LeftyBassist.com

As Bart Bruno and now myself will tell you, the Ishibashi web shop is a really good place to get what the narcoleptics at FENDER WON'T offer us, the lefty bassists of Planet Earth. They sell very nicely made re-issues of varying period Precisions and Jazz basses, and offer some CUSTOM COLORS! I have imported two '62 reissue P-basses. One is Candy Apple Red, the other is Lake Placid Blue. I also have a second hand killer '97 Sunburst Jazz bass from Japan, I bought on Ebay. Even though the Dollar is weak now against the Yen, these basses are still a good value. I'm going to wait a bit, for the dollar to get a little stronger, and order a Fiesta Red j-bass! The two basses arrived in frighteningly inadequate bubble wrapped guitar boxes with a shitty thin, unpadded gig bag- cover actually, inside. They use a shipper that connects with The U.S.P.S. mail...a scary thought...but no damage, not a scratch on either bass.

The fit and finish on the two p-basses I had shipped here is equal to the best work from anyone else, period. The Japanese did their homework, even with what some feel are inferior Basswood bodies, which I happen to dig - They are lighter, and pretty resonant. IMHO these basses really get the authentic vintage tone they set out to reproduce. Paint work is just beautiful. The hardware isn't accurate, they had big cloverleaf forward turning Kluson type tuners...post CBS style on the '62's, and that's not right. The bridges are the CBS 'hammerhead' not the vintage 'allthread' as they should be. I swapped those out with the 'correct' parts. Allparts has the lefty Kluson reverse tuners and threaded bridges. The neck on my red one has needed a few adjustments, blue one is a little stronger, and more stable. To the bass' credit, that maybe because of the several string gauges and types I've tried on it. The jazz bass is pretty much the same deal, killer sunburst finish, a great neck, and tone to die for. I was going to upgrade the Jazz bass with Lindy Fralin pickups, or Duncan Antiquity's, but I asked myself - Why? It sounds amazing, as is.

In summation, the slim pickins' at the local Guitar Sphincter and the continuing discrimination by the manufacturers against us, leads us to look elsewhere for our instruments. Here's a pretty nice selection of basses we CAN have. At least, 'till some middle management pri_k at Fender stops the Ishibashi Web shop from selling to us.

Here is the link guys:

http://www.excite-webtl.jp/world/englis ... N&wb_dis=2

They already have done so. Ishibashi will no longer sell to the US. Might hold true for Europe as well.

Oh no..... is this something you've heard, or did you contact them? I dealt with them via e-mail directly to the web shop. That was when it clearly stated- in semi-translated Japanese on their site,- that they would not sell to the U.S., I got my basses just fine then. PLEASE tell me it ain't so.

It's been that way for a while now. When did you contact them?

http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=15679

One of my favorite guitars was a CIJ '50s RI Strat.

I contacted them approximately Sept. 2007, and that was via e-mail. That is their preferred method of ordering. I ordered and received my lpb P-bass no problems at all. I paid for it with a bank wire transfer. It was about 600 dollars, and 125 for shipping. I don't remember if it was 600 total, or 725. I'm old LOL! I do remember that the website had a area on it that said something like - 'We will restrict sale of commodity to the U.S. at this time.' Even with that, I was still able to buy from them. I'm hoping that this is still true. My buying lefty basses won't stop either 'till I get Alzheimers, or when the lights go out, whichever comes first!

Retag, you, unfortunately, are correct. I just received the no sale reply from Ishibashi. Looks like We're screwed again by Fender. Right now I'm hating them for doing that. The question I, and probably all of us are wondering is - why?

Go here:
http://www.guitarshogun.com/

Pjmuck and I both bought lefty Jaguar basses from here. Just got mine this week and it was a great transaction.

Yes, the change came within the past year.

Fender Japan has a non-compete agreement as part of the licensing agreement for the Fender name. In exchange for using the Fender names, Fender Japan and it's retailers must not compete in FMIC markets. For years, Fender Japan did not sell to outside retailers, but never enforced their retailers to do the same with foreign customers.

Fender USA are pricks, plain and simple. For such a large company, the number of lefties they produce is terrible. I suggest boycotting Fender products, it's not like we need them anyways. My main guitar is a MIJ Tokai Tele. My P-bass is from G&L. I do own two Fender instruments, which I don't use and have been too lazy to sell: a MIA Strat and a MIM J-bass. There are many options available, do not purchase Fender products.

Besides, the Fender company that exists nowadays as NOTHING (0%) to do with the original company. None of the employees, equipment, factory, nothing. All that was purchased was the trademarks.

As Matt R. pointed out, there are middle men to purchase FJ instruments, but there is a price premium to be paid. You can also keep an eye out for used lefties on Ishibashi's site. Last time I looked a couple of months ago, they had several lefties.

Go here:
http://www.guitarshogun.com/

Pjmuck and I both bought lefty Jaguar basses from here. Just got mine this week and it was a great transaction.

Hi Matt...I just received an e-mail from Ken, at your recommended link. To my relief, he's informed me of the availability of Fender lefty basses. The prices in Yen are higher than Ishibashi. Oh, well.... I guess if I really want another jazz bass, I'll have to ante up.

