Sorry for the confusion, but it does appear you are equating the US as being 'the rest of the world' outside of Japan.mastermorya wrote: ↑Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:23 pmI don’t really understand what you mean or where you are coming from—in the US at least, there are very few made in japan models that you can buy new through the retail outlets one would use to buy Fender guitars normally in the US. It appears depending on what country you select on Fender’s website there is some variety of what MIJ guitars are available, and maybe there are more expansive offerings in Australia, I have no idea. All I know is that it was not possible to go to fender.com or any US retailer to buy the guitar this thread is about. You had to arrange for import to the US, whether through ishibashi or whatever, and likely pay for customs on top of shipping, because, as I understand it, most Fender Japan guitars are intended for sale in Japan pursuant to some agreement between Fender Japan and Fender USA. Or buy one used and/or already imported to the USA, e.g., Mike and Mike’s Ridiculous Markup Bar.
My point is these guitars are readily available for purchase, brand new, legitimately through official Fender dealers, outside of Japan, due to the agreements Fender has with different countries/regions as to what's available for sale through their official sales channels.
The 'can only be sold and shipped within Japan' comment is incorrect, and is the exact type of thing peddled by the likes of M&M's to create an air of rarity/exclusivity.
That is the line I am correcting as it seems to have become conventional wisdom. I mean, you've repeated it, again, in your reply.
That Fender USA imposes restrictions on the market within the USA actually makes some sense, given the risk of cannibalising their own sales on locally produced instruments.
BTW I'm pretty sure the overwhelming majority of those CIJ/MIJ guitars changing hands on the used market across Europe were also purchased brand new from retailers originally.
