I kinda knew that, but still interesting.

I am super sweet
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So the MIJ, made "for sale" in the US and the CIJ, made "for sale" only in the orient was less than factual. But then aren't the electronics between the two different? The CIJ's supposedly having a higher grade of electronics?

JakeDobner
Whether this transition in quality happens between MIJ and CIJ I do not know. Was it merely a name change or was it a complete organizational new. New plant producing the guitars or something else. After all Fender merely licenses the guitars in Japan, they don't build them.

Ive always understood it was "just a namechange" too, but I think Jake is making some excellent points. there's the change from basswood to alder for the bodies. I dont know either whether that coincides with the namechange. then there's the made for jap market only guitars, which I dont know much about except I got my jag straight from japan, private seller though. dont know if it's jap market or not. the dat for the name change seems to early for me, from what Ive seen in stores and online sales, but of course you cant tell cause there can be years between production date and retail date.

Also, even if they were the same, I would assume that the surplus paint on the neck of "crafted" instead of "made" would make for a top heavy neck and a darker tone.

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/

My Jazzmaster is "Made in Japan" and I've handled a few of the later model "Crafted in Japan" ones and didn't notice a whole heck of a lot of difference. My guitar is also a '95 model, so it's got over a decade of age and wear on it. If the "Made in's" are lower quality, the used prices and opinions of most users don't reflect it from what I've seen. I tried like hell to score a second MIJ Jazzmaster or Jaguar on eBay for $500 or less and simply couldn't do it. I consistently watched them go for what they can be purchased new.

The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
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Brian
What that guy wrote was basically the consensus on the Fender Forum a few years ago..

We "know" that those people on the Fender Forum are "the" experts on all things Fender, so I'd say this subject is closed (he says with a slight amount of sarcasm

Shawn Martin
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Stormtiger
I recently photographed my early MIJ pots to find out if, as I had heard, early MIJ used surplus USA parts. I showed someone who has owned many Japanese Jaguars and he said they are Japanese pots but larger than the pots in newer models. Has anyone else seen this difference? I compared it with an AVRI Jaguar and it held up very well in all aspects. I did put on a USA bridge on the advice of Dave Wronski.

I know my jag is from post 2K, if i remeber correctly '02, took the neck off only once. anyway, the pots are so small they couldnt be any smaller or they'd slip through the hole in the pickguard - there's giant mofo pots in there now. the wiring seems pretty shabby too, but all in all I have no complaints about this guitar. RE: the bridge: nothing an ounce of lock-tite wont fix!

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/

My 2003 CIJ Jag has Novak pickups, but stock wiring, pots. They are cheapos, but they work fine.

My newer CIJ Bigsby Tele has cheap wiring, pots, and pickups. I had to swap the neck pickup for an MIM one, due to microphonic feedback.:puke:
I plan to install Nocasters and all new electronics.

that doesnt say anything about whether or not changes in design were made at the same time. it's also a bit puzzling since I have a P+6 digits CIJ from '02, granted, the first digit is a 0

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/

dimxl
Its correct information about MIJ & CIJ -

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

The switch from MIJ to CIJ happened in 1997, with early '97 models saying MIJ and later '97 models saying CIJ

...But I have a Jag that is B+6 digits - and a CIJ. That doesn't exist in this guide.........

http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns

Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.

on my CIJ the serial number is on the heel of the neck, not on the neckplate... I agree about the electronics including the pups. mediocre. the switches hold up so they stayed in, I changed the pots and the pups though. I really like the neck, it's a bit fatter than a current AVRI that's in my guitarcentre right ow. I actually prefer my CIJ as far as playability goes, but that might be cause Im used to it. the big change imo is that they seemed to have switched form basswood to alder for the bodies at one point, or so I heard.

OT interesting tidbit, I was at the guitarplace today, and they had a brand new white CIJ jag. the also had a white AVRI jag. the whites were totally different and the CIJ was the ugliest white Ive ever seen on a guitar. not sure what it was supposed to be but it sure wasnt. other interesting thing is that on the lower bout (that's what it's called right?) the rounding of the edge of the body was completly off - actually it wasnt rounded, but more triangled, almost a straight angled edge. YUK, I spotted it form 10 metres away, that's how obvious it was. made me wonder if the use computer-cutting machines in the factory and if so, does it run on windows? ... I told the guy from the store and he said, "well, it's unique! Im not gonna give discount for that" I said I wouldnt want the gutar even with a discount.

Rules to live by #314:
"When in Italy, if the menu says something's grilled, don't assume it is."

https://www.facebook.com/The-Malbehavers-286429584796173/