Japanese Bass Brands?

This might be as good a place as any to start...

 

Check out STR guitars. Very high quality builds with great electronics for a low price.

 

I’ve always liked the looks of Moon basses. Especially the LARRY Graham model.

 

Yamaha is Japanese and the BBP is actually made in Japan. That’s my number 1. Build quality is at least as good as American Made Fenders and MM at almost half the price.

Ibanez makes some basses in Japan, my Indonesian made one is a beautiful guitar, designed in Japan.

Takamine makes ABG, I have a Japanese made one that again is beautifully built and completely different than what you can get from the other big brands.

I love Japanese basses, designed or built. And all of these were bought new in the last few years.

 

Let's see, some modern Japanese builders. STR Guitars & Moon were already mentioned.

Miura Guitars (Hiro Muira, born in Japan & moved to California in 1986. He was with Xotic before going solo.)
https://www.miuraguitars.com

Sugi Guitars
http://www.sugiguitars.com

Freedom Custom Guitar Research
http://www.freedomcgr.com

Atlansia builds some pretty wild designs
http://www.atlansiaguitars.com

When I think about Yamaha, John Patitucci's models immediately come to my mind.
Basses - Yamaha - United States

For me, Ibanez always manages to be one of the stand-outs at every NAMM show. They always shoot for something new and step out of their comfort zone.
https://www.ibanez.com

As a side note, my wife and I had a vacation in Japan a few years ago. I researched ahead of time and learned that I must visit the Ochanomizu area, with several blocks of music stores in close proximity. At one of the first stops, I pressed an incorrect elevator button and it opened at a luthier school. I only saw a few instruments (very cool designs) but I was impressed. Later, when I returned to the guitar shop below, they told me that most of that school's graduates will go on to work in ESP's custom shop.

 

Another vote for Yamaha.

 

FGN FGN Guitars

 

Aria Pro ll.
Started making copies of American guitars by the 60s. In the 70s, they started making their own models, which were very high quality instruments. Still making great basses.
SB-1000B – Aria Guitars. Made in Japan

 

Greco

I wish I could find one.

 

Bacchus is a solid contender, depending on what you want. I have one, and for about $1500, I have a 5 string J style that was handmade in Japan and blows essentially everything else in its price bracket away.

 

Tune Guitar Maniac.
Atelier-Z.
ESP.
Fernandes.

 

The lesser known, but good ones are:

Moon, History, FGN, Atelier-Z, Fernandes, Grass Roots, ESP, Bacchus, Deviser, Headway, Riverhead, Brian, Tune, SGC Guitar Craft, Dragonfly Bass, Crews, Momose, Navigator, Van Zandt, Guyatone, Seymour Duncan.

Anything on that list is pretty dang good. Grassroots, Brian, Riverhead, Fernandes are lower quality than the rest. The others are pro-level.

 

I should also point out that the Lakland Shoreline and the MusicMan Stingray EX were built in Japan. Another few interesting basses there.

 

Andy Irvine of Andy's world of bass joins forces with bass japan direct

 

Ibanez

 

There are a bunch on rverb right now.

This is a great thread!

 

Great list! I can only add Crews Maniac Sound, Zeus Custom Guitars, and Edwards (an ESP brand).

Tokai, Gretsch (G6xxx bass models such as the Broadcaster) and Sadowsky Tokyo/Metro pre the Sadowsky/Warwick deal are better known makers that may not have been mentioned.

 

Fender MIJ/CIJ, Ibanez, Greco, ESP. Along with countless others.