Japanese Fender Deep Dive | Made vs Crafted In Japan Fender Guitar History 

What’s wild is that the Japanese Fender Strats from the 1980s still sell in Japan for $500 (USD) or less. I am considering flying over and shipping a few back home to pay for one plus the trip.

I bought a Fender 90’s Telecaster Deluxe back in 1997. Very nice guitar. It also was made in Japan. It’s a 50th Anniversary Edition.

Those MIK Squier (and some fenders!) are very high quality too

I have a 1996 50th anniversary 1962 Fender lefty Jazz Bass. Mine was made in October of 1996, so it was one of the last guitars they made before they officially switched to "Crafted in Japan". I got lucky, it was at a local shop here in town too. What I find quite intriguing is that all Japanese made Fenders only have the Fender logo on it, only for lefty models. I think that is so cool and it stands out more than an USA or MIM model. The way they make their guitars is 100% high quality craftsmanship. IMO they are the best Fender-made guitars on the market...or at least at the time.

I have a 1999 crafted in Japan Olympic white 1968 reissue strat, and it is the best guitar I've ever played!

great playing demo and explanations well done

I have a 1985/1986 MIJ Fender Telecaster Paisley and it's without doubt the best Tele I ever had. And I have and had many! Love it, for its sound and its looks!!!

i have 3 of the Made in Japan fenders. I was working for a guitar shop n the late 80's and we had a few of these Candy apple red tele customs. I bought one, and the rosewood (George Harrison looking Telecaster) which was like an 85 or 86 - I got the MIJ 70's reissue Stratocaster and One of the early Japan Squier telecasters. I replaced pickups in the telecasters with the early texas specials. Great guitars. The thing about that period was that new Fenders felt and looked nothing like old vintage fenders. These Japan models really did replicate a more vintage look and feel. I still play them from time to time - perfect studio guitars.

I lived in Tokyo for 20 years until 2008. Here's what I know about this stuff. Kanda Shokai -- Kanda is the first stop out of Tokyo on the Chuo train line --was Fender Japan. Fuji Gen was the first provider for FJ and had "Made in Japan." Starting in the early 2000s, Dyna Corp. took over and they used the label "Crafted in Japan." FJ contracted with these concerns, they did not own them. Dyna also made Gretsch guitars among others and their craftsmanship was equal to Fuji Gen. About that time, FJ dropped the high end stuff which had reached its peak with the legendary EXTRAD line. Those guitars were made from a specific batch of wood using USA electronics and had lacquer finishes. You could even order the pickups you wanted. Dyna did not offer a comparable guitar until 2006. They brought out a doozy though. The body contours were more accurate as was the headstock. The tuning head stock, however, was very slightly thicker for some reason. Fat neck, these guitars sound killer. You have to remember that FJ had various price points for their guitars. You could get a bottom line Strat made of Basswood with so-so electronics up through a few levels until you got their best guitars. The very top lines with the lacquer finishes are more than equal to USA builds. They are better made, with better wood and craftsmanship. FJ also has/had endorsed guitars as well as off-the-wall offerings which can be quite interesting as well. I have what I believe to be the best and rarest EXTRAD Strat as well as a killer 2006 Dyna Strat. That's for another time.

Great video, keep it up!

Tokai, ATLANSIA, terada gakki and others made parts such as woodwork and assembled them with daina gakki. The time when many Japanese factories were making together was described as "Crafted In Japan". It is rumored that way in Japan.

Sky rocketing in price for sure, but I was REAL lucky today and offered $600 to someone selling a left handed sunburst double bound Custom and he took it. Seems to be a tad bit of issues around the binding near the input jack and someone put some Kinman pickups in it, and it doesn't sound like the originals come with the deal, but as a left handed player it was a damn good purchase. I owned an '80's Tokai Tele Custom and it got stolen back in '92, and I've always missed that guitar and have had my eye out for one ever since. Now I'll have one in just a few shipping days. These and Tokai are the only non-USA guitars I will buy. Japan really does fabulous work including the two ESP's I had in the 80's. A Horizon 1 Custom and a M1 Custom.

I just bought a made in japan 1989 / 1990 70's neck , 50's body & wiring blackguard telecaster with an insane wobbly flamed maple top. It feels and sounds / looks so good.

I have Crafted In Japan strat that was given to me. It is an absolutely fantastic guitar. Way better than any other Fenders I have played.

Very, very helpful!

