 hours ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Because then people would discover that Fender Japan is better than Fender USA and never buy a US produced Fender anymore.

This

[soulstar89]

11 hours ago, dutchwife said:

Also, a word to the wise; while it isn't the be-all-and-end-all, most folk who know what's what over here (surprisingly few TBH) shop online at Soundhouse, especially for strings, accessories etc. Here's a link to their current Fender bass inventory. Not able to comment on how local prices stack up against international prices but for new gear over here this is the go-to place for (generally) lowest prices. 

https://www.soundhouse.co.jp/search/index?search_all=FENDER Bass&i_type=s&suggest=y

Hope this is of use, or of interest at least. 

The price difference is massive. 
 

I went to wunjo guitars in Denmark street London to try the fender MIJ international colour p bass and it’s close to double the price compared to this site!!! Even with adding tax it’s much cheater. 
 

The heritage line is under a 1000 pounds which is basically the Japanese top vintage spec. Drastically cheaper than the vintage II American made. 
 

thanks for sharing this 

Edited May 28, 2023 by soulstar89

[dutchwife]

Despite all the questionable looking sales on eBay Japan generally runs on Yahoo auctions and Mercari. Quite sure that they're easily located but I'll bung some links up shortly just in case. Search terms are probably okay in English but feel free to cut and paste ベース (bass) and フェンダー (Fender). These are worth checking from time to time. I'm assuming that most sales are going to run inside Japan only, but should anyone find something that looks promising please PM me and I'll be glad to translate, advise and, if req'd, help out with possible transactions. This is posted as a friendly, not as a touting-for-business thing by the way, just in case I'm unwittingly contravening a BC bye-law 😉

[Lw.]

10 hours ago, White Cloud said:

This

I don't really get this argument, what difference would it make to Fender? 

 

It made sense before when it was a licensing deal with the Japanese factories that were making great basses a few decades ago, but that's not the setup any more is it? Isn't Fender Japan a full Fender subsidiary now? 

[uk_lefty]

I think there is/ was a law about producing unique products for the domestic market too. In my younger days I remember finding "Japanese edition" versions of albums that had extra songs and versions of songs that you couldn't easily get hold of (pre internet days) for the Japanese domestic market only. Maybe this explains why some stuff just isn't exported as a new product? I don't know for sure so don't lambast me if wrong, I'm neither a lawyer or Japanese speaker, and I'm definitely not a Japanese lawyer.

[NikNik]

Fender Japan has, or had, non-export models. I picked this CAR Jazz up in Belfast a few years ago; the seller had bought it from a guy in UK who managed to get it shipped over. Matching headstock and factory fitted reverse gear tuners. I swapped the 'plate out for a minty and added a tug-bar and a '62 circuit. I've kept the original circuit and the original while 'plate.

[Linus27]

If there was a Fender bass I wanted that was only available in Japan, what's the best way forward? Speak to one of the impoters, order through Ebay, contact someone like Fender Fever?

[LukeFRC]

1 hour ago, Linus27 said:

If there was a Fender bass I wanted that was only available in Japan, what's the best way forward? Speak to one of the impoters, order through Ebay, contact someone like Fender Fever?

how common model is it? will somewhere like ishibashi likely get a secondhand model in? 

[Linus27]

9 minutes ago, LukeFRC said:

how common model is it? will somewhere like ishibashi likely get a secondhand model in? 

 

I think it's pretty common, it the current Fender 2023 Collection Traditional 60s Precision Bass in Sherwood Green Metallic so available to buy new now and advertised in Japan and Ebay Japan over here.

 

https://www.ishibashi.co.jp/ec/product/0717669905088

 

They also do a Jazz as the same spec.

 

 

Edited June 1, 2023 by Linus27