Japanese strats

[Martyn]

Looking at maybe buying one and I'm aware some feel they're of better build quality even than some of the US guitars - and probably my Mex. I know woods will vary and the electronics may differ slightly, presumably not being US-made but is that necessarily a problem? The Japanese have obviously been making hi-fi and cameras etc for years to much acclaim, so I hardly think it likely their electronic components would be inferior.

I'm interested to know if any of you here own or have experience of playing one who could offer considered opinions as to how they feel and particularly sound in comparison. If you weren't aware of their origins would you be any the wiser, is I suppose what I'm asking.

[dave robinson]

Hi Martyn, I have four Japanese made Fender guitars and they are all excellent, although I did change the pickups on the Jazzmaster to Seymour Duncan's, as the Jap pickups had been re-designed from the original spec.
I also have a Premium Strat which came equipped with USA pickups, a '62 reissue Telecaster that was equipped with USA Texas Specials and my 1982 Fiesta Red P Bass - all are superb and will never be for sale. The workmanship on them all is first class.

[Jay Bass]

Hi Martyn
I have owned and used USA & Jap Strats as well as precision & jazz basses
of the strats i have had i actualy prefered The Jap 62 re-issue to the american standard Strat.
It was A better quality feel and Sound to me.
The Jap basses are also excellent As good as USA branded basses.
i have not tried the Mexican Strats But Have A Mexican precision that is as good as any USA precision
but i have slightly modified it with Fender 62 pickups,Badass Bridge . Thomastik flats,etc,its just a personal thing.
the Bass was good As a bog standard Mexican Precision.
The Lead Guitarist & Rhythm Guitarist in the Shadows band i play with Both use
The mexican 50,s re-issue Strat, Fiesta red / maple Neck They look and sound as Good as any usa Strat to me.
so realy just try a few .

Jay

[des mcneill]

My experience of Jap strats is similar,they are very good. I have a couple of fairly old ones and have seen elsewhere comments that the new "crafted in Japan" guitars are not as good as the "Made in Japan" models. I can not agree with this,any new ones I have seen are superb.

Des.

[dave robinson]

I can vouch for what Des is saying about the old versus new models. I have both examples and they are equally good. That said, the Mexican 'Classic Player' series are on a par with the Japs, I have two of those, the 50's model Strat and the 60's one.

[Martyn]

Thanks folks - that was pretty much what I was hoping to hear.

I've been looking at the MIJ website (http://www.mijfenders.com/frmStrat.htm) for some time and had a telephone chat with them re availability etc. They're currently out of stock of several of the range but should have replacements in about a month. I was looking at the '62 model with rosewood board as that's almost identical to my original strat bought back in the sixties (long gone, sadly). This comes with 57/62s as standard fit, as does the '57 maple neck version.

When I mentioned my Shadows interests the guy told me they're currently negotiating with Fender USA to produce a special limited run of 50 Fiesta Red maple board strats with gold fittings that will retail under £1000 - wish he hadn't told me that because that has a certain tempting appeal, but I think I'll stick with my original plan for the '62 version.

[dave robinson]

I didn't pay over £600.00 for my Premium model, nor would I.

When getting into the realms of spending towards £1000.00 I shy away from the Japanese stuff but look for USA Reissues, as they can be found (I picked up a 1989 USA '62 Fiesta red Reissue on Ebay for £800.00) and in my case found this guitar to be superior to any of my Japanese ones, I believe that it's in the materials used - but they are around £2000.00 to buy new. Likewise the Fender Masterbuilt 50th anniversary which sounds, plays and looks 'right'. That said, I use my Classic Player 50's more than any of them at the moment.

When comparing my Jap Premium model with the two USA ones, there's only a slight difference and one could argue that the expence isn't worth it, call me crazy if you like, but I believe that the difference in the price does reflect in the 'feel' and sound of the instruments, though some will disagree for sure.

[Martyn]

When getting into the realms of spending towards £1000.00 I shy away from the Japanese stuff but look for USA Reissues, as they can be found (I picked up a 1989 USA '62 Fiesta red Reissue on Ebay for £800.00) and in my case found this guitar to be superior to any of my Japanese ones, I believe that it's in the materials used - but they are around £2000.00 to buy new. Likewise the Fender Masterbuilt 50th anniversary which sounds, plays and looks 'right'. That said, I use my Classic Player 50's more than any of them at the moment.

When comparing my Jap Premium model with the two USA ones, there's only a slight difference and one could argue that the expence isn't worth it, call me crazy if you like, but I believe that the difference in the price does reflect in the 'feel' and sound of the instruments, though some will disagree for sure.

Given your own experience and collection of guitars, do you think if blindfolded and handed each in turn you'd be able to identify which you were playing - or if someone else played them and you could only listen to the results, would you be able to tell them apart?
And what is it about the Classic Player 50 that you feel they got so right, given it's not the most expensive of options out there? You're using this version the most, you say, so why is this?

Thanks for the response,
Martyn

[Jay Bass]

I was looking at the '62 model with rosewood board as that's almost identical to my original strat bought back in the sixties (long gone, sadly). This comes with 57/62s as standard fit, as does the '57 maple neck version.


Good Choice Martyn i managed to find a s/h jap62 re-issue with rosewood for £325
it was salmon pink Rather than fiesta red,But a lovely guitar.

Good luck
jay

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[dave robinson]

Martyn, I know that I would be able to tell the USA Strats apart from the Jap or Classic Player ones because of the 'feel'. As for listening to someone else play them and identify each one, that's a tough one and I can't possibly answer unless we try it. All of the guitars sound great, they each have a slightly different nuance and give very easily identifiable Shadows tones when played through the echo and a Vox type amp.
What I would say is that the cheaper Jap Strats' sometimes have low quality timber making up the body and the pickups are sometimes 'thin' sounding and are a giveaway, I had such a guitar and got rid of it. That said, in 2004 I bought a '62 reissue in Fiesta red that cost just under £500.00 and it was lovely, but I sold it on when I picked up the identical USA version.

Jay, the 60's version of the Classic Player is equipped with Fender Custom Shop '69 pickups allegedly wound by Abigail Y'Barra, but the 50's one does indeed come with 57/62s.