Hey Sgroh
I am a bit of a Fender Japan medium scale historian, and there is a lot about them on my site here:
Why Not Play the Bass That Fits You Perfectly?
If you want to learn more about the mediums that I own you can go here:
Welcome to the Bass Guitar Gallery!
Click on an instrument and scroll down and there is a lot of history and information about the ones I have bought and/or assembled and re-imagined.
It's important to realize in the 1980's Fender Japan WAS Fender. They had shut down the manufacturing in the US to re-tool:
FENDER JAPAN IN THE 1980'S
"Back at Fender headquarters in the United States, the early ’80s was a busy time. Most significantly, CBS appointed former Yamaha executive William Schultz as president of Fender in 1981. Passionate about the brand and eager to reverse its ailing fortunes, Schultz immediately recommended modernizing Fender’s U.S. manufacturing facilities, which largely meant halting production while machinery was updated and staff was re-trained. Concurrently, he suggested building Fender instruments in Japan for the large Japanese market. This would keep Fender instruments in production and combat the cheap copies that were voraciously eating away at Fender’s Far East sales. Accordingly, Fender Japan was established in March 1982 and began building quality Fender instruments while U.S production was reorganized."
So after this went down the Japanese asked permission for Fender US to allow them to make a medium scale version of the Fender P Bass. Fender declined for reasons not really clear - but they DID allow Fender Japan to make the medium scale basses under the Squier name. This went on for several months, and when the delegation from Fender US finally arrived in Japan a few months later to check things out they were blown away by the quality of these Squiers. They then gave Fender Japan the permission at that time to go ahead and use the Fender name on them.
The interesting thing is - both the Squier and Fender medium scale P Basses rolled off the exact same assembly line, created by the same crafts people using the same wood, hardware and electronics. The only difference was that the Fender basses had an option for an ash body in addition to the basswood bodies that the majority of the Squiers were being made from. The other difference is that the more highly figured maple neck blanks were put in the Fender stack while the more plain ones went in the Squier stack. There were also a few custom colors on the Fender side that Squier did not offer as things moved along.
What I am basically telling you is that there is very little difference in quality in the 1980's medium scale P Basses between the Fenders and the Squiers. I have both and they are amazing instruments. One of the hallmarks of these instruments is that the Japanese reduced the entire instrument - body and all - around 6% to keep the ergonomics perfect. It makes their medium scalers among the most unique ever crafted - and the comfort and playability is nothing less than extraordinary. Remember, the majority of these instruments are from the mid-eighties - so they are close to 30 years old. If you are patient, it is not hard to find a nice deal on one.
Hope some of this helps....
Reality is a bit different. I have an E series P bass. All and I mean everything,with the possible exception of the pots,are as I am about to state. I'll preface this by saying ,a few years ago,I contacted Fender USA ( which would not discuss 1984 Precision basses ,made in Japan . There is a reason for this ) I also contacted many in Japan,Fujigen in particular .
As mentioned,I have a Japanese P bass,with the small " made in Japan " decal on headstock. No patents etc. it of course also has the E series serial number.
Fender was in an upheaval at this time. Your correct about that. But ANY inference between the P bass of 1984 and a Squire,is very ,very far off the mark.
My bass has an original 1957 Fender maple neck,20 frets. Body is a 62 cream colour,with original period bridge of the era.
Fender is respect to the P bass only,as you suggested appeared to be of a different ilk,that other Fenders being made in Japan,in early eighties. The truth is ,a few,and I do mean very few Fender original old stock and / or the machinery from the 57/62 period was shipped to Japan. But,the P bass,was actually made from the original machines for the 57 maple neck,black dots and the 62 body and bridge. The pots on mine,were original USA. The neck and body . Made in the USA. Shipped to Japan for assembly. Merely because the California plant was not operational at the time.
With all that said,the original intent for the making of the Japanese guitars and basses ( which spanned three manufacturers ,after Fujigen ) was the idea of reissues of the original period Fenders.
Squires can in no way,compare to the bass I own. For all intents and purposes,I have a Fender 57!maple neck on a 62 body,which is what Fender intended. What they didn't intend was actually producing these P basses at that time. Your 100 % correct. The P bass was a bone of contention,and very few were made this way.
It does not say " crafted in ,nor made in Japan " anywhere on the bass.
The few of us that bought these E series P basses got very,very lucky. This bass has been disassembled by four different ,respected luthiers. All thought it a 57 neck. Obviously coveted up end butt and small part of headstock.
I wish I could post pictures. If I can,I will.
Please don't compare a Squire or any other Japanese smaller configured guitar or bass ,with the few of these full size,real deals. In closing. I TOTALLY understand the confusion. These are extremely rare ...
