BrokenByDefault wrote:I don't think we should be making assumptions about their availability just yet. Fender have plenty of signature guitars which they still continue to produce years after their initial release, for example, the Jim Root Telecaster has been in the Fender catalog for a number of years and is still in production.

It's obviously a question of demand - but Japan is a little different from the US in how Fender markets guitars. I have seen signature models from certain other very big acts come and go within *months* there. (For example, try to find an Inoran Jazzmaster #1 or any of the AKB48 guitars.) Summer is often the time when Fender does these big promotional campaigns, with big displays in stores advertising new signature models, and often by fall when demand for guitars in general picks up again, they're completely gone.

I think the safest thing to do is assume they won't be around very long. Like I said, it's possible they'll do further production runs if the demand is high, but I definitely would not count on that. I think someone *can* and probably should make the assumption that they'll be around a short time. If you're wrong, no harm done - you just got to play your guitar early. If a person holds out hoping they'll stick around a while, though, there's a good chance they'll miss out.

There's always the used market in that case - it's not the end of the world - but it's just going to be more difficult.

If only i have the money and guitar skills..... if only

I want a Mami Guitar!!  .wow. 
But, I don't have the money...  .waaa.

I'm still debating on whether or not I should get one of these...

If anyone has any information on these guitars when they are available, please update this topic.  I should be getting a different guitar for the time being, but maybe I can save up and get the Haruna model some time later.

Maybe...

I really want the jazzmaster... but... i don't have money so... i'll go and cry in a corner* 
Also, for me (and the contry where i live) it's sooo dificult and if I have a chance the most possible is the price be more higher uwu  .dies.

I emailed Ishibashi to find out when they expect to get them and whether they will be doing preorders. They don't sound confident there's even going to be enough to go around. Here's the main part of what they wrote back to me:

About the Squier SCANDAL Models:
I am sorry, we not sure how many we will be getting in stock at this
moment or even if we will getting any at all.
We are scheduled to get them in summer if we are.

With saying this we can not take pre-orders either.

So it sounds like it might be difficult. This is one of the biggest music store chains in Japan, if not the biggest.

Well, I pretty much *have* to at least get Tomomi's bass somehow at this point - my current bass is already up for auction

Sounds tough...

I may go ahead and kiss the Haruna sig good bye, but I'll try to keep the faith.   

Why would one of the biggest music store chains in Japan as you say not get any guitars like that =O

I mean if they are not sure to get it, what store will?!?   

HaRuRiNaMaMiToMo wrote:Why would one of the biggest music store chains in Japan as you say not get any guitars like that =O 

Hopefully they're just wrong, but it's possible they know the production numbers and they see how much demand there is.

It's also possible that their stores individually may get them, but they won't list the guitars online since there's too much demand in Japan.

That response really does suggest to me that this is a limited production run, though. If it wasn't, they wouldn't be worried about whether they'd be getting them.

I really don't know where to get them if Ishibashi ends up not having them. If nobody else would have them to sell overseas, Ishibashi would. So I hope they're just wrong and it will be easy for them to get them.

Hum yeah it doesn't sound good then =/ Hopefully it will not be a limited edition and they are just wrong or too careful here.

I hope you guys can all get the guitar/bass you want and won't be disappointed   

spacecadet wrote:I emailed Ishibashi to find out when they expect to get them and whether they will be doing preorders. They don't sound confident there's even going to be enough to go around. Here's the main part of what they wrote back to me:

About the Squier SCANDAL Models:
I am sorry, we not sure how many we will be getting in stock at this
moment or even if we will getting any at all.
We are scheduled to get them in summer if we are.

With saying this we can not take pre-orders either.

So it sounds like it might be difficult. This is one of the biggest music store chains in Japan, if not the biggest.

Well, I pretty much *have* to at least get Tomomi's bass somehow at this point - my current bass is already up for auction

 
Then we'll just have to take a short trip to Ochanomizu and get in the queu... oh who am I kidding.

I'll make my own Stratomaster with some white paint now.  

But seriously, thanks for making queries, dude. It's better to know now and be disappointed than later!

So yea....

I really wish I could buy one of these D:
They look awesome.

