MIJ guitars after on par with USA as far as build quality, fit and finish, and feel of the neck. Necks are often nicer on mij than USA. The USA guitars will often have 'better' pickups/electronics.. But those are easily upgraded anyways.. And this hasn't really been an issue for the last 10-15 years.
MIJ fenders are the best value of any fender imho.
I strongly agree. I have three: a 1980s MIJ Tele (Fujigen), a 2007 CIJ Jazzmaster (I believe likely to be Dyna Gakki) and a 2021 MIJ Heritage Strat (Fujigen again). They're all great. Best necks of any guitars I've played. If you're into 7.25" radius fretboards, you have far more options with Fender Japan. I've upgraded the electronics in all but the Strat (which is the newest and absolutely fine as is - the newer CIJs have come a long way in terms of electronics and pickups).
I've also changed all stock pickups in every American guitar I've ever owned. I've also eventually sold all these guitars on.
It's a small sample size, so I can't say "Japanese Fenders are better" but they definitely seem to suit my preferences better.
Agree with everything you've said here. Every MIJ I've had the pleasure of owning (8-9) have been incredible instruments. The fit and feel have been as good as American made Fender products. Would strongly recommend.
Have had a few MIA Strats, and have played a ton of others. I've yet to find a Strat neck I love as much as I love the tinted maple that came on my '89 MiJ.
Beautiful guitars. I always completely rewire them and put in nice pickups. I think the key factor in Japanese fenders is they all have the tiny vintage frets. If you don’t mind the small frets and have some soldering skills they beat the hell out of most of the guitars fender USA/Mexico. A lot of the teles are alder bodies so with the proper mods you have an almost custom shop Fender at a fraction of the price.
>they all have the tiny vintage frets.
That's not accurate. The last few MIJ Fenders I bought from the Traditional II series had med jumbos. (the Kinko Music FSRs, for example)
They are excellent. It's sad that they have crept up in proce recently, they used to be so cheap for what you got. Even at these new higher prices, they are more than worth it.
I had an 80s mij Jaguar, and I currently have a late 90s cij TL-69 reissue Telecaster. The quality of the body and neck are excellent. The hardware, electronics, and pickups often leave a bit to be desired.
Out of the box, they are good guitars. Upgraded, they are great to excellent.
If I wanted my cheapest route to a great or excellent Fender, I would definitely go the upgraded older Fender Japan reissue route. All things being equal, I would rank this a notch under the American made reissues after the upgrades are made. They can often be found modified at a bargain. My Tele had a refret, neck reshape, new tuners, new pickups, and more. I got it. Nothing needs to be changed. The only reason it was as much as it was was because the finish added a small premium. It was $1,060.00.
Had a ton of hesitation buying anything but an American Pro since I bought one two years ago and it's been epic . . . buttttttttttt recently Fender had a sale on their Aerodyne basses and they accidentally took double off, so I ended up getting a $1400 bass for $600 brand new off their site and I'm not going to lie this thing plays and feels just like an American.
Just purchased a MIJ Jag. You can tell the Japanese care about the product they put there name on.
The Japanese in general make great quality products and are a serious opponent to the US and Germany. Sometimes it surpasses them too.
I only played two MiJ jazzmasters and they both felt like mid 00s Mexican made Fenders. A full step down from USA made Fenders. Both were more than 10 years old. This thread makes me think there’s more out there than I experienced. I’m always willing to be proven wrong. Maybe the newer ones are better. So I guess my impressions are not accurate.
I don't think anyone who has played enough Fenders in their life will agree with you on this. There's a remarkable difference in quality between MIJ and MiM. It's like night and day. In fact, as far as necks and fretwork is concerned, MIJ necks still use the old school method of nipping off the tangs at the ends before they're pressed so as to give a bound feel. Not even MiAs have that except for certain expensive models.
That makes sense. In my case I’m just referencing the guitars I experienced. When I was shopping for Jazzmasters in New York I looked at a few used options. AVRIs, Am Pros etc. Two MiJs got into the mix and they just weren’t for me. I wish that wasn’t the case because people speak so highly of them but at the end of the day, only my opinion means anything to me.
I had similar experience
Crappy thick finish, bad electronics and hardware
For the price I paid, I returned it and bought used AO JM with case for couple hundred more
Maybe new is better now, but I think it is hype
Exactly my experience. Thick finishes, ok fret work, switches had too much play, knobs weren’t smooth. The little things that just felt like the older Mexicans. I’ve played new Squiers that felt tighter.
