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Which Fender Jazz in Japan?

#21
Holdsg said:
You will want to be buying from a dealer. Because if you try to go to the Fender flagship store in Tokyo / Shibuya they won’t sell one to you. Good place
To try out the basses, just won’t sell to a foreign buyer. I went to Ishibashi which has the full line and then some.
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The last time I visited the flagship store in Harajuku, they told me there was no issue with selling me a "Japan Only" model and giving a tax free discount if I presented my passport. What they said they wouldn't do is ship it overseas to my home address. I'd have to manage that myself or through a third party.
In the end I didn't make a purchase on that trip and since that was a couple years ago, things may have changed.
 
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#22
Gilmourisgod said:
The non-export Aerodyne would be my Dream Jazz, they really are noticeably lighter, and I love how they bend the binding with the arm relief, so you get the bling without that sharp binding edge. Some cool colors too. Will you get hammered by some kind of import duty or Tariff?
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That'll be because the bodies are basswood, which is a no-no for me on a bass. But before I discovered that, I really used to drool over the non-export Aerodyne in Piano Black with the two J-pups; the P&J set-up looks odd to me on a Jazz.

Aerodyne.png
 
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#23
Go and browse at a couple of stores. My favourites are Miki Gakki Bass Side in Osaka, and either Ikebe in Shibuya or Kurosawa Gakki in Ochanomizu if you're in Tokyo. In Kyoto, the Big Boss Music outlet is excellent. In Yokohama, Geek in Box is the place to go.

The Fender and Yamaha flagship stores in Tokyo are great experiences, but you end up missing out on so many interesting local brands.
 
#24
Nothing wrong with basswood for a bass body, but it is fragile, and dents pretty easily. If you want an Aerodyne to look good long term, you do have to baby it a little. My slightly spoiled nephew was given one for his 16th birthday, and after 2 years it looked like he'd dragged it behind a truck, but dang, that's a great sounding and playing bass. Very fast neck.
 
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#25
If it must be Fender, I'll always push Hybrid II if you're looking for good quality, but meat & potatoes. I love my Dyna Gakki-built Fender Hybrid II Jazz V, and Torino Red is the greatest, reddest red.

IMG_20251201_214956423.jpg


There are many other great Fender-likes from domestic builders, though. Fujigen's FGN brand would be the closest to the Fender Japan price point, and Fujigen manufactured Fender Japan's original basses in the 80's through the mid 90's, so it's all in the family. Here's an FGN Neo Classic JB:

1765974711826.jpeg


A bit above the Fender Japan price point folks have mentioned Bacchus, but I've not heard Momose mentioned, which is the same company Deviser (and has no outsourced budget version - all Momose are MIJ). Above that price point still there's Atelier Z, Kikuchi (what used to be Sadowsky Metroline MIJ), Sago, Black Smoker, Moon, and others.

Here's a Momose, Kikuchi and Black Smoker.

Screenshot_20251217-073657.Reverb.png

1765975131732.jpeg

1765975233177.jpeg


Certainly you'll find something you like with Fender Japan, but I'll echo a few others to keep your eyes and options open.
 
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#26
I'd try to find a Black Smoker just to try out, although about all I know of them is Misa from Band Maid has a pretty cool-looking signature model.

But I've been slightly GASing for an FGN Jazz or maybe a Mighty Power (dual P-pickups) for a bit.

And I'm a little envious of your trip. Are you going to see any bands there?
 
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#28
socknroll1 said:
Junior Collection Jazz Bass...but I already have one. There is a club here of people who love them. 30" scale.
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Time and abuse have rendered me a member of the short scale club like it or not. I've got a nice blacked out FSR Mustang and it serves but is a mess when playing seated. The thing I always liked about a J was it was the most comfortable bass for me to play while seated, even when I only played that way very little outside my house, The mustang won't sit in my lap without trying to slide down my leg. I like the sound OK, but it's a PITA to play seated, which has become often enough it's an annoyance I could solve with a short scale J, so if I was going east, I'd be looking for a nice Junior J. To be able to play a few random samples and decide if I really want it, and another few if I decide I want it; that would be hard to turn down.
 
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#33
ggvicviper said:
If it must be Fender, I'll always push Hybrid II if you're looking for good quality, but meat & potatoes. I love my Dyna Gakki-built Fender Hybrid II Jazz V, and Torino Red is the greatest, reddest red.

View attachment 7390730

There are many other great Fender-likes from domestic builders, though. Fujigen's FGN brand would be the closest to the Fender Japan price point, and Fujigen manufactured Fender Japan's original basses in the 80's through the mid 90's, so it's all in the family. Here's an FGN Neo Classic JB:

View attachment 7390733

A bit above the Fender Japan price point folks have mentioned Bacchus, but I've not heard Momose mentioned, which is the same company Deviser (and has no outsourced budget version - all Momose are MIJ). Above that price point still there's Atelier Z, Kikuchi (what used to be Sadowsky Metroline MIJ), Sago, Black Smoker, Moon, and others.

Here's a Momose, Kikuchi and Black Smoker.

View attachment 7390737
View attachment 7390738
View attachment 7390746

Certainly you'll find something you like with Fender Japan, but I'll echo a few others to keep your eyes and options open.
Click to expand...
I have one of the early handmade Bacchus 5 string with the Warwick style bridge, but I played a Momose last week with Delano pickups that just felt and sounded perfect for me.
 
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#34
Ok - here's where I ended up:

IMG_0326.jpg


I tried a few of the Bacchus guitars - very nice. Also tried the Tomomi which was very tempting and if I had more time, I could have gotten a huge discount but I wasn't going to around long enough to make that work.

So in the end, I picked up this Heritage Late 60's JB from the flagship store.
FWIW, the flagship store gave me the tax free discount with no hassle.

Thanks again for all the feedback.
 
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#35
konoyaro said:
Ok - here's where I ended up:

View attachment 7399817

I tried a few of the Bacchus guitars - very nice. Also tried the Tomomi which was very tempting and if I had more time, I could have gotten a huge discount but I wasn't going to around long enough to make that work.

So in the end, I picked up this Heritage Late 60's JB from the flagship store.
FWIW, the flagship store gave me the tax free discount with no hassle.

Thanks again for all the feedback.
Click to expand...

Absolutely beautiful instrument! Congratulations :) I've been eyeing the Hybrid II myself
 
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#37
Holdsg said:
You will want to be buying from a dealer. Because if you try to go to the Fender flagship store in Tokyo / Shibuya they won’t sell one to you. Good place
To try out the basses, just won’t sell to a foreign buyer. I went to Ishibashi which has the full line and then some.
Click to expand...
This has not been my experience. I’ve been to Japan twice and both times I bought a bass from the Fender Flagship in Tokyo, even got them tax free after showing my passport
 

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