MIJ v CIJ... and a prospective purchase

[Iridescentone]

Not all Fender Japan instruments are equal. I lived in Tokyo from 1982-88 and Kyoto from 2002-06, a Fender Japan P was my first good instrument, and I have owned several others over the years. In Japan they put them out at various quality/price points. The highest had USA pickups, the middle ones had Japanese pickups (and probably other differences) and they made really cheap ones too. Mine were always middle grade, none were perfect but I loved them. I used to have a mid-range Jazz from about 1988 and my luthier said he thought it was great.

A lot of the ones that were sold here were kind of special editions, like the early Geddy Lee basses. I have a Donald Duck Dunn Signature P-Bass, the mid/late '90s Bass VI reissue, and the '70s P-Bass from around 2008. Things changed a few years after that (2008) and they stopped selling Fender Japan stuff here in the States for a while, but I've noticed that they've been putting out limited batches like the ones at CME that the OP mentioned. I have a soft spot for them, with my experience with them and also living there and being half-Japanese, but they aren't miraculous or anything. I would say don't get your hopes up - it could be anywhere from decent to great, but no guarantees - try before you buy if possible!

Here's a pic of two of mine - the DDD is stock, I Alembicized the '70s and put a Baddass II bridge I had laying around in order to really '70s-ize it.:

View attachment 3858155

Nice. Does your DD have raised pole pieces under the 3rd string?

 

[hieronymous]

Nice. Does your DD have raised pole pieces under the 3rd string?

Kind of - I'd call them staggered?

There's a page on Facebook that has the original spec-sheet, all it says is "vintage P-Bass pickup".

 

[Runnerman]

Couple things about MIJ's that make them attractive is the thinner neck profile if you like that sort of thing....which I do. And the color options....plenty of unique colors you won't see on MIA or MIM instruments.