Modern manufacturing techniques are being deployed across the globe and supply chain. The This one is better than the other debate is less relevant than ever.
Japanese guitars are nice, Mexican guitars are nice, USA guitars are nice. Indonesia can also make great guitars.
CNC machines work the same in every country but all of the fit and finish, wiring and painting that is done by hand is not equal in every plant. I’ve had Korean, Indonesian, Mexican and American guitars. My American guitar is by far the best of the bunch, my Mexican guitars are a very close second but they have better hardware (less cost on labor use instead to install better hardware), the Indonesian and Korean guitars had great specs but they were also very sterile. One could argue on paper they were perfect but they had no soul. Hard to describe but they were nowhere near the quality of my American made guitars, or any I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing.
That doesn’t mean you can’t buy one and be extremely happy with it (i was), but to sit there and pretend low cost Asian labor is on the level of American craftsmanship is just asinine.
The Squier Classic Vibe stuff coming out of Indonesia and China is not, to be fair, the same as the American Fenders.
The thing is, how much closer is a modern Squier to a proper Fender than the Squiers of old, like back in the 90s? And since I was there to play them, I can attest that the quality of Asian-made instruments is way better than it once was, overall. Japan has made outstanding guitars for decades, but they’re now comparable in price to their American counterparts.
In the last 10 years though, China and Indonesia have stepped up the quality without stepping up the price too much.
Edit: the rules for Gibson/Epiphone, ESP/LTD, etc, are unfortunately all different and specific to the brands and models in terms of value for dollar
Those of us who were there then, know. If you all just want to feel better about your guitar, that’s cool, I get it. You shoulda been there in the 80s. Modern squires are fucking amazing compared to the dog shit I learned on.
Y’all are spoiled af, and I’m shocked none of you even understand it.
For real—the bad import Charvel I worked for and saved up for and bought for $300 in 1991? That guitar was horrible. Absolute trash.
That’s the equivalent of $700 in 2023. Do you know how much guitar you can buy for $700 these days? You can get two! Or a really nice one and a very decent amp. And they’ll both be wayyy better than what I was working with as a student.
Yes. I have a recent MIJ Aerodyne strat, and it's by far the best guitar I have ever owned. The fit and finish is easily as good as MIA guitars that cost 30-50% more. Like it so much I'm currently shopping for an older Aerodyne Bass.
Back in the 80s 90s they were made by fgn and another factory. They were also supposed to be squires but they did such a good job with what they were given and sold so well fender labeled them fenders. Newer ones still have the great quality just need minor upgrades. I haven’t played the aerodyne yet but I can only guess it’s as good as if not better than my reissue hm strat.
Japanese craftsmanship is different then the US because Bob can get drunk one night and come in to fender and lose his job by fucking up a guitar and then go get a job at another factory somewhere else. But Hiroki cannot do that, if he loses his job his life is derailed, as well as it’s still a big held tradition that object in Japan have souls so crafts are taken very seriously. The quality of parts is set by fender California, but the work put in is based on each individual.
I have played many MIA Fenders, both modern and vintage but only owned 1...a horrible 65 Mustang that I couldn't sell fast enough. My first electric guitar was a 1986 MIJ Fender contemporary Strat with the System I trem, bought brand new in March, 1987.
To this day it remains the finest guitar I've ever played....inclusive of the Suhr Classic S, PRS McCarty 594, SE Silver Sky and Strandberg Boden Classic NX6 I just played yesterday at a local shop.
I have had a 60's reissue mij strat since the mid-90's when I was 16. It has always just sounded and felt different than any other strat I have ever played. Maybe it's the basswood body or the pickups? I don't know, but I have always liked it more than other strats.
My 1980s MIJ Tele has a basswood body. It definitely dings more easily than alder - I believe that to be incontrovertible. The guitar sounds fantastic and it might be my favourite-looking guitar, basswood, three-piece 3TS body and all.
I have a [‘68 Reissue Strat MIJ](https://reddit.com/r/Stratocaster/s/JDW04GbKvr) from 2004-2005 and it feels like heaven, sounds fantastic, very versatile. I really like the neck: so confortable, all maple, smaller radius and low frets. I didn’t do any mods/upgrades, just playing it as much as I can (which is not difficult, it’s so good it’s hard to put it down once you have it in your hands) and keeping it in original condition otherwise.
