Fender MIJ Reissue 62 Jazz - good deal?

I haven't tried one myself, but a guy on another bassforum got one about a month ago and he seemed really happy with it. Can't be of much help really.

 

compaired to the US. version this one is sweet,the american version is 1339.99$,while this is 450.00 $.if i had the money in my pocket i would use the "BUY IT NOW" in a second,i am in the running for a new bass and when i get my first p-check from my new job i am going to buy a 51 re-issue. if this was next week i would use that link to 'BUY IT NOW".

 

This may be of no help at all but...

I have a MIJ '75 reissue, and honestly, i've not played a newer USA jazz that sounded better.... some of the USA reissues are built with a a little better attention to detail (finish and such), but since no one will elikely be looking at your bass with a magnifying glass, it's worth saving a grand (to me).

If it were in the US for $450... i too would buy it in a sec. maybe not for $750 though...

see..... no help.

 

I wouldn't "buy it now" for 450 pounds when you can have a brand new one shipped from Ishibashi for less than 385 pounds (76,000 Yen).

Edit: At least I think it's 76,000 Yen. There was no selection for the UK for a shipping destination so I put in Europe and it came back with that price (shipped).

 

Upon second look, I think I'd definitely stay away from it.
It doesn't look like the '62 Reissue because the frets are much bigger than vintage size frets and there is no strap button on the back of the headstock. It looks like it's probably their cheaper model which can be bought and shipped new for 315 pounds. This cheaper model might still be called a '62 RI by them but it's not their top of the line one that I spoke of in my earlier post. In recent months, I got their top of the line '62 Reissue Precision and it has the vintage size frets and strap button on the back of the headstock and the tuners are different too (but they might treat their P's different from their J's), but I'm still led to believe that it's their cheaper model, but then again it's a '96 model and things could have changed alot since then.

Go for the brand new top of the line model from Ishibashi.

 

MIJ '62 reissues aren't true "re-issue" copies of the originals. According to Fender guru Bill Bolton, there are certain hardware differences between these and the originals and that doesn't qualify them as true re-issues. To quote Mr. Bolton "They are constructed 'in-the-style-of' 1962 Fender basses but aren't true copies". This declaration caused me to coin the phrase MIJITSO meaning "Made in Japan In The Style Of" It's caught on in some circles and is a bit more descriptive of the accuracy of the copy.

I happen to own 2 of these basses - matching fretted and fretless versions - one from 1989 and another from 1996. I concur with Mr. Bolton about the hardware differences. However, the necks are true copies of the profile of the 1962 Jazzes and, as such, are some of the best necks Fender ever put on a bass. These are tremendous values in the US with basses going for under $350 at nearly every turn.

 

Well yeah, of course I know that they aren't true "reissues", I was just going by what Ishibashi calls them.

I still think that the bass above is the lower priced one and not their better '62 Reissue.

In any case, when it comes to the CIJ's, I would always recommend their top-of-the-line '62 Reissue.

Edit: I just wanted to add that aside from the obvious hardware differences between the CIJ "reissues" and the MIA reissues, the biggest and most important difference (IMO) is the finish, with the CIJ being poly and the MIA being nitrocellulose lacquer.

 

If it's a MIJ, the price looks quite normal. So not "unpassable" deal, but I have encountered couple high-quality MIJ Fenders before and can say that they are of good quality, well worth the money.

Any Europeans who have purchased from Ishibashi, by the way? How does it work?

 

Tsal, I have a CIJ RI '62 fretless (called JB62-77FL at the Ishibashi website). I've had it for about a year - I like it.
I have a CIJ RI '75 (JB75-90US) on its way from Japan right now - It'll be here (Norway) in a couple of days, hopefully.
Dealing with Ishibashi is flawless, no problem. Fast and reliable shipping, safe credit card site, very nice and helpfull people if you have any questions.
How does it work? Simple. Order form, pay, and it's on its way. Can't be any simpler.
I ordered the JB75-90US with a natural finish and was a bit worried about ugly gluelines. I asked Koichi at their webshop to look for this when he picked one for me. He was more than happy to help.