Fender Japan/Ishibashi Question

[SkinDog]

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[spacecadet]

It's just a standard JM66 model; the "ANNEX" just means it's in the annex

(Ishibashi has an "annex" store in Ochanomizu, so this is just telling people it's there, whether employees or customers I'm not sure.)

It seems that would have to be a 2004-2006 model. No matching headstock on the black version. They only offered the JM66-80 in black those two years, then the model number changed to JM66-88. The second number just refers to the list price - the original list price of the JM66-80 was 80,000 yen, although by 2005-2006 it was 84,000 yen. The 88's were originally 88,000 yen.

Here's a pic of a black JM66-80: http://fareastguitars.jp/fj_jm66-80blk/ ... _page.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'd ask Ishibashi of the condition before buying it, since the page doesn't say anything and has no pics.

[SkinDog]

Thanks very much.

The price looks quite good but once you factor in import costs it turns expensive and I'm not sure if I can afford it yet.

It would probably cost me about £580 in all but you can get a 'normal' Japanese jm (CAR or sunburst) for about £500.

[SkinDog]

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[spacecadet]

Any advice or opinions?
Is £580 a bit steep?
Do ishibashi do a decent set-up etc.?

Do you really want black? You talked earlier about "normal" Japanese JM's - this is a normal Japanese JM too. It's one of the standard colors, not a special run or custom job. As such, it seems a little expensive to me (it's a little more than some of the other used JM's they have, for whatever reason - maybe it's the condition). But if you really want black, there probably aren't a lot of options in a used one. You could get a brand new one for just a little more, though: http://translate.google.co.jp/translate ... 05%2F3%2F1

That's about £546 before shipping, according to Google.

[gusman2x]

I'd say if it's £580 all in then that's about right.

Prices for MIJ/CIJ are varying between £450 and £600 in the UK.

[SkinDog]

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[JimboMansonMB-1]

Don't know about UK prices, but what about the CP Jazz? That one comes in black as well.

[SkinDog]

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[carausius]

I'd say if it's £580 all in then that's about right.

Prices for MIJ/CIJ are varying between £450 and £600 in the UK.

Most of the CIJ / MIJ Jags & JM's in Europe are "for export" models, the Japan domestic guitars are built to a better standard hence the price difference.

I have a CIJ export Jag & a s/h Japan domestic Jazz Bass '62 Reissue imported directly from Japan & the build & parts quality is much better on the JB.

Export models sometimes have a "EX" stamped on the neck & / or body pocket.

[frelonvert]

Don't know about UK prices, but what about the CP Jazz? That one comes in black as well.

http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/fende ... to-content
And there is a blacktop jazzmaster in Black finnish to.

[andy_tchp]

Most of the CIJ / MIJ Jags & JM's in Europe are "for export" models, the Japan domestic guitars are built to a better standard hence the price difference.

Given the hardware is identical and the consistency of Fender Japan instruments through my hands I'm finding this a bit hard to believe.

Is this documented somewhere?

[spacecadet]

Most of the CIJ / MIJ Jags & JM's in Europe are "for export" models, the Japan domestic guitars are built to a better standard hence the price difference.

Given the hardware is identical and the consistency of Fender Japan instruments through my hands I'm finding this a bit hard to believe.

Is this documented somewhere?

I don't really believe it either. If you want a "reference" for it *not* being true, here's a page that was around long before I had ever even heard of MIJ's, so it's at least got that much cred: http://www.fenderjaguar.net/reissue.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Claims like this have been going around, mainly on eBay:

"Japanese Jaguars manufactured for the Japanese domestic market are made to far better standards than those made for export to the United States/elsewhere "

This is almost certainly untrue, as is the claim that CIJ models are superior to MIJ.

There's then a paragraph explaining why. (Long story short, he just can't find any differences in the ones he's looked at.)

A side note is that it's also interesting that he mentions CIJ vs. MIJ, because now some people are claiming the reverse. I don't really believe that either, and I have looked at and/or handled *hundreds* of CIJ/MIJ's of various types and years.

The only thing you could convince me of is that Japan-made guitars in general have gotten overall better over the years, but it's been a slow process and it's mainly in cosmetic areas. Body contours, pickguard coloring, etc.

[triviani]

JG66s are exactly the same, and there are NO "export" models from Fender Japan. This has to be clear.

[spacecadet]

JG66s are exactly the same, and there are NO "export" models from Fender Japan. This has to be clear.

Are you sure about that? I have heard of the existence of these guitars before, e.g. here: http://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?t=30175" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe that's a myth too, but my CIJ has no such "EX" stamp on it and it most assuredly was not available at Musician's Friend (a US store) at that time.

That said, again, I doubt there's a single difference between these guitars other than that stamp.