A note here- After the Ishibashi shock, I sent an e-mail to Fender customer relations. I really do not expect any kind of satisfactory reply, thought you guys would like to see the text of it. Here it follows:

To whom it may concern:

I am a luthier and bass repairman in Reno, NV. I make my own basses, but still use and love my Fenders.
I wanted to buy another left handed bass from my friends at Ishibashi, because you do not offer these instruments to us left handed bassists here. I have been informed that you have stopped them from selling to U.S. Customers. This is very unfair, unless you can make a vintage re-issue custom color Jazz Bass like I want, without the $2,760.00 price my dealer quoted me.. Why can't you let leftys buy these basses, it's not like we're dipping into your market share, as you don't make these models at all!
I'm sorry to be negative here, but the press on this - reviews and posts on lefty bass players sites, is not good for Fender. We are not as small a community as you might imagine. I want an AMERICAN made vintage reissue stack knob custom color jazz bass, not from the custom shop. I had a '71 white J-bass, and a '73 p-bass...both custom colors, and lefty cases, and right off the production line. Why not now?

Thanks for your consideration, Dave.

I don't know how much connection my Fender CIJ 04 P has to a "real" Fender but it's my favorite bass for gigging and it sounds and plays like a dream. The tone is exactly the P tone that I like. I got the bass from Ishibashi.

I've sent similar notes to Fender USA asking why they don't allow these lefty models to be sold in the USA now. Fender USA could just sell them themselves as a separate line like Squier and slap on whatever markup would make importing profitable. It just seems silly to have all those left handed models being made but still out of reach to us here.

I know that the percentage of lefty customers is relatively small but it seems to me there are a lot more of us now than ever before. For whatever reason Fender remains blind to this.

I'm sure it's a matter of money and profit.

I'd like to try an MIJ P bass someday. I'm looking more for the old school Jamerson tone, so for me it's got to be a rosewood board with flats (My '72 US maple P comes close with Labellas, but I'd still prefer a rosewood neck).

So what finishes are available for MIJ lefty Ps?

The current Fender Japan models will be "Crafted in Japan". Not sure if "made in Japan" models are still issued.

The one I got from them in 04 is a '57 P reissue CIJ. It is not historically accurate in every detail but it's a great bass. I swapped the white pickguard to an anodized gold and added a tug bar so it looks closer which is just fine for me.


From the Ishi website

A '62 reissue available in Sunburst/Tort/Rosewood
http://www.excite-webtl.jp/world/english/web/?wb_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ishibashi-webshop.jp%2Fshop%2Fg%2Fg321180600%2F&wb_lp=JAEN&wb_dis=2

I have 2- '62 p-bass re-issues, one is candy apple red, one is lake placid blue. Both are rosewood boards. The red one has D'Addario stainless rounds, the blue one has Fender 9050 ml stainless flatwounds. Both are killer sounding basses. I'm partial to the blue one- see below, sorry for the repost pic of it - I just love the way it looks. It has a Duncan vintage p-bass pickup in it, and it NAILS the old school Jamerson-Babbitt-Tommy Cogbil finger tone, and the Carol Kaye pick tone to boot. My '62 jazz has the 9050 ml flats, love it.
The finishes I have seen for recent lefty '62 models: sunburst, black, white, candy apple red, fiesta red, old lake placid blue, and ocean turquoise metallic. Some websites do not show the fiesta red or turquoise for precisions, but I swear it is available on some other sites I've seen.. The Guitar Shogun people, well, I contacted them, and they seem very helpful. I've put out a feeler for a sonic blue lefty '62 jazz bass, wow - that would be a score. These Japanese basses are now around a grand with the 120 dollar to U.S. shipping fee. Too bad Fender is so corporate blindly ignorant, that could be THEIR thousand + bucks in the bank. It sure wouldn't surprise me to see Fender or Gibson one day up on Capitol Hill begging those thieving pricks for a bailout.

P.S., as I have previously stated, the fit and finish work on the Japanese instruments is absolutely beautiful. FAR superior to all but the American made basses, and on par with those at that. I compared my '97 CIJ j-bass with a friend's stack knob American '62 re-issue, and it looked, felt, sounded, and played as good or better.

It's true, and indeed it affects Europe as well. And at Ishibashi, it's not just the Japanese Fenders!
They will only export used instruments outside Japan.

Two days ago, i got a mail from ishibashi.
The basses are always available for german customers - not only the used ones -.


Fender Mustang: 89000 Yen / 750 Euro / 1000 Dollars
incl. shipping costs.


Alex

That's odd, because a friend of mine once tried to order a '75 RI Jazz Bass and they wouldn't sell one to him. And Holland is right next to Germany

If Ishibashi can get it then it's a good bet that GuitarShogun can get it too and export it. Whether or not that's being done under the table is not my concern, LOL.

Knacker, is that quote you posted for a lefty Mustang bass? AFAIK, lefty Mustang bass reissues are not made. (yet).

I don't know the meaning of "AFAIK" (maybe: as far as i know)
but this is the mail they sent me:

Dear Alexander,

Hello again!
This is Jeff from Ishibashi WEB SHOP.
We are very grateful for your concerning our product.I am pleased to
respond your question.

I guess you are looking for the MG69 LH/OCR.
We are glad to inform you that the MG69 LH/OCR is currently available.

Please see the following estimate.

MG69 LH/OCR------------------------------------------73,600Yen
Shipping/Insurance to Germany------------------------16,000Yen
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Total------------------------------------------------89,600Yen
---------------------------------------------------------------------



I hope they will not set me on the "black list" now.


alex


Oooh.
In fact i was asking for a Jaguar lefty.

"As far as I know" is correct. I used to hate using internet shorthand, but it does save time typing (IF everyone knows the shorthand as well).

That's the Mustang guitar they quoted you, not the bass. The guitar has the "MG" code, while the bass is "MB". As I mentioned, they're not offering basses yet.

OMG.

I nearly ordered one.

A Fender Mustang Guitar.


But yesterday i have been asking ishibashi and guitarshogun for the jaguar bass.

I will see what they will answer.


Alex