cij?

[SKATE RAT]

i know what MIM,MIA & MIJ mean but whats up with CIJ? is there a difference beteen "made" and "crafted" ??

[PhilT]

Every answer I've seen to this in the past said no difference, just marketing. However, if you look at the Japan serial numbers page on the Fender site, "Crafted" starts in 1997, like they ran out of numbers and needed another way to differentiate.

http://www.fender.com/support/japanese_instruments.php

[hieronymous]

One rumor I remember hearing is that they switched when they moved to a different plant, but as far as I know it just marks a certain point in time when they switched serial numbers.

[Bass VI]

I have several Made in and Crafted in Japan Fenders, as far as I can tell there isn't any difference, neck pocket stampings, etc. even seem to be the same. I would agree it's probably marketing, lately I see fewer things Made in Anywhere .....far more Crafted in.

S.

[Freuds_Cat]

I am no expert but have read somewhere (cant remember where but it was on the net so it must be true) that Fender Did a deal in the 80's with Tokai Gakki to make Fender Japan guitars. The story goes that at the last minute Fender switched and signed a contract with Fuji Gen Gakki (Matsumoto) and from about 1982 through to 1996 Fuji Gen built Fender guitars designated MIJ. From 1997 Tokai and Dyna Gakki get the contract and start making Fender badged guitars designated CIJ.

Thats the way I understand it.

[Dave W]

Fuji Gen Gakki is not Matsumoto. There's no connection there. Fender Japan (which is a joint venture of FMIC, and Japanese distributors Yamano and Kanda Shokai) did contract with Fuji Gen for years and AFAIK still does, despite what's floating around the internet.

A couple of years ago Hoshino (Ibanez) moved production of its upper line from Fuji Gen to a Korean plant, and a big rumor spread around several forums that "Fender Japan is closing". From remarks made at the FDP by FMIC officers to debunk the rumors, it was pretty clear that Fuji Gen was still their major Japanese producer. Maybe not their only one,though.

[Freuds_Cat]

Matsumoto is the name of the town in Japan where the Fuji Gen factory is located.

Do you mean Matsumoku Dave?
Matsumoku (Aria) as I understand it produced Epiphone instruments from the early 70's to the mid 80's.

[Dave W]

Oops. Sorry about that. I was thinking of the Matsumoku company.

At any rate I think the majority of what's claimed about the Japanese manufacturers and distributors is just stuff that's passed around online from forum to forum with little or nothing to back it up. Michael Wright is the guy who's done the real research on these companies.

[Freuds_Cat]

I have an 82 JV Jazz bass. When I first got it I did a bit of research into its background. The guys that I have found to be most reliable with  info has been Paul Rumble & Larry Cashdollar. They have a website and forum here.
http://www.21frets.com/