Members JimAtLightspeed Posted April 5, 2007 Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 Hello All; I just (somewhat impulsively) purchased a slightly used Jazzmaster on ebay, made by the Fender Japan custom shop. I know from owning a Gretsch that Japanese guitars can be really sweet, but I cannot seem to find any information about this particular guitar anywhere online. I got it for a little less than the new US Jazzmasters go for, and it seems to be finished quite nicely - the headstock is the same color as the body, mother of pearl pickguard, upgraded machines, etc. Lake Placid Blue. Anybody out there have knowledge of, or better yet, experience with these guitars? I'm hoping it at least plays as nice as the American version, ideally a lot better! Thanks, Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mister Zero Posted April 5, 2007 Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 I have no use for any of Leo's Fender guitars post-Strat. Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Mustangs....eek. Love his amps from that period, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimAtLightspeed Posted April 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 I have no use for any of Leo's Fender guitars post-Strat. Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Mustangs....eek. Love his amps from that period, though. Ummm - thanks? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExtraGum Posted April 5, 2007 Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 I've never heard of the Fender Japan custom shop. MIJ Jazzmasters all have matching headstocks, and they sell for $600-700. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimAtLightspeed Posted April 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 I've never heard of the Fender Japan custom shop. MIJ Jazzmasters all have matching headstocks, and they sell for $600-700. Uh-oh. Here's a link to the guitar, looks like maybe all is not as it seems: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180101701371&sspagename=ADME:B:AAQ:US:1 Talked to some other folks today who said the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Wyatt Posted April 5, 2007 Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 It would appear that the guitar is not quite as listed, which hopefully means you can back out of the deal. The guys are right, kluson-style tuners, matching headstock and rosewood fretbaords are stock on CIJ Jazzmasters. You can buy used MIA RI's for $1K. $1300 is way overpriced for CIJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimAtLightspeed Posted April 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 It would appear that the guitar is not quite as listed, which hopefully means you can back out of the deal. The guys are right, kluson-style tuners, matching headstock and rosewood fretbaords are stock on CIJ Jazzmasters.You can buy used MIA RI's for $1K. $1300 is way overpriced for CIJ. Thanks guys. I'm a dummy, the guitar had a $2200 (!) Buy It Now Price, opening bid $1300, 45 minutes left on the auction. I bid it instantly hit the reserve - and I won it. After doing a bunch of research today, it seems pretty clear that other than a nice pickguard, there doesn't seem to be anything custom about the guitar. Plus, NO CASE! Nice looking guitar, to be sure, but not at $600 over market....hope I can work it out with the guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExtraGum Posted April 5, 2007 Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 This guitar was ordered from Fenders Japan Custom shop, along with a matching Jaguar (which is listed in another auction) by a collector. It has only been displayed, and has no nicks, scratches or other damage. It is in perfect condition...NEW! It is Fenders Lake Placid Blue in color. It comes with a gig bag. A custom shop guitar in a gigbag? That's unpossible! http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english/web/?wb_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ishibashi.co.jp%2F&wb_lp=JAEN&wb_dis=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimAtLightspeed Posted April 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 This guitar was ordered from Fenders Japan Custom shop, along with a matching Jaguar (which is listed in another auction) by a collector. It has only been displayed, and has no nicks, scratches or other damage. It is in perfect condition...NEW! It is Fenders Lake Placid Blue in color. It comes with a gig bag. A custom shop guitar in a gigbag? That's unpossible! http://www.excite.co.jp/world/english/web/?wb_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ishibashi.co.jp%2F&wb_lp=JAEN&wb_dis=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExtraGum Posted April 5, 2007 Members Share Posted April 5, 2007 Good thing that you haven't paid! I guess I can't link directly to the page because of the translation software. If you scroll down to "guitar and base" (sic), and then click on Fender Japan on the left, you'll find the MIJ Jazzer for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DenverDave Posted April 6, 2007 Members Share Posted April 6, 2007 Just inform the seller that the 'upgrades' are in fact standard on all MIJ Jazzmasters and that his 'custom shop' label - whether intentional or not, was inaccurate information and if he will not lower the price you will have to talk to ebay about not paying do to misrepresentation of the guitar.