Fender Japan: A Short History

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When I was still deep in my "jazz coma" in the '90's I became aware of a number of jazzers that played Telecasters. I went by my local shop and was smitten with an '94 MIJ double bound beauty. After a couple more visits I brought it home, installed a neck pickup and had many wonderful years together.

So I've always had a soft spot for these Made in Japan guitars and have long wondered at their specific history. I then became aware that the early ones, from the '80's, were becoming somewhat collectable now...so this video was inevitable at that point.

Hope you enjoy learning about them as much as I did.
Keith

[greg.shred]

Japanese-built guitars are some of my favorite. I love their culture’s passion for patience, discipline & hard work, business skills and perfection in whatever they work on to design.

[amslu]

It’s amazing how Japan Is still making top line quality instruments for Fender. It speaks volumes about Japanese culture and perfection when it comes to design. 🙏👏

[chillpillology]

ok, this might be one of the better vids. fender japan are some of the most legit guitars in the world to me. bring it on

[These_go_to_eleven_]

I am so grateful JAPAN was and still is involved in Guitar making! Some of the very best guitars i have owned and played
were MIJ! 🤘 There are so many examples of their excellent craftsmanship it is impossible to list them all here!

[danvitco]

I’ve had my ‘87 MIJ Strat for 36 years. I could tell it was a top notch instrument right off the shelf. It will never be sold.

[derpderpington]

I live in Toronto, about 10 minutes from a music shop. They have a Fender Telecaster from Japan in stock, and it is by far the best guitar I've ever played. It took only 10 seconds for me to connect with that, and the guitar always seems to know what I want to play even before I do. Japanese-made Fenders are truly something special <3

[ScottMcdonaldMusic]

I rewatched this short history 3 times because I didn’t want to miss facts. This one was awesome. Late Fender history hasn’t been as well documented as the Leo years.

[poltergeist]

Love Japanese Fenders. I bought a Geddy Lee MIJ jazz bass and it it one of the best feeling and playing bass I own. I’ve owned MIM and MIA Fenders at some point in my life. I did like those basses but there is something about that MIJ bass that just feels so good.

[wrigman]

I once heard John Page say that when they got the first few shipments from Japan, they went over them and wanted to cry they were so good. At that point there was no production and they had only the Japanese guitars.

Just as a side note…. I grew up in Fullerton only about 1/2 mile from the factory. I would ride my bike there and peek in to watch guitars being made.
Flash forward to 1995, my wife and I moved to Corona, about 1.5 miles from the factory.
John Page got tired of working in the Fender factory and founded “Kids rock free” to give kids a place to learn Guitar, piano, drums and dance. It also served as a museum with many of Leo’s amps and guitars. Some celebrity guitars and custom shop guitars. I was asked to be docent, mostly because while my son was in lessons, I would walk around and look at the displays. People would come in to look at the displays. I could hear them Talking to each other wondering how the amps or guitars were made ect. IF I knew the answers, I would tell them What I knew. So, I guess I already was a docent….. kind of. I got to know John and Dana Page pretty well as well as Dana’s co-worker Batina. When it came time to put the final museum together I helped John with a few of the display’s.
I can say(and always have)that John Page is one of the most kind, down to earth people I know. If we had more people like him there would be far less strife in this world..

[macsarcule]

As soon as I saw this video was available yesterday, I knew I was going to have a lovely Saturday morning watching it with a hot cup of coffee. And then rewatching it. What a perfect Saturday morning. 🙂

Am I going to go rewatch some past short histories from Keith & team? Yes. Yes I am ✌️😌🎸

[MarcCoteMusic]

I own three identical MiJ Strats with the System One bridge - one from '85 and two from '86. They are, to this day, the best playing guitars I've ever owned. They also have perhaps the best tuning stability among my guitars. Truly, the Japanese knew what they were doing back then and likely still do.

[furtherdefinitions]

When I lived in Japan and would go into guitar stores, I would see the Japanese Fender models, and they had guitars that I never saw in the US and all were very well made and sounded and played great

[jblassio]

Japanese craftsmanship has always been about the details. Best Fender guitars ever made.

[thefirstdude]

Fantastic video—thank you! I’ll start off saying Japan is now the only country with a Fender-branded company store. It’s 4 floors around the corner from Takeshita Dori in Harajuku. It’s amazing! I was there for a couple of hours 2 weeks ago, and it’s worth a visit for any Fender fan. The top floor is the new Custom Shop. Back to Fuji Gen (thanks for getting the pronunciation right! 😉). I own one of those newer JV teles and 3 FGNs. Best guitars I own! Thanks again for the great content! From a Californian and current 38-year resident of Japan.

[CorbenEdward]

My late 80's fender MIJ Tele is the best playing guitar I have ever owned. The wood grain on the body is something else too, very intense. Great video!

[Sean_Plays_Guitar]

Love my MIJ tele. Great subject matter, Keith. Thanks for being a historian of the culture!

[ChrisSkinner]

I think I learned more from this one than I have in a long time! Great vid, Keith!

[DWLImages]

You nailed it out of the park again with another "Short History"! I am lucky enough to be the first owner of a 2016 Floral "1969 Blue Flower" Telecaster that was hanging on the wall at my local guitar store. I picked up a few Teles that day and when I pick up mine I had that 'ah-ha' moment and understood why Fender Japan released that guitar, it was AMAZING!!
Thank you again, for your research to create the video and share with all of us a Five Watt World!

[nickfox]

This is probably my favorite guitar related page on YouTube. You do excellent work

[davroshalfbeard]

Really enjoyed that cheers .japanese craftsmanship is incredible. Their woodworking and joints are mind boggling