OFFICIAL Fender Japan Bass thread

I started a similar thread six years ago, right after FMIC dissolved the joint venture with Kanda-Shokai.

Endangered Species: Fender Japan Instruments (Made/Crafted in Japan)

Sadly, I'm not as impressed with the current designs coming out of the FMIC-managed branch as I used to be. Certainly, there are some interesting ideas there, but in my honest opinion, the designs Kanda-Shokai produced were more like "functional art pieces"…beautiful to look at, while still being dependable players. Nowadays, I can already see how the core, American paradigm is starting to seep into Made In Japan basses.

 

I still have my first-ever bass, a 2007-ish, Crafted In Japan, Export-Edition Aerodyne. I recently pulled it out of storage and it still feels amazing in my hands!



And on the "One That Got Away" front, I briefly owned an amazingly sublime Limited Edition "All-Black" JB62 Jazz bass. There's a whole story about how I got it, the day it arrived from Japan and how I had to let it go. (TL-DR: No working car means I can't work!)





Side Note: I missed that JB62 so fiercely that I assembled a parts-bass as a tribute to it's awesomeness.

 

It's hard to see in that overhead pic, but my Aerodyne isn't as pristine as I would like it to be. It has a few chips and dents on the body and headstock, but that's pretty normal for your average 'Dyne. Here's some pics sent to me by the shop that sold it to me…




But, I suppose an Aerodyne without blemishes is like a day without sunshine, neh…neh? When I first got it, I was considering getting the chips filled and repaired. Fortunately, a guy at my local Guitar Center said to me, "Don't! That's 'mojo' right there!" and convinced me to leave it be.

As for their serial numbers, the Aerodyne is a "Crafted In Japan, T-xxxxxx" and a low number at that, so I'm fairly sure it was made in 2007. The All-Black JB62 is a "MADE IN JAPAN, T-xxxxxx" and has a pretty high number which would place it somewhere between 2009 and 2010.

Good eye, there! When I got it, it was all original. The write ups I found about the All-Black Jazzes call them "HOTROD" pickups, and they certainly lived up to the name! They growled so nicely, but not at the expense of any clarity. When I slapped a set of brand new Rotosound Swing Bass 66's on it, I finally got to experience that "piano-like sound" that's sought after by some players.

 

On the left is my non-export Aerodyne in dolphin gray:



I grew up in Asia Pacific where Japanese instruments are plentiful and cheap (I got a lawsuit 1974 Greco EB-0 for $95 in 2015). Japanese Fenders are masterfully built but my gripes have always been the basswood body (too soft) and the horrible, dull pickups they put in those.

 

1994 Fender Japan '62 Reissue 32" scale.

 

Here is a pic of my ‘57 reissue MIJ in seafoam green from 1988 (H series). Huge neck (feels like a baseball bat cut in half) and is one of the best sounding p basses I’ve played - smooth, fat, and lots of heft behind each note. Found it on ebay several years ago, weighs right at 9 pounds, and is always fun to play - and I love the seafoam

 

An MIJ Fender P bass actually pointed me down this twisty, turny path of being a musician. Years later I was able to acquire that bass and its one of my favorites to this day. Here's the story.

NBD - Welcome home old friend....

 

1990 PB-62.

 

My 2001 Steve Harris signature bought brand new.

 

Subscribed.
I've been looking for more info / history on Fender mij basses - especially since acquiring a mid-90s mij P this spring.
It's definitely my favorite P - I love the neck, and it weighs 8lbs!
This came from another TB member.


This one I've had since the early 90's. Another great neck.
I wasn't looking for a bass, but the previous owner was getting a divorce and was very persistent!
I don't remember if I even was aware it was the "Duff" bass at the time...
I used it mainly as a practice/rehearsal bass, but soon came to appreciate how well it sounded and played.