Love the Japanese Fender stuff, gigged for a while with a japanese jaguar bass and never did learn what all the switches do

Matt McQueen...In fact, Fender did not have ''a factory'' in Japan and did not build guitars in Japan...Fender only built guitars in the USA and Mexico...FMIC (Fender Musical Instruments Company) had guitars built by the FujiGen Gakki Musical Instrument Manufacturing Company... FujiGen does OEM guitar manufacturing for well known guitar brands and they also manufacture their own brand of guitars known as FGN...In 1981, FujiGen obtained the Fender Japan contract which lasted until 1996-97... FujiGen built Orville by Gibson (contract which ended in 1998) , Epiphone Japan solid body guitars, some Gretsch models and their own branded FGN guitars... FujiGen still manufactures OEM guitars for companies like Ibanez and Epiphone... In1996 "Crafted in Japan" (CIJ) is used instead of "Made in Japan" (MIJ) Dyna Gakki took over the manufacturing contract from FujiGen Gakki....Tokai Gakki produced some instruments for sale in Japan only... Fender took over the Japanese business effective April 1, 2015...and says: That the basic differences revolve around the Japanese factories that were building for us. When FujiGen began making guitars for Fender in the early ’80s, a “Made in Japan” designation was applied to the instruments. In the late ’90s, the designation “Crafted in Japan” began to be used when the Dyna Gakki factory in Japan began building for Fender. Around 2007 or 2008, we switched back to MIJ decals, and since then, all of our Japanese-made Fenders have the MIJ designation....

Good stuff! That G in Fujigen is a hard g, by the way (gen means string in Japanese). Also, Yamano Gakki is a music store chain and Kanda Shokai is a distributing company that deals with brands like DigiTech, Greco and Zemaitis.

I have a 1984 MIJ 72 reissue in Olympic white rosewood board it’s now a dark yellow. This one has a nitro finish for some reason. Plays and sounds incredible.

Fender Japan guitars are amazing…I own two currently and have owned more. They are easily as good as my USA vintage Strat.

I have a MIJ 62 RI Esquire in this same candy red. Beautiful guitar. The clios you have speak almost exactly to how mine sounds too. To my ears, a touch thinner and possibly scooped more than I like in a Tele. After some new electronics and pickup swap, they are A+ guitars in feel and looks.

I have a MIJ esquire bought in early 90s played it out all through the 90s loved it so much, back then couldn’t afford an American made tele. Since then I’ve had several American made teles and Gibson’s but this is still my fav. Ps I had my local shop add a humbacher in the neck pickup because it was my primary for playing out but now I’m want to get it back to the original esquire condition. Thanks for your vids love learning about guitars.

The first Fugijen Fender guitar was sold in 1982.

I have a 2004 Japanese Fender Telecaster 2004 Based on the serial number it was made at the Fujigen factory. I t has a "Crafted in Japan" guitar. According to my research FujiGen is a big operation and at the time was undergoing some reorganization. They also made guitars that were labeled both "Made in Japan and Crafted in Japan the only difference was which sticker got grabbed to put on the guitar. People want to have some nice, neat delineation between the two. Life just ain't that way.

Curtis doesn’t say much throughout the video but his playing and nasty tone speak volumes! Very well-informed and put together video guys!

I have a 1986 MIJ strat. It is sun burst with the Floyd Rose lock nut tuning. I bought her in 1994 for $200 used. She is my favorite player, she kicks ass. I would never ever sell her.

I have a 1999 Fujgen made Epiphone SG and I love it. I have a 2012 Fujigen Cool Z Strat (original brand for the largest dealer in Japan, Shimamura Music) and I love it. Fujigen is my favourite manufacturer. I also had a late 90's Tokai Love Rock (sold it years ago) and it was pretty decent as well.

Japanese fenders are great guitars. I have a early 2000s cij jazzmaster which always stands up to any US jazzmaster I’ve played. I also just got a 2015 mij classic 50s Tele which was upgraded with US original vintage 50s Tele pickups and a US Emerson handmade wiring harness and it absolutely rocks!

Hot damn, that tele sounds sweet!

Sweet I just ordered a ST57 from 2002 CIJ, hoping it’s gonna be a good one !

I love mij strat. It's an e6 serial number with the kahler bridge. Best strat I've owned to date.

1985 Squier AO serial Strat here. The dogs bollocks.

nice axe.. interesting vid. You taught an old 'gear guy' something!

I own a Fujigen Strat with Texas Specials in her, one of the best guitars that I have ever played. And really why is it such of a surprise, Japanese ( and German ) Engineering is leaps and bounds above anything out of the USA.

