article datant de 2005Yes, but there is more to it than that. 1997 is when Fuji Gen Gaaki stopped making Fender Japan guitars. I understand Fender had been negotiating with Tokai on & off since 1981 to produce their guitars, but final agrement was only reached 8 years ago.
Most of the non-export Fender Japan guitars made, erm, sorry crafted after 1997 are made for Fender by Tokai. Tokai now makes Fender Japan models, but not those models that are exported to the USA (which are made by Daita Gakki).
From an interview last month with Mr. Shohei Adachi, president of Tokai Gakki : -
"We started to make guitars for Fender Japan 8 years ago. All of the guitars are made in our factory, Japan. One other factory, Daita Gakki, is making guitars for Fender Japan. So we do not make some of the models of Fender Japan. They export some of them. But we do not."
You can read the full interview here : -
http://www.tokaiforum.com/view(...)=4434
How do the CIJ Tokai Fenders compare to the MIJ Fuji Fenders? Seems the Tokai CIJ are better, albeit probably only slightly so when compared to the earliest MIJs.
However, the Tokia CIJ Fenders are apparently considerably better than the Daita CIJs, and are not allowed to be exported for fear of hurting MIA sales in the US.
An amusing story concerning Fender / Tokai back in 1981/82 : -
As there was no US factory for a while around 1982 (the buy out from CBS didn't include the old Fender plant) all Fender guitars had to be made in Japan for a short period. It seems Fender had originally negotiated with Tokai to make the original VIntage re-issues too, (contract eventually went to Fuji). However, when advertising for the first Stratocaster reissues began in mid 1982, the guitars in the ads were in fact Tokais!
From George Gruhn: -
“When Fender introduced the vintage series in the earliest vintage replica catalog, it was really rather hilarious,” said George Gruhn. “If you get out a magnifying glass or have good eyesight, and you look at the rear-view picture of the vintage Stratocaster reissue, you can read the brand name on the back of the tuners. It says ‘Tokai’!
“It would appear that Fender didn’t have their own thing ready, and they simply photographed a Tokai vintage replica Strat and either superimposed or stuck the Fender name on the peghead for the catalog and ran with it,” he added. “But sure enough, the tuners say Tokai on them.”
Full article here : -
http://www.vintageguitar.com/b(...)D=188
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