# MIJ brand called Cool-Z...



## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

got one today, been eyeing it for a while actually, in a local used gear place. Retail is 88,ooo yen...about $950.oo...got this one for 30,ooo...about $320.oo...made in Japan...says so on the back of the headstock, unlike the Edwards... and still had the plastic on the covers, p`ups and pickguard. Made by Fujigen exclusively for a chain called Shimamura in Japan. Heres a link to what it looks like...got it in black,

http://www.shimamura.co.jp/originalbrand/coolz/models/ZLC1.html

2 piece mahogany back, 2 piece maple cap, original p`ups...has the tiny electronics though...thats where they cut corners, but easily fixable. 1 piece mahogany neck, circle fretting system. Grover tuners, bone nut, deep set neck. Frets are exquisetly finished...smooth as a baby`s butt...nice rosewood fingerboard with inlays that are very well done. Pickguard is in the gig bag pocket but no holes are drilled on the guitar, came with a cable too. Yesterday I was reading on line that some guys were saying they wouldn`t buy one of the newer Burnys because they have 3 screws in the rod cover...is that where we`re at now?... the number of screws in a truss rod cover? ...how pathetic is that...but for those who REALLY care about such stuff ...the Cool-Zs have 2 screws, so nobody need lose any sleep over it.
The Cool-Zs also come in standard type models, some with a veneer figured maple sheet over the maple cap, the plain tops have just the cap...like this custom type. If you buy em new you can order tham from a list of colors they have and the new plain tops look fabulous...I just hate paying full retail for guitars now so I buy what I can get my hands on used, beggers can`t be choosers they say.
For guys looking to buy a high grade MIJ but don`t want to spend the outrageous prices old Tokais, Grecos and Burnys are going for now...the Cool-Zs are a fine alternative, I`d say very much on par with the Edwards in terms of quality and workmanship...difference is the p`ups...but I really like the original Louis p`ups in my high end History so the ones in this Cool-Z are not completely unknown to me. 
Since I just got it a couple of hours ago I`ll need a few days to listen to the p`ups...but I have a high end History also made by Fujigen for Shimamura and up until a couple of years ago the Cool-Zs were also called History...they just changed the name on the headstock...I compared the catalogs from previous years and the specs are the same, just a name change.


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

great looking guitar...great name too...

i wonder if the former name "history" reflected the gibson "heritage" line...


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

took a few pics...


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)




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## archaeic_bloke (Jul 30, 2009)

does that ever look like a gibson or what!

nice piece though


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## rhh7 (Mar 14, 2008)

Beautiful guitar!!


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

that is ridiculous for $320.
congrats. what a beauty.


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## HD2000 (Jul 24, 2008)

Maybe a stupid question but... what is a "circle fretting system"?


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## Jimi D (Oct 27, 2008)

That's beautiful! If I'd seen that around here for $320, I'd have scooped it up without a second thought!



HD2000 said:


> Maybe a stupid question but... what is a "circle fretting system"?


 I don't think it's a stupid question... I'm wanna know too! So, a quick trip to GOOGLE and voila! 

http://www.shimamura.co.jp/english/04our_brands/history/cfs/index.html

:wave:


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

thank youse...been playing it for the last two days and love it, neck is chunky but not too fat, bigger than my Gibson 50`s neck though but shaped a little different. A couple of years ago the local Rock Inn had a whole bunch of Gibson double cutaways at 50% off and before I asked the shop staff to tune one up for me I ran my fingers down the necks on all of them...about 8 guitars, and all had very rough, sharp fret ends, almost like they were rushed out the door before they were finished, too bad I thought...so I went to Shimamura and did the same thing with the History guitars they had 6 or so models...and all had beautifully finished frets, smooth as could be and they don`t have fret end binding but it was obvious to me that they took their time and did the job properly and that was the day I decided I`d buy one of the History guitars...only they are not cheap and it took a while to find a used one locally but I did...and it is outstanding and little wonder since it`s Fujugen who is making them...and they`ve since started their own line of guitars with the circle fretting system. The high end History models use the old maple that was discovered at the bottom of the Great Lakes a few years ago...they call it Timeless Timber and say it is dencer because it soend so much time under pressure at the bottom of the lakes. Since I already have and really like a high end History made by the same people I figured the Cool-Z would not disappoint and it hasn`t, they had a tele type in the same shop so I`m gonna go back and see if it`s still there.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

here`s my high end History...


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

link to the Fujigen guitars...

http://www.fujigen-customhouse.jp/


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