New Releases
Stay up to date with the latest Japanese guitar, amp, and gear releases.
Japanese brands announce a lot of gear that never gets an English press release. We track new guitars, basses, amps, and pedals from Japanese makers — including domestic-only models that never reach international dealers.
Bacchus Guitars: Japan’s Best-Kept Value Secret Since 1994
Bacchus guitars are the electric-guitar and bass brand of Deviser, the maker in Matsumoto, Nagano…
Vemuram Las Lunas: 2 Drive Modes and a Rare Trimmer Pair
The Vemuram Las Lunas, the brand’s first full distortion, pairs two switchable drive voices, a…
Fender Active Modern: 4 Rare Japan-Only Models
Fender Active Modern is a Japan-only Limited series that puts an active noise-cancelling circuit and…
Fender Japan-Inspired Stratocaster: 5 Rare Japan-Only Models
The Fender Japan-Inspired Stratocaster arrives in five limited finishes, built around indigo denim, shuriken, torii…
Ibanez IC420MFM Announced
Ibanez has introduced the IC420MFM, a new model in the company’s Iceman lineup. The guitar…
Limetone Audio “pierce” – Fixed Wah Pedal with a Focused Mid Character
Limetone Audio has introduced the “pierce”, a compact fixed wah pedal designed around the concept…
Ibanez EHB600 / EHB605 Announced
A More Accessible Entry into the EHB Concept The biggest advantage of a headless bass…
Ibanez Q54WQM-DEL & Q54WR-CNL – Figured Wood Q Series
Ibanez has expanded its headless lineup with two SPOT-production models in the Ibanez Q (Quest)…
Yamaha Pacifica SC Standard Plus & Professional (New Release)
Yamaha has officially announced two new additions to its electric guitar lineup: the Pacifica Standard…
LOUDNESS 45th Anniversary Models Announced by ESP for 2026
LOUDNESS 45th Anniversary Limited Models by ESP ESP has announced official limited models to commemorate…
Ibanez FLATV2 Introduced as Josh Smith Signature Model
Ibanez FLATV2 has been introduced as the latest signature model for guitarist Josh Smith. Following…
G-STREAM-Miku -SNOW MIKU Edition-
GrassRoots has added the G-STREAM-Miku -SNOW MIKU Edition- to its lineup, a signature model developed…
Casio Dimension Shifter – Motion Control for Guitar Effects
What if you could control your effects simply by moving the guitar itself? Casio has…
BOSS GX-1 & GX-1B Overview
BOSS has released the GX-1 and GX-1B, two compact floor-based multi-effects processors built respectively for…
Mick Thomson MT-1 Released by ESP and LTD
ESP / LTD MT-1 Announced ESP Guitars has introduced the new MT-1, the latest signature…
About Japanese Release Cycles
A few patterns are worth knowing if you’re tracking Japanese gear:
The calendar is different. Japanese manufacturers cluster major announcements around the domestic spring product cycle and the Tokyo trade show season, not exclusively around NAMM. A model shown in January internationally may have been announced in Japan months earlier — or may follow six months later in a different spec.
Japan-only is common and often permanent. A significant share of Japanese-brand output is built for the domestic market and never enters the international distribution catalog. These models don’t get discontinued internationally; they were never listed. The used market is usually the only route.
Limited runs move fast. Anniversary models, shop exclusives, and artist limited editions are frequently produced in runs of a few dozen to a few hundred, allocated to domestic dealers, and sold out before any English coverage exists.
Specs can differ between markets. The same model number can ship with different pickups, hardware, or finish options depending on the region. Where a Japanese and export version diverge, the difference is noted in the individual post.
If you’re trying to buy a Japan-only release from outside Japan, the Tips section covers domestic marketplaces, proxy services, and what to check before committing.