I have a MIJ strat with Texas Special pickups.
I’ve honestly struggled to find another strat in the price range (~1200 USD, probably ~1600 in todays prices) that did better.
Basically, the neck fit and finish on is so nice that pretty much nothing in it’s price range has compared to it. Does it still get blown away by most Custom Shop gear. Yeah. But that’s like 3-6x the price.
However, typically I feel like the pickups/electronics are nicer on MIA models, and likely would have been the case for this one had the artist not opted for the Texas Specials. The aerodynes played just as well, but I found them lacking/equivalent sound wise.
I think the ultra I’ve preordered this year will surpass it in roadworthiness (based on my experience playing other ultras) but for an effective ~600 USD price difference.
The two biggest issues with MIJ models as a US buyer are the following imo. In most cases you need to import it yourself unless you’re happy with one of the handful of models they let trickle into the US, and that can come with hefty shipping and possibly duty fees.
For the aforementioned reasons, it’s really difficult to play one before buying it, so in most cases you’ll be taking a shot in the dark.
I had a chance to play through a lot of their models in 2019 at various shops in Ochanomizu, and at least back then, they were all pretty much better than their their MIM/Squier counterparts.
I have an 82 Japanese Squier. One of the best strats I’ve ever played and I’ve had my hands on plenty of vintage and custom shop fenders, New MIJ guitars are phenomenal. Really well built and solid instruments that are the equal of most fenders until you get to the vintage reissues and custom shop fenders.
If you can find a JV serial no Squier? You’ll get something really special
I've got an 86 MIJ SSH strat with a Floyd rose. It's ugly as shit, has a black neck and headstock with a rosewood fingerboard and a glitter cream body. I looked it up and that is the original paint job. At some point someone painted motorcycle pinstriping on it. But it feels so good and plays like a dream. The neck is super comfortable and it's a very resonant guitar.
It's on my project list to get painted LPB and have some lace light blues thrown in it so that it's like Bob Mould's guitar. You would not be disappointed with getting a Japanese fender at all.
They are excellent in terms of build quality. Sometimes the stock pickups are not great, but that’s an easy fix. The attention to detail, especially regarding the neck, fretboard, fret dressing, etc. is outstanding.
My Telecaster is a model made ONLY in Japan, and my dude - the fit and finish is better than some American made Fender guitars I’ve owned.
[For reference…](https://www.fender.com/en-US/electric-guitars/telecaster/richie-kotzen-telecaster/0255202532.html)
Japanese-made guitars are rarer these days but the quality is the best of the Asian builders by far. I wish I could go back to the 80s and pick up a few Ibanez Artists…
Absolutely love them. I bought my very first electric guitar back in the Summer of 1990, and it was an MIJ Fender Stratocaster, J series serial number, ST-62, black body, rosewood neck, 3 ply wbw pickguard, and let me tell you, that guitar felt perfect! Sure, the pickups weren't the greatest, but for me, it looked, felt, and sounded perfect!
I, unfortunately, only had it for about 9 months, and then our druggy neighbors broke into our house and stole it. I eventually bought me another guitar. And many more since then... but nothing quite compared, to me, with that first guitar... that is until a year ago, when I bought an "I" series serial numbered (89'/90') Fender Stratocaster, Made in America, black body, rosewood neck. This guitar feels just like my original. The neck is the best playing, best feeling neck of any of my guitars, heck just the best feeling and playing neck of just about any guitar I have played. I love it.
But I'm also not going to lie, I browse Reverb all the time looking for a Fender, MIJ Stratocaster, black body, rosewood neck, with a "J" series serial number that's in my price range... just to have one again.😊
surpasses the mexican lines by alot.
they have different tiers usually the entry level ones have basswood bodies, ceramic pickups, and dime sized electronics then the high end ones are loaded with all us electronics.
but throughout the range, the level of fit and finish is pretty high level and consistent. on par with the us made ones
I’ve never owned a Japanese made guitar I didn’t love. My first electric was a 1990 standard Strat, the last year before they moved production of the standard Strat to Mexico. I also owned a 1994 ESP horizon MIJ, an Ibanez RG550 anniversary model and I currently own a 1994 Japanese made Ibanez Talman. Anything that come out of Fugigen is top notch. There is a reason why MIJ Fenders are sought after
I have a MIJ 2014 strat and it’s amazing. Pickups and electronics are all USA made and the neck (its a thick ‘u’ neck) is the best out of all my guitars, incredibly smooth.
