Fender Japan/Fender in general Experts Plz Help

[Mechanical Birds]

I’m purusing reverb and finally remembered to ask someone as I looked at MIJ reissues - why did they call the guitars that are very clearly in every single way styled after a pre-cbs version of a Jaguar or Jazzmaster ‘66 reissues? Even the 66B things have glaring differences from a real CBS-style version (mainly the decal), but at least they have most of the trimmings that a typical ‘66 would have.

I’ve never actually seen one, let alone for sale, but in one of those awesome catalogue scans that pop up every once in a while, I saw that they even did a ‘65 reissue similar to the AV65. It seems like it’d have been really easier, like way easier than doing a different reissue of every single small change that a Tele or Strat went through, to do Jazzmasters and Jags Justice by doing a ‘62 version, a ‘65 version as the ‘transitional’ one and then of course a ‘66 version. I hate it that Fender never got around to doing an AV66 reissue, though I guess it makes sense from how people here have explained that Fender’s reissues aren’t so much about aesthetic changes as they’re meant to be a representative of a specific time where that particular version of the guitar was widely used - so that’s why there was like a ‘67 Strat and 10 other years because iconic players used real versions of those guitars, while it’s nearly impossible to find someone whose signature guitar was a B&B-equipped Jaguar or Jazzmaster out of the current crop of offset icons, let alone when they were actually being produced. Still, though, seems like it could be done really easily by just selling the AV65, or I guess now the AO60s versions but with block inlays instead of dots. Like it’s so close! Yeah it’s cool that you can buy those anniversary models or the TVL or whatever, but the blocks are wrong, the decal is wrong (and under the finish so hard to actually fix), etc. I genuinely don’t understand why they use the shape of blocks they’re using on those or the new Classic Vibe Jag. Is it a thing to make them harder to pass off as originals for shady resellers or something?

That’s a lot of words, I know. Really wish we had a resident Fender rep who could take and answer questions like this because they’re totally my favorite company in general but they do so many things that confuse the hell out of me.

[Embenny]

My understanding is that the original JG-66 had been listed for 66,000 yen, so it was a price-related designation and not a year-related one. The JG-66B was just the same spec jaguar (basically a '62 with poly finish) with the blocks and binding added.

[sunburster]

My understanding is that the original JG-66 had been listed for 66,000 yen, so it was a price-related designation and not a year-related one.

This is wrong, though I keep seeing this myth pop up again and again. JG66 is the model name. The first two digits of the price in yen were added after it with a hyphen. The Fender Japan Jaguar was first available in 1986. Here is the catalogue page for it from 1986:

http://brochures.yokochou.com/guitar-an ... index.html

It is listed as JG66-75. The 75 means 75,000 yen. The Jazzmaster is JM66-70, because its price was 70,000 yen.

In the early catalogues they actually write the model name as "JG'66", showing clearly that the '66 indicates the year 1966.

[Embenny]

Thanks for setting that straight. I have seen that myth repeated so many times that I really believed it.

[timtam]

Japan model numbers listed here ...
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=110944
So based on the 'second number = price in yen' thing, JM66 and JG66 are all the same model ... that just got a bit more expensive (and so a different number after the hyphen) with time ?

[sunburster]

So based on the 'second number = price in yen' thing, JM66 and JG66 are all the same model ... that just got a bit more expensive (and so a different number after the hyphen) with time ?

Yes, but we do find some differences under the hood over the years. JMs didn't have shielding paint in the cavities until the CIJs started, for example. And the early MIJs (up until the mid 90s) had full size pots instead of mini pots. Jaguars had shielding plates in the cavities (just like vintage ones) until the CIJs started. Etc. So the knowledge of model number + CIJ/MIJ + year will tell you the full story about your particular guitar's features both inside and out.

The reason why they chose '66 for the model name is still a mystery, afaik. One thing I've found interesting is they put black side dot markers on the neck. Like a 70s Fender neck. But also like a bound '66 JM/JG neck (just without the binding). In contrast, their ST62 Strat has yellow side dots (like a real 62). So it is hard to explain the black ones on the JM/JG unless it is related to the year 1966.

Ultimately the FJ iterations of the Jaguar and Jazzmaster are just loose interpretations of a "60s" JG/JM with a mishmash of various features and cost-cutting measures, some of which are unique.

[Mechanical Birds]

That’s a good nutshell rundown I’d say. Similar to the VM stuff that has a sunk stripe for no reason, or wrong shape block inlays, same deal. Shits weird.