Guide / SELECTED VINTAGE GUITARS
Fender Japan: history and serial numbers
The start of Japanese production and dating MIJ, CIJ and JD markings using manufacturer documentation.
1982: production begins at Fujigen
Fujigen dates its OEM partnership with CBS Fender and the start of Fender guitar production to April 1982. This documents that partnership, without identifying the factory of every later Japanese Fender.
Fujigen — historia / history / Geschichte ↗
MIJ and CIJ: read the complete marking
Crafted in Japan appeared in 1997. Made in Japan returned in 2007; both markings occurred in 2007–2008. A serial prefix therefore needs its accompanying wording. Selected entries from Fender’s dating table follow.
| Marking | Prefix + digit count | Date range |
|---|---|---|
| Made in Japan | JV + 5 | 1982–1984 |
| Made in Japan | SQ + 5 | 1983–1984 |
| Made in Japan | E + 6 | 1984–1987 |
| Crafted in Japan | S + 6 | 2006–2008 |
| Crafted in Japan | T + 6 | 2007–2008 |
| Made in Japan | T + 6 | 2007–2010* |
Fender — datowanie instrumentów japońskich / Japanese serial dating ↗
JD and dating exceptions
*Selected T-prefix models continued into 2011. JD followed by eight digits started in 2012; the first two digits indicate the year. Fender cautions that early records are incomplete: serial dating should be checked against the instrument’s specifications.