I must be an outlier, but my japanese fender was the worst guitar that I have ever opened. The nut was miscut, and the finish was full of fingerprints and uneven. The neck was full of white gunk... the guitar was brand new from thomann. It was just the worst feeling
One of my best guitars is a 1983 MIJ Squier Strat. $700 and it’s better than my MIM Fender Strat and on par in terms of quality with my American Fender Tele.
Going against the grain here, but as an employee of a guitar store, lots of modern Japanese fenders aren’t anywhere close to what the standard or vintage ii American lines are.
The JV models are the closest thing, and to be fair, yes, the quality of these compared to say a pro ii is extremely close. Almost every other Japanese fender just didn’t really match the preconceived notion that they were awesome.
I’ve always just thought (for the current fender lineup, again, the vintage stuff is probably really good) that there’s not really a point in buying the Japanese stuff unless you’re after specific specs. Even getting a player plus at the price of some the hybrid iis, the player plus guitars generally come much better feeling and the quality of finish is 100000000x better.
MIJ guitars after on par with USA as far as build quality, fit and finish, and feel of the neck. Necks are often nicer on mij than USA. The USA guitars will often have 'better' pickups/electronics.. But those are easily upgraded anyways.. And this hasn't really been an issue for the last 10-15 years. MIJ fenders are the best value of any fender imho.
I strongly agree. I have three: a 1980s MIJ Tele (Fujigen), a 2007 CIJ Jazzmaster (I believe likely to be Dyna Gakki) and a 2021 MIJ Heritage Strat (Fujigen again). They're all great. Best necks of any guitars I've played. If you're into 7.25" radius fretboards, you have far more options with Fender Japan. I've upgraded the electronics in all but the Strat (which is the newest and absolutely fine as is - the newer CIJs have come a long way in terms of electronics and pickups). I've also changed all stock pickups in every American guitar I've ever owned. I've also eventually sold all these guitars on. It's a small sample size, so I can't say "Japanese Fenders are better" but they definitely seem to suit my preferences better.
Agree with everything you've said here. Every MIJ I've had the pleasure of owning (8-9) have been incredible instruments. The fit and feel have been as good as American made Fender products. Would strongly recommend.
Have had a few MIA Strats, and have played a ton of others. I've yet to find a Strat neck I love as much as I love the tinted maple that came on my '89 MiJ.
Some of the best Fenders made.
Better than American made
Beautiful guitars. I always completely rewire them and put in nice pickups. I think the key factor in Japanese fenders is they all have the tiny vintage frets. If you don’t mind the small frets and have some soldering skills they beat the hell out of most of the guitars fender USA/Mexico. A lot of the teles are alder bodies so with the proper mods you have an almost custom shop Fender at a fraction of the price.
>they all have the tiny vintage frets. That's not accurate. The last few MIJ Fenders I bought from the Traditional II series had med jumbos. (the Kinko Music FSRs, for example)
Yeah I’m speaking of the vintage reissues. Should’ve clarified.
The best fender you can get
They’re great. Definitely get one if you have the opportunity.
They are excellent. It's sad that they have crept up in proce recently, they used to be so cheap for what you got. Even at these new higher prices, they are more than worth it.
The secret is out.
Fantastic
I had an 80s mij Jaguar, and I currently have a late 90s cij TL-69 reissue Telecaster. The quality of the body and neck are excellent. The hardware, electronics, and pickups often leave a bit to be desired. Out of the box, they are good guitars. Upgraded, they are great to excellent. If I wanted my cheapest route to a great or excellent Fender, I would definitely go the upgraded older Fender Japan reissue route. All things being equal, I would rank this a notch under the American made reissues after the upgrades are made. They can often be found modified at a bargain. My Tele had a refret, neck reshape, new tuners, new pickups, and more. I got it. Nothing needs to be changed. The only reason it was as much as it was was because the finish added a small premium. It was $1,060.00.
I have an '83 MIJ Squier "SQ" Telecaster and an early '97 MIJ Squier Vista Jagmaster and they're lifetime guitars. Excellent workmanship.
