Nachos vs Noodles?

fredzeppelin

I was just wondering which are the better considered guitars, Fender Mexico or Fender Japan?

I was thinking of buying this below- It's a fender jap. What do you guys think?

Karl Hungus

Fender Japan are probably on-par with the American Fenders. I'd go for the Japanese one at a drop of the hat.

Creamy Goodness

Japanese fenders >= American > Mexican

tbh.

cornbb

Japan.

Friend of mine has a Japanese Jag Stang, tis a beauty of craftsmanship despite its faults.

red_ice

about 8-10 years ago i remember a bunch of people saying to me that it was usa > mexican > jap and the mex/jap difference was ment to be HUGE!

I guess this is why to this day i find it hard to make a purchase which is built in japan...

Im sure the times have changed, but tell me im right when i say thats how it was a few years back?

Voodu Child

red_ice wrote:

Im sure the times have changed, but tell me im right when i say thats how it was a few years back?

If by right you mean 'wrong', then yeah, you're right.

The Jap Fenders have been top notch all along, anybody who told you any different was talking out their ass. At one stage (while there was a shake up in Fender US) all high-end Fenders were made in Japan, they learned how to make god ones a LONG time ago, and have been cranking out great instruments ever since.

Karl Hungus

red_ice wrote:

about 8-10 years ago i remember a bunch of people saying to me that it was usa > mexican > jap and the mex/jap difference was ment to be HUGE!

I guess this is why to this day i find it hard to make a purchase which is built in japan...

Im sure the times have changed, but tell me im right when i say thats how it was a few years back?

Whoever said that Mexican guitars were better than Japanese were wrong as wrong can be. I have an Ibanez Universe that was made in 97, and it's just an incredible instrument.

You really only have to look at just how sought after a lot of old Japanese lawsuit guitars are now, and that should tell you that the quality of them has always been good. Especially some of the Tokai Les Paul copies of the 70's. Those can fetch huge money.

Japan has been producing fantastic guitars for a long time now, and if you look at just how phenominally good an Ibanez J Custom is, probably some of the best guitars in the world. Anyone who says that Mex > Jap is talking complete and utter bollocks, and has probably never even played a Jap guitar.

Don1

I too was put under that illusion years ago. Grrr @ originator of such a vile despicable and misleading rumour!!! It is as a result of this that I have a Mexican strat. Okay I only paid 200 for it but still. I would love a (high quality) jap instrument, like a J-Custom or an Edwards LP or something. Have my US made G&L as a reference to make my own future comparisons!!!

Johnny Storm

voodoo_child wrote:

If by right you mean 'wrong', then yeah, you're right.

Well put

Karl Hungus

Don1 wrote:

I too was put under that illusion years ago. Grrr @ originator of such a vile despicable and misleading rumour!!! It is as a result of this that I have a Mexican strat. Okay I only paid 200 for it but still. I would love a (high quality) jap instrument, like a J-Custom or an Edwards LP or something. Have my US made G&L as a reference to make my own future comparisons!!!

I think it's probably due to the fact that back in the day a lot of cheap import models were made in Japan, like nowadays they'd be made in Korea or Indonesia. Japanese guitars were cheap, and for a lot of people, cheap meant crap. Of course, considering the collectivity of 70's Japanese guitars, they obviously weren't crap. The misconception seems to still linger at times.

I've played a lot of American and Japanese guitars, and I think that on the whole, the quality of the Japanese guitars can easily compare with American ones, and in some cases (Gibson) are far superior.

Definetly check out a J Custom, Don. The ones I've played are possibly some of the finest instruments to grace this earth.

Voodu Child

Karl Hungus wrote:

Definetly check out a J Custom, Don. The ones I've played are possibly some of the finest instruments to grace this earth.

Definitely, up there (or higher) than the likes of PRS, Tom Anderson, Suhr etc. in terms of build quality

Check the fretwork on this...and lovely flamed maple binding...sexy..

Don1

Sweet. Thanks for the GAS enabling vote of confidence lads!!! I have also mega GAS for a G&L Invader
Why did those Cork feckers win my lotto?!!!!

Dord

Don1 wrote:

Sweet. Thanks for the GAS enabling vote of confidence lads!!! I have also mega GAS for a G&L Invader
Why did those Cork feckers win my lotto?!!!!

It'd be funny to get G&L to make a custom job of that guitar with Invader Zim graphics

Probably cost a bit but it'd be certainly worth it.

Don1

That would be sweet AFAIK they do all mad one off jobs too. Total Guitar went for a tour of their factory and they made them a custom guitar. Can't find it online, and oh how I did try, for a whole five minutes. That's a lot for me.

Johnny Storm

Just to get back to the original question - I don't think they even make those Jazzmaster thingies in Mexico, do they? So IMHO if your looking for one of them its Japan Vs US, I'd say.

Also FWIW, according to the FDP, Fender are producing higher quality and more expensive ranges of Strats in Mexico in the last year or so. (I read in on the inter-net so it must be true )

Karl Hungus

voodoo_child wrote:

Definitely, up there (or higher) than the likes of PRS, Tom Anderson, Suhr etc. in terms of build quality

Check the fretwork on this...and lovely flamed maple binding...sexy..

Can't say I've played a Tom Anderson or Suhr, but the J Customs definetly compare to PRS in terms of build quality, figured tops and such, but on playability, I'd probably say the JCs are miles ahead.

Voodu Child

Karl Hungus wrote:

Can't say I've played a Tom Anderson or Suhr, but the J Customs definetly compare to PRS in terms of build quality, figured tops and such, but on playability, I'd probably say the JCs are miles ahead.

Just talking strictly build quality & craftsmanship, i've never seen J-C fretwork on ANY other guitar, period. They're just out of this world, I love posting pics of my JC fingerboards, but i think i've done it enough already so i'll resist the temptation here

But yeah, the general level of craftsmanship is as good as it gets. Playability is up to the individual, so im sure there's guys who would prefer PRS.

Karl Hungus

voodoo_child wrote:

Just talking strictly build quality & craftsmanship, i've never seen J-C fretwork on ANY other guitar, period. They're just out of this world, I love posting pics of my JC fingerboards, but i think i've done it enough already so i'll resist the temptation here

But yeah, the general level of craftsmanship is as good as it gets. Playability is up to the individual, so im sure there's guys who would prefer PRS.

You know, I'd actually say my Petrucci has fretwork to rival a JC.

fourmations

hi

i bought a japanese fender jazzmaster and its flawless
the build quality is second to none and its a brick sh*thouse

it shipped with 9's and a jump to 10's and then 11's has not
done anything to the neck

the deal with the japanese jazzmaster is that the pickups
and electrics are not as good as the american version
so if you just switch out the pickups and get new pots
the guitar is the same (some say the japanese are actually tighter)

the us jazz is 1600, the japanese one is 630

you can buy a pair of top-end hand-wound boutique jazzmaster pups
for 150euros shipped from the us to your door (curtis novak)
top end pots and switches - 50euro?....do the math....

Is this the case for the other Fenders about the electrics and pups
being the only difference? I fancy a tele and would be definately
looking at Ishi for a japanese one

I know the japanese Jazz used to be basswood but has been the correct alder
for a while now, are the japanese teles basswood?

Regards

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