My first electric guitar was a brand new MIJ 1984 Squier white guard tele. I played the hell out of that guitar for 30 years and even with a urethane or polyester finish, managed to naturally relic that guitar. I had it refreted, and at the same time put Fralin pickups in it. The guitar played the same, but never sounded the same. Sold it including the original pickups for $500 a few years ago and really, really regret it now. That guitar was just so familiar to me and part of my early HS band days etc.. Too late for me, but maybe not for you!

So that’s what FSR means. Ok. I bought my first electric guitar in ‘97. A MADE in Japan Stratocaster. It was bought as new directly from the Norwegian import warehouse through a connection there. But now I suddenly wonder if it might have been an older guitar that had just been collecting dust in the warehouse or something. It says made, not crafted, in Japan. It’s a terrific instrument though, anyways! To this day, it is still one of my absolute best guitars, if not the best! 👍

I picked up an 85 custom from reverb for 950 + ship altogether a little under 1100. I didn't realize my covid purchase was an investment. Time to let her sit for a while and play it kindly.

If I’m not mistaken, these originally had Texas Specials installed. How were the TV Jones pickups?

I have 3 Made In Japan strats. 2 of them are the 1950s model and 1 is the early 1960s model. Why people would buy them is because the necks were more true to the old strats they were replicating than the American re-issues. The bodies are basswood I believe and there's always a big debate about alder vs basswood but it's a lot easier to replace the body if the basswood bothers you than to find the right feeling neck you want.

crafted in japan = Japanese domestic market made in japan = Japanese export models or it may be flip flopped but that is what the difference in the wording is about if it was made for Japan or if it was to be sent elsewhere (Europe)

Hi from Argentina!! How would you position the fenders made in Japan in quality compared to the fenders made in America? I'm after a 2005 telecaster crafted in Japan but there is an American vintage that I like and I found a custom shop too. The difference that I can see is price but that is not a problem. Is it worth the difference in price?

How about the Japanese Moon PGM Stratocasters and telecasters?

I am a BIG FAN of Fender Japan. I own quite a Lot! WooF!!

Fujigen's G is sound like Go, Get, Gun, God. Not like Fuji"J"en. Gen means 'strings' in Japanese. I have Ritchie kotzen signature model. Dyna made.

I live in Japan for 21 years, I have a Fujigen made and a Dyna made, Both are good. But I think Fujigen made is much better. MIA and MIM are good too, the only thing that bugs my mind is the detailed quality. In a Fujigen factory in Nagano prefecture, every worker inside the factory is required to know how to play a guitar or must be a guitar player. 安全、品質、生産。and lastly, Ibanez J series and Ibanez Prestige is made by Fujigen. In conclusion, buy a Fujigen.

loving my '21 MIJ Jazzmaster Noir. besties until i croak

Guys, I own a 1996 50's Telecaster. Has the 50th anniversary sticker on the headstock and Made in Japan marking on the heel. So... Made vs Crafted isn't quite lining up with your history here.

Fender dont make guitars in Japan. They own the distribution rights but FujiGen, Tokai Gakki and Dyna are contracted to build for Fender. These are huge factories that build for all different guitar brands.

Is 93-94 year model fujigen made guitars still competes on US quality? Thanks

When I Started Buying MIJ Fenders, $300.00-$500.00 was the price range. Not anymore. WooF!!

hey, what's the first song he plays?

I believe Crafted in Japan guitars were made by Tokai.... Pretty sure..

What about the fender japanese ORDER MADE guitars?

I have a 2019 MADE in Japan Stratocaster

mij up till late 90s cij early 2000s on.

I Believe The Crafted In Japan guitars have the China made electronics. Having played both they are all Great! WooF>

There is simply no difference between MIJ and CIJ. I have an MIJ 62 RI silver series Jazz bass a CIJ Aerodyne P and a MIJ JV P bass all are excellent, the Jazz being exceptional..

It tickles me the last two videos I've watched about fender japan has been sponsored by Taylor.?? Peq

Here in the UK the ' Made in Japan' changed to 'Crafted in Japan' about 1996/7, and there was a noticeable reduction in quality. This was explained as necessary to keep the prices down at the level people were prepares to pay.

Made in Japan guitars are actually made by Fender. Crafted in Japan were made in outsourced factories. Current models say Made In Japan again.

Why the hell is everything a “deep dive”?

I'm so sick and tired of the Japan Vs American debate. Qu: Would you buy a Samurai sword made in America or Japan? (...ask yourself why you'll end up deciding to buy a Made In Japan Samurai sword) The ONLY reason why America keeps on pushing the Made in America is because of the MASSIVE debt America has. Japan is FAR superior Japan has a tradition of respect and shame The Japanese would rather die than produce a sub-par quality product. END.