Meeting with the FujiGen Founder Family [ FGN (FujiGen) Guitars Information Thread ]

Kateskogs

Fantastic, nice to see still thriving too. Fujigen have made some Fantastic guitars over the years (still do!)  Very consistent quality and of course were responsible for the JV Squier line of guitars. 

Pete.R

The current output by FujiGen is ~ 3000 guitars a month

There are ~ 300 employees in their factories

6 in the Matsumoto area, 1 in northern Hokkaido and 1 in Vietnam

willo

Pete.R said:

The current output by FujiGen is ~ 3000 guitars a month

There are ~ 300 employees in their factories

6 in the Matsumoto area, 1 in northern Hokkaido and 1 in Vietnam

Hi Pete.R - do you have any experience getting a guitar with the Circular Fretting System refretted?

I saw some mention of it on a FGN site that suggested it wouldn't be an issue but I'd love to get a real world perspective, as it concerns me a little.

Philly_Q

@Pete.R that semi-hollow reminds me, I've got a "History by FujiGen" guitar about the size of a Gibson CS-336 or ES-339, with the "circle fretting system" and "Louis" pickups.  Just out of curiosity, is History a sub-brand you know much about?

Pete.R

Philly_Q said:

@Pete.R that semi-hollow reminds me, I've got a "History by FujiGen" guitar about the size of a Gibson CS-336 or ES-339, with the "circle fretting system" and "Louis" pickups.  Just out of curiosity, is History a sub-brand you know much about?

History is a brand for the Japanese Shimamura store - made by Fujigen, it is basicly a FGN Masterfield

CoolZ is / was their entry level brand, made by Fujigen, too

Pete.R

willo said:

Pete.R said:

The current output by FujiGen is ~ 3000 guitars a month

There are ~ 300 employees in their factories

6 in the Matsumoto area, 1 in northern Hokkaido and 1 in Vietnam

Hi Pete.R - do you have any experience getting a guitar with the Circular Fretting System refretted?

I saw some mention of it on a FGN site that suggested it wouldn't be an issue but I'd love to get a real world perspective, as it concerns me a little.

there was no need to refret any of my FGNs, but it is easy to do, cause the radius is huge, so regular frets can be put in,

that's what Fujigen and some luthiers say.

BTW you don't really feel this CFS fretting with your hands/fingers - you might just hear it (a bit)

willo

Pete.R said:

there was no need to refret any of my FGNs, but it is easy to do, cause the radius is huge, so regular frets can be put in,

that's what Fujigen and some luthiers say.

BTW you don't really feel this CFS fretting with your hands/fingers - you might just hear it (a bit)

Thanks. I need to understand a bit more about this because I don't understand how curved frets can be replaced by straight ones - do they just bend to fit the fret slot? If you don't know, no worries - I'm not meaning to make you the expert of all things CFS here! I can do some digging online.

For what its worth, I think I'll be fine with how it might feel as I adapt pretty quickly to frets, necks etc. I'm not fussy about anything other than quality, and my experience of Japanese guitars (admittedly, Navigator and Tokai as opposed to FGN) is excellent and makes me quite confident about buying another without trying it in advance.

Pete.R

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=f1NRbSqjseg&fbclid=IwAR02tl5WKrigfONV69BH3kDcgS-NYByNnheCHyGLQ-dARTHoYVpl-p6MtU0

this is one of FujiGens factory, located in the Village of Nishiokoppe in northern Hokkaido

Mostly woodwork and lacquering is done there.

The capacity is about 20000 bodies / year, done by~ 40 employees

Loobs

Pete.R said:

Tall_martin said:

That's awesome!

Great to see your clear passion for their guitars recognised 

Thanks !

He'll do a personal factory-tour for me in the Matsumoto factory and the one in northern Hokkaido

 

that's cool - Hokkaido is beautiful and was my favourite area in Japan 

hollywoodrox

That is so cool , thanks for sharing 

Pete.R

Since it's rainy outside I had to enjoy this pair inside...

both of them recently acquired

https://i.imgur.com/XDuRDb1.jpg

Pete.R

had the time to take new groupshots....

https://i.imgur.com/ncLjE97.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XGlI18h.jpg

from left to right:

• NeoClassic TL-Custom (one of six)
• Masterfield MSA-HPC (double HB)
• Virtuoso VFL Custom (Custom order)
• Masterfield MSB (Prototype)
• Expert ERS-Rise
• Standard JFL-Custom
• Masterfield MSA-HPS (double P90)
• Standard Iliad HH

AK99

Pete.R said:

Since it's rainy outside I had to enjoy this pair inside...

both of them recently acquired

https://i.imgur.com/XDuRDb1.jpg

Love the contours on that - which model is it ?

Great story btw - and what a lovely set of gestures from the family.

Pete.R

AK99 said:

Pete.R said:

Since it's rainy outside I had to enjoy this pair inside...

both of them recently acquired

https://i.imgur.com/XDuRDb1.jpg

Love the contours on that - which model is it ?

Great story btw - and what a lovely set of gestures from the family.

Thanks !

It is called Expert ERS-Rise,

https://fujigen.shop/products/detail.php?product_id=2423

Pete.R

Inspired by a post of another similar FGN 'Tele' on my Facebook-Group I feel the need to show you one of my all time favourite FGNs

Got it in the beginning of the pandemic in Jan 2020

It is from a 'one of six' run for the Japanese Kurosawa-store,

When I saw it I had to hit the B-I-N button....

compared to today the price was like a steal, even shipping and customs didn't ruin it.

....and 'Happy Weekend' to all of you.

https://i.imgur.com/CUnvHUb.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Gqfl5MU.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9XQpgXo.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DMhElFM.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/sJjnClF.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/g92QW0O.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rGQTClb.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wqjOnV4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/s8TgEjw.jpg

Pete.R

...and I'm up to nine

https://i.imgur.com/LPiuaQS.jpg

rossi

Pete.R said:

Inspired by a post of another similar FGN 'Tele' on my Facebook-Group I feel the need to show you one of my all time favourite FGNs

Got it in the beginning of the pandemic in Jan 2020

It is from a 'one of six' run for the Japanese Kurosawa-store,

When I saw it I had to hit the B-I-N button....

compared to today the price was like a steal, even shipping and customs didn't ruin it.

....and 'Happy Weekend' to all of you.

https://i.imgur.com/CUnvHUb.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Gqfl5MU.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/9XQpgXo.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DMhElFM.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/sJjnClF.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/g92QW0O.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rGQTClb.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/wqjOnV4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/s8TgEjw.jpg

I  would be over that like a rash if I was allowed to ....... by my sensible wife .

guitarjack66

Was Fujigen one of the lawsuit companies originally or has it always been it's own identity? 

Pete.R

guitarjack66 said:

Was Fujigen one of the lawsuit companies originally or has it always been it's own identity? 

The only 'Lawsuit' company I am aware of is/was Ibanez

and Fujigen made those Ibanez guitars

Fujigen started it's own brand FGN around 2009/10

they still make the expensive Ibanez models, some new models for Fender and a few more for other companies

and the do the QC for the Gibsons sold in Japan

Pete.R

enjoy !