Fender Japan
Although some people may argue that a "Stratocaster made in Japan" is not a genuine Stratocaster, we definitely think the Japanese models require people's undivided attention! First and foremost, these Japanese Strat's are made as a result of an agreement with Fender/CBS and, therefore manufactured with the help of Fender documentation and blueprints. In any case, they feature the Fender trademark on the headstock. Moreover, they are very well made and represent extremely good replicas of the original models. Finally, their public appearance is so great, at least outside the USA, that knowing them may avoid some confusion, and perhaps... some hiccups!
For a long time, Fender's business had been badly affected by the numerous "copies" of its models sold all over the world. In the case of the Stratocaster, it would take an entire book to list all the copies of Fender parts manufactured over the last 20 years or so. In order to cope with this problem, Fender decided in 1981 to make "scaled-down" versions of some of its products and, at the same time, to take stronger actions to fight imitators in courts. Due to economic reasons, Fender could not readily manufacture budget models by itself in the U.S.A., and negotiations began in the latter part of 1981 with Japanese companies Kanda Shokai Corp. and Yamano Music (Sole importer of Fender in Japan). In March 1982, Fender Japan Co. Ltd. was established as an American - Japanese joint venture, whereby electric guitars and basses patterned after well-known Fender models would be made in Japan by Fuji Gen Gakki Mfg. Co. The rise of this new "Fenderish" peril obeyed a quick pace, and in two years, Fender Japan has launched an impressive range of Stratocasters, whose advent is briefly described step-by-step as follows:
The first products announcement took place in May, 1982 at the Grand Plaza Hotel of Tokyo where the Fender Japan Company displayed several Fender vintage re-issues. These earlier models were basically the same instruments as the US re-issues introduced in late 1981 by Fender U.S.A., but owing to Japanese organization and marketing tactics, 2 or 3 models of different prices were shown for each guitar.Fender Japan thus introduced its own renditions of the ‘57and ’62 Stratocasters and both of them were offered at three different price lists, according to the type of bodies,the finish, and the extent of parts made in the U.S.A. Oddly enough, the Japanese re-issues, compared their US counterparts, have a correct placement of the two dots located at the 12th fret on the fingerboard. Along with a “JV + 5 digit” serial number stamped on the neck plate, a small “Made in Japan” decal on the headstock is actually the only visible indication that these Stratocasters are of Japanese origin. We do not think they could fool any Strat specialist but a new headstock logo (without “Made in Japan”) and a modified neck plate could induce a non-experience person into thinking they are US vintage re-issues… if it were not for the position markers at the 12th fret. At first, there Japanese Stratocaster were only marketed in Japan and in a selected number of European countries, but not in the USA since Fender probably decided to avoid any conflicting situation.
PHASE TWO ...In spite of steady production of 3500 units per month, by mid-1982, for the whole range of Vintage re-issues, Fuji Gen Gakki Mfg. Co. still had more production capacity. Consequently, in October 1982, Fender Japan announced the new Squier brand to further expand its line of budget models. Soon, the “Squier” trade name was changed to “Squier”, certainly to take advantage of the Squier trademark which CBS owned since the purchase of the V.C. Squier string company in the U.S.A. Four more Stratocaster re-issue, two 57’s and two 62’s were born in late 1982 as “Squier Vintage Stratocasters”, and offered with five different finishes. This second generation of Japanese Stratocasters displays a “Squier Stratocaster” marking on the headstock and a small black Fender logo underneath the models name. The new Squier’s quickly stormed into several Export Markets (especially Europe), and the earlier Fender Japan Vintage re-issues were then retained mainly for the Japanese domestic market. Neither the Vintage nor the Squier Vintage models of Fender Japan were then marketed in the U.S.A.
PHASE THREE ...A few months after the Squier Stratocasters, a third variation was released by Fender Japan in early 1983 : no more vintage re-issue per-se, but a replica of the 1970’s Stratocaster featuring the enlarged headstock, the tilt neck system with its bullet above the nut, black knobs and pickup covers. The new guitar was introduced as the “Squier Current Stratocaster “ and offered at three different prices. Contrary to the previous Japanese Stratocaster re-issues, the guitar found its way into the American market as the “Squier Stratocaster”.
PHASE FOUR ...In late 1983, the rapidly expanding Fender Japan company quite significantly enlarged its range of Stratocasters with the introduction of the “Contemporary Series”. Unlike the various Strat’s released since 1982, the new contemporary Stratocasters were not exactly patterned after guitars initially designed by Fender U.S.A., but they should rather be considered as “Original issues”. As suggested by its name, the Contemporary series was meant to give a fairly comprehensive selection of the numerous combinations existing today on a Stratocaster basis. No less than 13 distinct Contemporary Stratocasters were introduced simultaneously under the Squier Trade name. Broadly speaking, they can be separated in two groups – 5 models are fitted with 3 single-coil pickups (or assimilated) and 8 models are fitted with 2 humbucking pick-ups. All of the Contemporary Strats have a single basic slab rosewood fingerboard featuring 2 frets (against 21 for all the Stratocasters so far), and even 24 frets on two models.
PHASE FIVE ...Finally, in late 1983, Fender Japan released its own versions of the Elite and Standard Stratocasters introduced by Fender USA a few months before. Only the regular "Elite" with chrome parts and tremolo was retained and offered under the reference EST '83-110 at &¥ 110000 with 3-tone sunburst, Black or Candy Apple Red (CAR) finishes. The Japanese Elite is fitted with all of the innovative features first displayed on its US Counterpart, and as such, shares the same specifications. This also holds true for the Japanese Standard introduced under the reference '83-80 at ¥ 800000 and available in 3-tone sunburst, Black and Olympic White.
However, in both cases, Fender Japan lefts its mark in the form of a 22 fret fingerboard compared to the US standard 21 fret fingerboard found since 1954 on all the Stratocasters made in California.
The latest addition to the plethoric range of Japanese Stratocasters allows the American-Japanese joint venture to offer the same guitars as the American company, but at much more affordable prices. It remains to be seen into which markets the elite and standard Stratocasters "Made in Japan" will be distributed. So far they seem to be restricted to the Japanese Domestic market (like the Contemporary Series) in order to avoid any conflicting situation with the more expensive US guitars.
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