6STRINGS 9LIVES
August 15th, 2006, 11:30 AM
Re-Issues ..a little history
Fender was the first major guitar manufacturer to build and market a Re-Issue guitar .
In 1982 in an effort to re-establish itself in terms of percieved quality and to re-vamp its corporate vision Fender wisely decided to re-issue some of its older and highly esteemed guitars .
For years prior to , Fender and Gibson had been having quality controll issues which led to a steady decline in reputation , this steady decline was fueled by corporate bean counters and new owners who basically milked the respected names of Fender and Gibson for all they were worth quality was an afterthought if thought about at all.. they had sold their soul to the persuit of the bottom line .By the time the late 70’s and early 80’s rolled around there were other manufacturers who were building better instruments with great consistency – The Japanese .
Also by the early 80’s both Fender and Gibson were under new management and both teams looked for ways and means to resurect the stagnant brands. Fender’s new team decided that a return to the roots of what had made them successful in the first place was the direction to persue back to the future so to speak , back to the classic 50’s and 60’s strats and teles .
When during the era of the guitar hero, Clapton , Page, Beck, and Bloomfied were seen and heard playing old Fenders and Gibsons other players who wanted to sound and look like their idols took note and vintage guitars quickly became the hot ticket to the ultimate ego stroke . The thing was that these guitars were not the new shiney pieces on music store shelves but 2nd hand , pawn shop pieces , that Fender and Gibson had made their money on decades before … Enter The Japanese.
In the music crazed 60’s The Japanese had a history of providing the burgeoning world market for electric guitars with cheap guitars of dubious quality. By the mid 70’s the quality of the Japanese instruments was steadily improving , and Japanese manufacturers such as Ibanez, Greco, Tokai and Fernandes took note of the interest and demand for classic guitars and began making high quality recreations of vintage style Fenders and Gibsons. As these well crafted guitars began showing up in North America they quickly cut into the market helping fuel the decline of Fender and Gibson profitability..Gibson launched a law suit claiming trademark infringement based on the copy of their headstock design and the term “ law-suit era “ Japanese guitars was born. The litigation was somewhat successful at slowing down the importing of the copy guitars into the North American marketplace , but the copies were wildly successful in asia and europe , and were brought back to the states by many returning servicemen .. the secret was out .
Fender management having seen the quality and market interest in these vintage recreations from Japan decided to rebuild its reputation by re-issuing the 1954, 1957 and 1962 Stratocaster
Fenders new management team who were in search of a manufacturing facility until their new one was built in corona went to Japan and struck up a deal with Fuji Gen Gakki to build Fender designs and liscensed the fender name to them ..creating Fender Japan …
Early Fender built re-issues of those famous Strats were faithful to the original designs , incorporating the original neck profiles , body contours, cloth wiring and electronics , and nitrocelulose lacquer finishes .. top quality guitars the likes of which Fender had not produced in decades . Today these early re-issues are highly regarded by collectors and players alike . Prices seem to be rising almost monthly for these guitars as evidenced by their completed auction prices on Ebay …… more to follow ….6S9L
Fender was the first major guitar manufacturer to build and market a Re-Issue guitar .
In 1982 in an effort to re-establish itself in terms of percieved quality and to re-vamp its corporate vision Fender wisely decided to re-issue some of its older and highly esteemed guitars .
For years prior to , Fender and Gibson had been having quality controll issues which led to a steady decline in reputation , this steady decline was fueled by corporate bean counters and new owners who basically milked the respected names of Fender and Gibson for all they were worth quality was an afterthought if thought about at all.. they had sold their soul to the persuit of the bottom line .By the time the late 70’s and early 80’s rolled around there were other manufacturers who were building better instruments with great consistency – The Japanese .
Also by the early 80’s both Fender and Gibson were under new management and both teams looked for ways and means to resurect the stagnant brands. Fender’s new team decided that a return to the roots of what had made them successful in the first place was the direction to persue back to the future so to speak , back to the classic 50’s and 60’s strats and teles .
When during the era of the guitar hero, Clapton , Page, Beck, and Bloomfied were seen and heard playing old Fenders and Gibsons other players who wanted to sound and look like their idols took note and vintage guitars quickly became the hot ticket to the ultimate ego stroke . The thing was that these guitars were not the new shiney pieces on music store shelves but 2nd hand , pawn shop pieces , that Fender and Gibson had made their money on decades before … Enter The Japanese.
In the music crazed 60’s The Japanese had a history of providing the burgeoning world market for electric guitars with cheap guitars of dubious quality. By the mid 70’s the quality of the Japanese instruments was steadily improving , and Japanese manufacturers such as Ibanez, Greco, Tokai and Fernandes took note of the interest and demand for classic guitars and began making high quality recreations of vintage style Fenders and Gibsons. As these well crafted guitars began showing up in North America they quickly cut into the market helping fuel the decline of Fender and Gibson profitability..Gibson launched a law suit claiming trademark infringement based on the copy of their headstock design and the term “ law-suit era “ Japanese guitars was born. The litigation was somewhat successful at slowing down the importing of the copy guitars into the North American marketplace , but the copies were wildly successful in asia and europe , and were brought back to the states by many returning servicemen .. the secret was out .
Fender management having seen the quality and market interest in these vintage recreations from Japan decided to rebuild its reputation by re-issuing the 1954, 1957 and 1962 Stratocaster
Fenders new management team who were in search of a manufacturing facility until their new one was built in corona went to Japan and struck up a deal with Fuji Gen Gakki to build Fender designs and liscensed the fender name to them ..creating Fender Japan …
Early Fender built re-issues of those famous Strats were faithful to the original designs , incorporating the original neck profiles , body contours, cloth wiring and electronics , and nitrocelulose lacquer finishes .. top quality guitars the likes of which Fender had not produced in decades . Today these early re-issues are highly regarded by collectors and players alike . Prices seem to be rising almost monthly for these guitars as evidenced by their completed auction prices on Ebay …… more to follow ….6S9L