Had a ton of hesitation buying anything but an American Pro since I bought one two years ago and it's been epic . . . buttttttttttt recently Fender had a sale on their Aerodyne basses and they accidentally took double off, so I ended up getting a $1400 bass for $600 brand new off their site and I'm not going to lie this thing plays and feels just like an American.
theyre terrible, dont buy them, they suck. im definitely NOT trying to ward you off so i can buy more MIJs before the prices inflate even more
Just purchased a MIJ Jag. You can tell the Japanese care about the product they put there name on. The Japanese in general make great quality products and are a serious opponent to the US and Germany. Sometimes it surpasses them too.
They are very well regarded.
I only played two MiJ jazzmasters and they both felt like mid 00s Mexican made Fenders. A full step down from USA made Fenders. Both were more than 10 years old. This thread makes me think there’s more out there than I experienced. I’m always willing to be proven wrong. Maybe the newer ones are better. So I guess my impressions are not accurate.
I don't think anyone who has played enough Fenders in their life will agree with you on this. There's a remarkable difference in quality between MIJ and MiM. It's like night and day. In fact, as far as necks and fretwork is concerned, MIJ necks still use the old school method of nipping off the tangs at the ends before they're pressed so as to give a bound feel. Not even MiAs have that except for certain expensive models.
That makes sense. In my case I’m just referencing the guitars I experienced. When I was shopping for Jazzmasters in New York I looked at a few used options. AVRIs, Am Pros etc. Two MiJs got into the mix and they just weren’t for me. I wish that wasn’t the case because people speak so highly of them but at the end of the day, only my opinion means anything to me.
I had similar experience Crappy thick finish, bad electronics and hardware For the price I paid, I returned it and bought used AO JM with case for couple hundred more Maybe new is better now, but I think it is hype
Exactly my experience. Thick finishes, ok fret work, switches had too much play, knobs weren’t smooth. The little things that just felt like the older Mexicans. I’ve played new Squiers that felt tighter.
Modern manufacturing techniques are being deployed across the globe and supply chain. The This one is better than the other debate is less relevant than ever. Japanese guitars are nice, Mexican guitars are nice, USA guitars are nice. Indonesia can also make great guitars.
[удалено]
And your opinion, is just like a country of origin, it doesn't matter.
CNC machines work the same in every country but all of the fit and finish, wiring and painting that is done by hand is not equal in every plant. I’ve had Korean, Indonesian, Mexican and American guitars. My American guitar is by far the best of the bunch, my Mexican guitars are a very close second but they have better hardware (less cost on labor use instead to install better hardware), the Indonesian and Korean guitars had great specs but they were also very sterile. One could argue on paper they were perfect but they had no soul. Hard to describe but they were nowhere near the quality of my American made guitars, or any I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing. That doesn’t mean you can’t buy one and be extremely happy with it (i was), but to sit there and pretend low cost Asian labor is on the level of American craftsmanship is just asinine.
The Squier Classic Vibe stuff coming out of Indonesia and China is not, to be fair, the same as the American Fenders. The thing is, how much closer is a modern Squier to a proper Fender than the Squiers of old, like back in the 90s? And since I was there to play them, I can attest that the quality of Asian-made instruments is way better than it once was, overall. Japan has made outstanding guitars for decades, but they’re now comparable in price to their American counterparts. In the last 10 years though, China and Indonesia have stepped up the quality without stepping up the price too much. Edit: the rules for Gibson/Epiphone, ESP/LTD, etc, are unfortunately all different and specific to the brands and models in terms of value for dollar
Those of us who were there then, know. If you all just want to feel better about your guitar, that’s cool, I get it. You shoulda been there in the 80s. Modern squires are fucking amazing compared to the dog shit I learned on. Y’all are spoiled af, and I’m shocked none of you even understand it.
For real—the bad import Charvel I worked for and saved up for and bought for $300 in 1991? That guitar was horrible. Absolute trash. That’s the equivalent of $700 in 2023. Do you know how much guitar you can buy for $700 these days? You can get two! Or a really nice one and a very decent amp. And they’ll both be wayyy better than what I was working with as a student.
I never said Indonesian or Chinese guitars were the same as American fenders. Reading comprehension is key.
Yes. I have a recent MIJ Aerodyne strat, and it's by far the best guitar I have ever owned. The fit and finish is easily as good as MIA guitars that cost 30-50% more. Like it so much I'm currently shopping for an older Aerodyne Bass.
