When we think of Japanese Fender and Squier electrics from the 80s onwards, we often imagine pristine-looking reissues available from the official Fender Japan ranges of a given time period. But Fenders made for the domestic Japanese market are a riot of custom finishes and features not seen in Europe and the US, while their build quality is typically exceptional. To get a sense of what’s on offer for the guitarist willing to hunt down rarities from the past 40 years of Japanese production, we caught up with Keith Anderson of Gas Station Guitars in Taunton, who turned a casual hobby of bringing Japanese-market Fenders over here into a flourishing business a few years ago. Here, he explains what to look out for and expect when buying Japanese Fender and Squier
