Cobain's Mustangs, from the guy who built them at Fender Fujigen

[timtam]

Just posted on facebook Fender CIJ/MIJ group ...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2007000 ... 859869575/

Excerpt ...
In reality the agreement with Kurt was that I make ten guitars 5 blue and five Fiesta Red. My good friend Dan Smith contacted me at Fujigen and said that the newly formed Fender USA Custom Shop was just getting up and that he wanted me to make the guitars so the Custom shop could concentrate on their work, they had NO ability to make lefty Mustang necks at all. I delivered six guitars before Kurt died. In addition I also made the necks for his two personal prototypes of the Jagstang. These were shipped to the Custom shop and Larry brooks made the rest of the two guitars.

[oid]

they had NO ability to make lefty Mustang necks at all.

If that is true they were hiring a rather incompetent lot for the custom shop, suspect they just did not want to do it for one reason or another.

Apparently you must join the group to read it though, oh well.

[Mechanical Birds]

Yeah I’m getting a “this isn’t available right now” prompt

Mind just posting the text in here?

[CROSS_guitars]

Would die to see pictures of the sonic blue prototype Jag-stang up close.

[Stephen_42]

Could you copy/paste the whole thing? Even better if there are pictures!

Same as everyone else, can't see because not in whatever he group is.

[Stephen_42]

PS - Bring back the Jag-stang!

[timtam]

Sorry I didn't realize it wasn't a direct public link. The facebook 'Japanese Fender and Squier guitars MIJ CIJ' group is not a public group but anyone can join who has a fb account ... it's essentially automatic ..
https://www.facebook.com/groups/2007000209553608

I can't really post it all here because it's an evolving conversation where Scott Zimmerman is adding to the story as people ask questions. But the above is the main gist. It's only 11 comments/responses so far ... if it dries up tommorow maybe I can try then.

The above was actually the bulk of it and the most interesting. Another snippet ...

The guitars are easy to identify, my name is on necks and bodies under the finish. What is more amazing is the remaining four guitars were sold to Fender Japan and they were dumped in a Tokyo music store sold as just... guitars. I have pictures of the six that were sent to Kurt for my own records.

More pictures have been promised. So far just this one ...

[simonhpieman]

That Scott Zimmerman fella has been all over that group recently to, in his words, "dispell all the pure bullshit about Japanese Fenders" that gets put on the internet. Then he makes a point of how right he is and makes himself sound very self important.

I mean, good on him for clearing stuff up if he's the real deal but a little humility goes a long way!

[RollFizzlebeef]

That Scott Zimmerman fella has been all over that group recently to, in his words, "dispell all the pure bullshit about Japanese Fenders" that gets put on the internet. Then he makes a point of how right he is and makes himself sound very self important.

I mean, good on him for clearing stuff up if he's the real deal but a little humility goes a long way!

Scott Zimmerman?
*THE* Scott Zimmerman?










Who is *the* Scott Zimmerman?

[simonhpieman]

You'll have to join up to that group and go through all the posts to find exactly who he claims he is but he claims to have worked for Fender Japan since its inception, more or less, and was responsible for a lot of their R&D, I think. He claims to know a lot of stuff about a lot of stuff MIJ wise.

[timtam]

In addition to the interesting Cobain Mustang details, this stuff made me realize that I knew little of the nature of the working relationship between Fender USA and Fujigen etc (= Fender Japan). There's not much that I've seen that spells out how the relationship actually worked. Who called the shots for example on models / design / construction ? (what IP flowed between the two ?) Just how independent were the Japanese ? And how American Fender staff worked in Japan.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Japan
https://reverb.com/au/news/a-brief-hist ... fender-mij
http://www.music-trade.co.jp/Fenderjapanserial.html
Maybe others can point us to better sources of information.

Anyway this is Zimmerman's bio FWIW ...

https://www.facebook.com/scott.zimmerman.37
Nagano Japan
Owner, craftsman, engineer and consultant at Desert Rose Musical Instruments
Worked at The Roland White Band
Former Masterbuilder/ Engineer at Fujigen Musical Instruments
Former Production Manager/ Engineer at Jackson Charvel Guitars
Former Masterbuilder, Research and Developement at Fender Musical Instruments