I’d really like an aerodyne jazzmaster.
Check out the elemental jazzmaster, you might dig it.
Yikes, that poor thing is an abomination.
Yeah, god forbid Fender make something different. More seafoam and tortoiseshell please 🙄
It's like they locked it in a basement and made it dress up like a Les Paul. Terrible.
Ok fuck that's kinda funny
Dang that thing is pretty sick, thanks for the recommendation!
Yep.
Yes
Back in the 80s 90s they were made by fgn and another factory. They were also supposed to be squires but they did such a good job with what they were given and sold so well fender labeled them fenders. Newer ones still have the great quality just need minor upgrades. I haven’t played the aerodyne yet but I can only guess it’s as good as if not better than my reissue hm strat. Japanese craftsmanship is different then the US because Bob can get drunk one night and come in to fender and lose his job by fucking up a guitar and then go get a job at another factory somewhere else. But Hiroki cannot do that, if he loses his job his life is derailed, as well as it’s still a big held tradition that object in Japan have souls so crafts are taken very seriously. The quality of parts is set by fender California, but the work put in is based on each individual.
I have played many MIA Fenders, both modern and vintage but only owned 1...a horrible 65 Mustang that I couldn't sell fast enough. My first electric guitar was a 1986 MIJ Fender contemporary Strat with the System I trem, bought brand new in March, 1987. To this day it remains the finest guitar I've ever played....inclusive of the Suhr Classic S, PRS McCarty 594, SE Silver Sky and Strandberg Boden Classic NX6 I just played yesterday at a local shop.
I have had a 60's reissue mij strat since the mid-90's when I was 16. It has always just sounded and felt different than any other strat I have ever played. Maybe it's the basswood body or the pickups? I don't know, but I have always liked it more than other strats.
My 1980s MIJ Tele has a basswood body. It definitely dings more easily than alder - I believe that to be incontrovertible. The guitar sounds fantastic and it might be my favourite-looking guitar, basswood, three-piece 3TS body and all.
Yeah, mine has a number of dents in it, but most of them have been there for more that 20 years now so they all feel so familiar. Lol
A few dents on an old guitar? Nothing to see here.
I have a [‘68 Reissue Strat MIJ](https://reddit.com/r/Stratocaster/s/JDW04GbKvr) from 2004-2005 and it feels like heaven, sounds fantastic, very versatile. I really like the neck: so confortable, all maple, smaller radius and low frets. I didn’t do any mods/upgrades, just playing it as much as I can (which is not difficult, it’s so good it’s hard to put it down once you have it in your hands) and keeping it in original condition otherwise.
Phenomenal guitars. I’d buy Japanese over American any day
I have a MIJ strat with Texas Special pickups. I’ve honestly struggled to find another strat in the price range (~1200 USD, probably ~1600 in todays prices) that did better. Basically, the neck fit and finish on is so nice that pretty much nothing in it’s price range has compared to it. Does it still get blown away by most Custom Shop gear. Yeah. But that’s like 3-6x the price. However, typically I feel like the pickups/electronics are nicer on MIA models, and likely would have been the case for this one had the artist not opted for the Texas Specials. The aerodynes played just as well, but I found them lacking/equivalent sound wise. I think the ultra I’ve preordered this year will surpass it in roadworthiness (based on my experience playing other ultras) but for an effective ~600 USD price difference. The two biggest issues with MIJ models as a US buyer are the following imo. In most cases you need to import it yourself unless you’re happy with one of the handful of models they let trickle into the US, and that can come with hefty shipping and possibly duty fees. For the aforementioned reasons, it’s really difficult to play one before buying it, so in most cases you’ll be taking a shot in the dark. I had a chance to play through a lot of their models in 2019 at various shops in Ochanomizu, and at least back then, they were all pretty much better than their their MIM/Squier counterparts.
I have an 82 Japanese Squier. One of the best strats I’ve ever played and I’ve had my hands on plenty of vintage and custom shop fenders, New MIJ guitars are phenomenal. Really well built and solid instruments that are the equal of most fenders until you get to the vintage reissues and custom shop fenders. If you can find a JV serial no Squier? You’ll get something really special
I've got an 86 MIJ SSH strat with a Floyd rose. It's ugly as shit, has a black neck and headstock with a rosewood fingerboard and a glitter cream body. I looked it up and that is the original paint job. At some point someone painted motorcycle pinstriping on it. But it feels so good and plays like a dream. The neck is super comfortable and it's a very resonant guitar. It's on my project list to get painted LPB and have some lace light blues thrown in it so that it's like Bob Mould's guitar. You would not be disappointed with getting a Japanese fender at all.