I heard they had actually started a reservation list so I emailed them back again, but no dice... they basically told me I'd heard wrong. Oh well.

good to know that they'll come out in summer. I can save money (possibly/hopefully) and get one. Lucky, i'm going to tokyo around summer too..i'll definitely keep my eyes open and see if i can haggle for a cheaper price lol

um.. i already have a reservation for one,but the person i talked to didnt make any promises, but he listed me on the "reservation" list.

Shipping/Insurance fee for one guitar to Canada would be 14,000Yen

so,if the guitar will be around 600ish.. plus $140 for shipping.. give or take $900..
wait.. my CC's crying.

hitorikun wrote:so,if the guitar will be around 600ish.. plus $140 for shipping.. give or take $900..
wait.. my CC's crying.[/color][/size]

Should be a bit cheaper than $600, which is list price. I looked around to try to compare Squier MSRP with the prices Ishibashi charges, and I'm thinking it'll be something more like $450-$500.

The strange thing I realized when trying to look up comparable prices is that I don't even really know who's making these, or where. There doesn't really seem to be such a thing as "Squier Japan" - Squier does not seem to be licensed by Kanda Shokai in Japan (that's who owns Fender Japan), and the US-based Japanese Fender web site that initially announced these guitars has a mix of mostly US models. (The Fender Japan web site that's actually run by Kanda Shokai shows no Squier brand at all, and neither does the aforementioned Kanda Shokai site.)

Ishibashi has a few Squiers but they seem to be imported from the US! And are priced accordingly. For example, the Avril Lavigne Telecaster, which I assume would be similar in price to the Haruna Telecaster, is like $250 in the US, but something like ¥47,500 (on sale!) at Ishibashi.

This makes me wonder two things: a) if the prices will be artificially higher than they should be because essentially Fender is routing the design and production of these through the US, then to Asia, then back to the US for QA and whatnot, then back to Japan for sale, and b) if there might even be some way of buying them in the US for much cheaper if that's the case. I doubt it, but I might ask around. I wonder if you couldn't just special order one through Guitar Center or something, once they're in the system. GC has some sort of direct linkup to their vendors, I know that.

Lastly, I wonder why Ishibashi seems to hate me. They got all snippy when I asked about the reservation list and told me whoever I heard about it from was lying. I asked nicely!

hitorikun wrote:um.. i already have a reservation for one,but the person i talked to didnt make any promises, but he listed me on the "reservation" list.

Shipping/Insurance fee for one guitar to Canada would be 14,000Yen

so,if the guitar will be around 600ish.. plus $140 for shipping.. give or take $900..
wait.. my CC's crying.

that 3rd party that will be reserving one for you, is that a company or just a contact person / relative? It'll be my first time on this kind of transaction just in case since my only experience on ordering overseas is cdjapan.

Im also taking some action to save up some cash for the stratomaster... decided to take this side job on a certain company other than my day job (will try to sacrifice a few zzzs). I need to have hands on it soooo bad.

its the Ishibashi company, im talking to an agent of theirs.

I asked both Guitar Center and Squier if there was any chance of ordering one of these through the US rather than Japan. They essentially said what I figured they would - GC said yes, if they're allowed to sell them, they can order anything Squier makes. Squier said they had no idea what the heck I was even talking about. So, that's probably not happening. But I have a feeling (and I thought this might happen) that it was just their customer service rep not having any info on upcoming models.

But it's probably going to be a licensing issue anyway. I might just ask GC again once they're in Squier's ordering system if they can order them for me, but probably they just won't be allowed to, unfortunately.

I'm flying to Japan during mid June for 2 weeks. Do u guys think it'll be possible to get 1 from the music stores without having a reservation ?

Thanks hitorikun~  .clap.  (I'll check on that company)
please keep me posted for updates later...

kenzo9 wrote:I'm flying to Japan during mid June for 2 weeks. Do u guys think it'll be possible to get 1 from the music stores without having a reservation ?

I would guess so, if they're actually out at that time. Ishibashi just told me "summer" which is all the Fender announcement said too.

I'm sure it will be easier to get them if you're physically there than it will be to order from overseas.

Umm where's is Rina's Drums? and Rina's Drum Stick's ^_^ I hope It's available.. It would be amazing if it's sale now haha 

Wow! Awesome! Mami Custom Jazz-Master will come out to $578.31 USD.  .wtf. so expensive!!!!!