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted April 6, 2007 Members Share Posted April 6, 2007 As far as I know the only custom shop types they made were the ExTrads in the 90s...customers could choose from a limited list of certain models of strats and teles but I don`t think they even had custom colors, I did read they were made in conjunction with the F/USA custom shop for whatever thats worth. I have an ExTrad strat and at the time they were the best FJ was producing. Came with US p`ups and electronics, lacquer finished...very much like the FJ DiMarzio series now being made by who ever is making FJs.One more point on FJ...they do make limited runs of guitars for chain shops over here and have custom editions. Both the ExTrads and custom editions are easily I.D.s by stickers on the back of the headstock. It is possible the guitar you bought is a custom edition, see if he has any pics of the back of the headstock where the sticker should be under the finish...if it doesn`t have one it isn`t a custom edition or ExTrad. If it is a custom order it will be stamped as such in the neck pocket...at least mine are, don`t want to sound like I know everything about the company because I am constantly running into models I didn`t know existed.So...the guitar in question may very well be a custom but it should have something that says it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimAtLightspeed Posted April 7, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2007 well, after asking this guy for several days to provide me with a receipt, documentation, a serial # or marking, anything that would identify this guitar as a "Japanese Custom Shop" guitar, this is the response I got: "IT IS a custom guitar. I know that becaue it was my company that ordered it. You can bail if you want to, but you're missing a good chance. Don't expect positive feedback. I don't know what your sources of info are, but they are costing you." I guess he's kinda calling all my HC peeps out, huh? :-) Not exactly a confidence building response. The seller is Spirit Factory Direct in Minden NV - anybody know anything about these guys? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jrowan Posted April 7, 2007 Members Share Posted April 7, 2007 It sounds like he's trying to strongarm you by threatening your feedback while at the same time not giving any real proof of what he's claiming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimAtLightspeed Posted April 7, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2007 It sounds like he's trying to strongarm you by threatening your feedback while at the same time not giving any real proof of what he's claiming. Exactly. I've reached out to ebay, we'll see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted April 7, 2007 Members Share Posted April 7, 2007 he can contact me and I`ll provide pics of my ExTrad and custom edition guitars with stickers for his future reference. I`m not saying it isn`t a custom order... but it should have some kind of markings identifying as one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zigzaguarsnarl Posted April 7, 2007 Members Share Posted April 7, 2007 It sounds like he's trying to strongarm you by threatening your feedback while at the same time not giving any real proof of what he's claiming. +1 which makes you think he feels guilty about something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lefchr Posted April 7, 2007 Members Share Posted April 7, 2007 It sounds like he's trying to strongarm you by threatening your feedback while at the same time not giving any real proof of what he's claiming. +1 Tell him too throw in the jagaur too and he will have a deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimAtLightspeed Posted April 7, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 7, 2007 he can contact me and I`ll provide pics of my ExTrad and custom edition guitars with stickers for his future reference. I`m not saying it isn`t a custom order... but it should have some kind of markings identifying as one. well, that's exactly what I said to him - it may be a "custom order" that he did for a customer, but that doesn't mean that it is a "custom shop guitar" - there's a huge difference in these two things, it isn't just semantics. Either way, if he could provide a receipt (as they were ordered via his shop) it sure would help clear things up. Perhaps he doesn't want them to be clear, I don't know.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JimAtLightspeed Posted April 8, 2007 Author Members Share Posted April 8, 2007 well, well....ebay removed the listing and told me I don't have to pay for it, although they won't tell me why - thank God for that! and thanks for all the great feedback and support everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Killing Nevada Posted April 8, 2007 Members Share Posted April 8, 2007 Good to hear!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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