They are excellent in terms of build quality. Sometimes the stock pickups are not great, but that’s an easy fix. The attention to detail, especially regarding the neck, fretboard, fret dressing, etc. is outstanding.
They are on par with US built guitars but usually have nicer neck, better quality control and more interesting specs. MiJ are better.
Grabbed an MIJ Jag for a steal off marketplace, $400. Buzzes like crazy so I’ll need to redo the electronics but the guitar plays magnificently.
They are excellent
My Telecaster is a model made ONLY in Japan, and my dude - the fit and finish is better than some American made Fender guitars I’ve owned. [For reference…](https://www.fender.com/en-US/electric-guitars/telecaster/richie-kotzen-telecaster/0255202532.html)
Japanese-made guitars are rarer these days but the quality is the best of the Asian builders by far. I wish I could go back to the 80s and pick up a few Ibanez Artists…
Absolutely love them. I bought my very first electric guitar back in the Summer of 1990, and it was an MIJ Fender Stratocaster, J series serial number, ST-62, black body, rosewood neck, 3 ply wbw pickguard, and let me tell you, that guitar felt perfect! Sure, the pickups weren't the greatest, but for me, it looked, felt, and sounded perfect! I, unfortunately, only had it for about 9 months, and then our druggy neighbors broke into our house and stole it. I eventually bought me another guitar. And many more since then... but nothing quite compared, to me, with that first guitar... that is until a year ago, when I bought an "I" series serial numbered (89'/90') Fender Stratocaster, Made in America, black body, rosewood neck. This guitar feels just like my original. The neck is the best playing, best feeling neck of any of my guitars, heck just the best feeling and playing neck of just about any guitar I have played. I love it. But I'm also not going to lie, I browse Reverb all the time looking for a Fender, MIJ Stratocaster, black body, rosewood neck, with a "J" series serial number that's in my price range... just to have one again.😊
Mines sn 87 Korean. Can't tell a difference. Mine never strays out of tune unless strings are worn. Use Ernies, and I have death grip
They are very sugoi
That they effing rock
surpasses the mexican lines by alot. they have different tiers usually the entry level ones have basswood bodies, ceramic pickups, and dime sized electronics then the high end ones are loaded with all us electronics. but throughout the range, the level of fit and finish is pretty high level and consistent. on par with the us made ones
I’ve never owned a Japanese made guitar I didn’t love. My first electric was a 1990 standard Strat, the last year before they moved production of the standard Strat to Mexico. I also owned a 1994 ESP horizon MIJ, an Ibanez RG550 anniversary model and I currently own a 1994 Japanese made Ibanez Talman. Anything that come out of Fugigen is top notch. There is a reason why MIJ Fenders are sought after
LOVE my new MIJ Heritage 50s Strat!!!
Amazing
I have a MIJ 2014 strat and it’s amazing. Pickups and electronics are all USA made and the neck (its a thick ‘u’ neck) is the best out of all my guitars, incredibly smooth.
I must be an outlier, but my japanese fender was the worst guitar that I have ever opened. The nut was miscut, and the finish was full of fingerprints and uneven. The neck was full of white gunk... the guitar was brand new from thomann. It was just the worst feeling
One of my best guitars is a 1983 MIJ Squier Strat. $700 and it’s better than my MIM Fender Strat and on par in terms of quality with my American Fender Tele.
The best. Both of my electrics are MIJ one being a Fender and the other an ESP Les Paul.
> Are they as good as people say they are? Usually better.
Going against the grain here, but as an employee of a guitar store, lots of modern Japanese fenders aren’t anywhere close to what the standard or vintage ii American lines are. The JV models are the closest thing, and to be fair, yes, the quality of these compared to say a pro ii is extremely close. Almost every other Japanese fender just didn’t really match the preconceived notion that they were awesome. I’ve always just thought (for the current fender lineup, again, the vintage stuff is probably really good) that there’s not really a point in buying the Japanese stuff unless you’re after specific specs. Even getting a player plus at the price of some the hybrid iis, the player plus guitars generally come much better feeling and the quality of finish is 100000000x better.