From Desert Rose website ...
Scott has been working in the stringed instrument industry for thirty years. He studied acoustic instrument construction and repair formally for three years at McCabes Guitar Shop in California. During this time he learned the craft of acoustic stringed instrument restoration and repair. From the beginning he repaired Martin guitars, and Gibson banjos and mandolins belonging to very critical owners.
He began working at CBS Fender Musical Instruments in 1977. During this time he worked for three years in the woodshop leading a team building the top of the line necks in Fenders catalog. Following that, in 1980 he was promoted to the job of Senior Master Builder in Research and Development. Scott was the sole Master builder at the Fender factory at this time. His job was to make all engineering samples and production samples of guitars, basses and components for the factory and to make countless custom guitars for the leading artists in the world playing Fender instruments. Producing prototype samples often required consulting with the production engineers to work out details of mass producing new ideas from Scott's handmade samples. Throughout this time he continued to repair acoustic instruments in his own shop and he began building his own instruments.
Leaving Fender in late 1984 Scott then worked as a Factory Supervisor for the Jackson Charvel factory where his job was to solve numerous production problems causing quality and production flow situations. He also set up the Charvel quality control system and did factory warrantee repairs. He came to Japan in 1986 to set up production of the Charvel Brand and oversee the three factories that made the instruments.
In 1990 He began working for the Fujigen factory in Japan where he again worked in Engineering and Development. He custom made instruments in development and artist guitars for many leading brands including Fender, Ibanez, Casio, Epiphone and Yamaha. In 1994 He began working as a Quality Control Engineer and Inspector at Fujigen.
During his years of engineering and custom building he has had the opportunity to consult with or build for many leading artists including members of the bands Queen, The Cars, Bad Company, The Blues Brothers, Jerry Donahue, Will Ray, Kurt Cobain, Kiss, Bryan Adams, Jake E. Lee, Vivian Campbell, Ratt and many others. He has built custom instruments for a number of leading Japanese bands as well including the Superstar group Princess Princess, Mad Capsule Market, Tokyo Yankees, Grand Slam, and Marchosias Vamp among many others.
One of Scott's guitars has been placed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, one of the six left handed Fender Mustang guitars he custom built for Rock legend Kurt Cobain.
Scott continues to keep active in the acoustic music business. He is a recognized authority on the five string banjo and has his own column in the respected BANJO NEWSLETTER . He builds professional instruments with the brand name DESERT ROSE and builds custom prototype acoustic instruments for leading instrument manufacturers world wide, in addition to his consulting work at instrument factories through out the world.

[timtam]

Here's the latest post in the FB group ('Japanese Fender and Squier guitars MIJ CIJ') from Scott Zimmerman, this time his telling of how "MIJ / CIJ" came about. You have to join the group to read it, but anyone with a FB account can join. For those who don't ....

The designation of Fender Japan instruments as Made in Japan or Crafted in Japan is a story filled with MISINFORMATION, horseshit stories and just plain lies. And sadly the internet LOVES it, and many don’t want to know the facts. For those people, you can stop reading now and live in the Fairy Tales. For the majority who want to know the real story, this is for you.

From 1990 to 2001 I worked at the Fujigen factory in Engineering as both a Masterbuilder and QC Engineer. As such, changes were part of my job. As well, my job at Fujigen was facilitated because of my long history with Fender USA. Fender wanted me working at Fujigen. I worked with Fender Japan people since Fender Japan was formed in 1982.
From day one Fujigen was the sole supplier of instruments for Fender Japan. At one point in the mid to late nineties Mr. S from Fender Japan approached Fujigen with the idea to change the Made in Japan decal that had been used up to that point. Mr. S suggested Crafted in Japan. The goal was a bit of a boost to the image and at the same time set their instruments apart from other Japanese instruments.
Fujigen drew up a sample, Fender Japan oked it and they were put into used the day they arrived at the factory.
NOW the back story. Fujigen had a monthly capacity to make 15,000 guitars. This was broken up into 5000 Fender, 5000 Ibanez and 5000 misc brand instruments. Fender was increasing their orders to Fujigen and delays were starting to happen. At the suggestion of the Fujigen Vice President Mr. A, the idea of bringing Dyna into the picture was offered. Fujigen and Dyna had a long relationship. Dyna was in a bit of a pinch and their incoming orders were not enough to keep them healthy in the long term. Fender Japan accepted this and asked Fender USA to consent.
Now the IMPORTANT fact. This happened virtually concurrently with the Fender Japan idea to change to the Crafted in Japan decal. NOT by plan or design, just by chance. So As Fujigen pushed to make their goal of 5000 instruments or more with Crafted in Japan mark, Dyna started making Fender instruments… with Crafted in Japan as well. Steadily increasing their quantity as their ability allowed.
A VERY important point here is that while Fender USA was advised of every move in these processes, they did NOT order or request ANY of this, they were the least involved of anyone. They were informed of these points after the fact, with right to object of course, but they did not.
Both Fujigen and Dyna produced Crafted in Japan Fender guitars for over a year together. Then Fujigen made the decision to leave the relationship at which time Dyna assumed the lead.
THAT’S IT.

Any source and I STRESS ANY source that promotes points like MIJ means Fujigen, CIJ means Dyna as a FACT and rule to judge source of instruments, any source that weaves some demented Fairy Tale about disasters, or drama of ANY kind is PURE fantasy. Any other points they try and peddle must be called into question.

Bonefides
It must be understood that these details are NOT solely from me. I have confirmed facts with the SENIOR Fujigen design engineer at the time as well as the R and D art director. Both of these people I work with daily in the same factory today. As well we have a working relationship with Dyna and talk to or visit the factory many times a week.

Sorry to burst bubbles, no drama, no intrigue, just another day at the job for everybody concerned

[MechaBulletBill]

That does sound mundane enough to be true. Hopefully it gets spread around so that the mystique around MIJ/CIJ fenders dies down and the price gougers lose their misinformed customer base.

[matthew a]

The guitars are easy to identify, my name is on necks and bodies under the finish. What is more amazing is the remaining four guitars were sold to Fender Japan and they were dumped in a Tokyo music store sold as just... guitars. I have pictures of the six that were sent to Kurt for my own records.

Four Mustangs custom built for Kurt Cobain were sold in shops in the 90s? Crazy.

[Bouts_n_Stouts]

I'd like to be the unbeknownst buyer of one of those Cobain Mustangs then find out at some point. That'd be incredible!