Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2016 12:46 am
the MIJ mustang was definitely available in Japan in 1987, there is a catalog somewhere. possibly even available in 1986.
Yes, MIJ and CIJ guitars were particularly limited in the US market. Certainly a ploy by FMIC to avoid competition. In the 90s, you'd see MIJ offsets around because FMIC wasn't producing those models. But you'd never see an MIJ Strat or Tele.Darth Stang wrote:Yes there must have been all sorts of negotiations. Fender Japan was setup to legitamize MIJ fender like guitars. But they could have been exported world wide at that time (mid to late 80's). FMIC didn't want to do world wide shipping of MIJ to protect the US made instruments. So it is odd that they would spin up Fender Mexico in the late 90's to offer that price point to the market.
In terms of MIJ Mustangs, I reckon at some point all mustang production will shift to mexico (the new olive drab mustang is MIM)
Something funny must of happened in Japan around 2012 at the time of the Kurt Mustangs. The JD serial number builds are definitely different to Mustangs that were R & S serial numbers. Although Jason Norvell is on youtube somewhere indicating that Kurts 1993 Mustang was made at the same factory as the 2012 mustangs. It would be interesting to get hands on with a real 1987 or 1992 MIJ mustang to see what they were like.
However, MIM Fenders surfaced earlier. I bought an MIM Strat new at Guitar Center in 94. I think the factory opened in 87. And this makes perfect sense. MIJ guitars were increasing in popularity, but most of the profits stayed in Japan. The simple solution was for FMIC to produce its own line of inexpensive guitars.