OffsetGuitars.com

(disclaimer: i'm sorry if this is well worn territory. i've looked around a bit and haven't found satisfactory answers to these questions. feel free to post a link if there is a comprehensive thread already on this subject.)


I've very curious to hear what people know about a few identifying things on Japanese offset Fender guitars. There is much misnomer and speculation passed off as fact on the interweb. I'm looking for sources or links or really involved explanations that make me THINK you know what you're talking about. 

Like the difference between "Crafted in Japan" and "Made in Japan". I know that the CIJ is more recent, but does anyone have the specific year that this switched over?

What about serial numbers? I'm having a hard time dating my Jag. Some sites claim to have a table that matches up the beginning letter with a year. But I've read elsewhere that that's super inconsistent and unreliable. Not to mention, I can't find one that matches up to my serial. (which is Q and six numbers.)

Finally, what about the font that "crafted in japan" is written in? Does it connote specific year(s)? From what I've gathered, "made in japan" is a rigid and standard printed font, most of the "crafted in japan" is in a smoother yet still printed font. What about the more 'script' looking cursive font?


Any info or corrections to my misinformation that y'all might have that is fairly credible (sounding) would be greatly appreciated.

ps-I've seen people on ebay be all cryptic about the serial on the guitars they sell. "the last numbers of the serial are intentionally blurred" and so forth. What, besides general paranoia, might be the reason behind doing that?

I believe the MIJ to CIJ switch occurred in 1997.

not sure about the serrial #'s, the switch happened in 96 I believe, there reallly is not difference they just thought it sounded better to say "crafted".

i think this would be the most reliable source for dating you jag: http://fender.com/support/dating/japanese_dating.php

MIJ, Q+6 digits = 1993-1994

there are physical differences between MIJ and CIJ, at least the jazzmasters, can´t say much about the jags. these are the differences between my '86 MIJ and '02 CIJ:

neck:
MIJ has a slightly wider and thinner neck than the CIJ. decal looks exactly the same.

body:
MIJ is ash (although basswood was used for most of the later MIJs) and the CIJ is alder

pickguard:
MIJ has 3 ply tort, CIJ has 4 ply. the color is basically the same (none of them has the bright red tort usually associated with MIJs, which is probably a 90s thing). the shape is slightly different in the jack area, the CIJ sticks out more towards the edge, while the MIJ follows the shape of the body better.

trem:
MIJ has a much stiffer spring and is quite superior to the CIJ when it comes to tuning stability. the CIJ requires retuning pretty often when using the trem regularly.

electronics:
MIJ has bigger pots in the lead circuit and the toggle nut is a bit different, otherwise pretty much identical.

overall the CIJ feels more solid and well built, apart from the trem.

ok, here are the specs of my Jag:

V serial number (96 or 97) 50th anniv. Fender edition. MIJ.

I was under the impression that earlier Jags were basswood, and around 95 or so switched to alder... mine is definitely alder (I have a pic of the neck pocket wood somewhere I'll post, and it's also heavy as hell and not dentable). I've always wanted to pinpoint the switch to alder, I didn't know any were made of ash at all though... but I know at least some MIJs were alder, and mine is an especially late MIJ so...

Mine has brass shielding. newer ones don't.

Necks just seem to be all over the place no matter what the year is... mine is about medium, I've played them from a bunch of years that were all either thicker or thinner. Just seems to be unique to however Mr. neck-maker machine was feeling that day.

late 70s style decal, matching stock (CAR). White 3 ply guard.

I owned a 2002 Jag for about 15 minutes, all the hardware was more or less the same... some of the screws were different style, lol. Pots, switches... all identical. It was alder too. Neck pocket was stamped JG66, whereas as I recall, only the neck was stamped JG66 on my CAR Jag...

CIJ=blue
MIJ=red

Differences: minimal. for these years at least.