Japanese strats

[Bluesnote]

I bought a Jap Strat in the mid-eighties. The build quality was excellent and the playability was good but I was less than happy with the pickups. The other guitarist in the band had an American Strat and it sounded way better than mine in every way.
The body on mine was much thinner too which probably did'nt help matters.
I eventually put some Seymour Duncan pickups on it and a Kahler tremolo unit and had it pre-amped too.
It made a conciderable difference to its sound but it still did'nt come up to the standards of the American instrument imo
Still sounded kinda thin by comparison. However, it did give out that sound of the eighties that was required at the time.
I dont think it would have handled Shads stuff too well had we done that music.
Might sound daft but I'm convinced that I get a better sound out of my cheapo Squier Bullet Strat I bought at the end of last year.

[RUSSET]

I have had several Jap instruments, & can also confirm they were all of excellent quality. An HBM sign. Strat, a 50's reissue Strat, a Custom '62 Reissue Tele, & a '50s Reissue Prec. Bass. I also have a Mex Classic Player '50s Strat, which as Dave says is a superb value for money guitar, although I got mine three years ago when they were only £360 brand new, but they don't come in Fiesta Red, as yet. Another recent aquisition which is also fantastic value, is the new Squier 'Biffy Clyro' Strat in F.Red. For £260 you get a '60s style Strat in the right colour, rosewood board with great Alnico pickups & good feel & action. It is part of the Squier 'Classic Vibe' series, & the only upgrade you need is to install a decent steel trem block in place of the usual naff cheap alloy one that comes with all Squiers.

Tony.

[Martyn]

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.

Dave - I think the reference to 57/62s was possibly Jay quoting me quoting the bloke at MIJ saying the Jap'62 is currently sold with 57/62s. When you replaced the Jap '62RI with the US one, do you recall how they differed, or was it simply wanting the US one anyway for all the reasons you've mentioned?

Bluesnote - Could the differences in weight and pickups have just been their eighties spec at that time? I understood the modern ones to be almost identical to the US guitars with no discernible weight differences and with proper US 57/62s, although I imagine timber options would still vary.
Interestingly, when discussing quality control the MIJ chap said in terms of percentages of new guitars out of the box that had no issues, Mex:85%, Jap:95%, US:55%. I thought I'd misheard but he repeated the 55% figure for US guitars as he felt they appeared not to care any more as so many were simply not up to scratch. Nothing major, just attention to detail or with some parts not fitting as well as they should. This only refers to new ones. Hope the proposed special US Fiesta Red ones they're discussing have better QC than those.

Tony - I responded to a thread previously (may not have been you) discussing the Biffy Clyro strat as I'd tried one in my local shop and found it hugely disappointing both in feel and sound quality. However last weekend I tried one in another shop and this was a completely different experience. To be fair, unlike the first where the guitar had only just been unpacked, this second example had been set up properly by their luthier with adjusted action and intonation. I was fully expecting to be disappointed again but have to admit it played superbly and was actually streets ahead in terms of tone and feel to three US strats I tried at the same time, one being a used custom shop jobbie at £1200 or so. With rosewood board, I knew it would feel different, compared to my Mex maple one, but it fitted my small hands really well and was a doddle to play.
They were charging the full £299 RRP, which would still have been a great price for such an excellent guitar - but I just could not get my stupid brain to ignore the Squier logo. I even looked briefly on the web, when I got home, to see if you could buy Fender transfers to replace it, before I gave myself a mental slap and told myself off for being too ridiculous for words. I do think the trem block would need to be replaced - it was impossible to tighten the trem arm to make it usable with it pointing up the guitar - it still flapped about and wobbled in this position. Its ideal tension was when it was pointing towards the bottom end - not a lot of use in that position and although I could apply some plumbers tape, I think the unit felt a bit cheap and would need replacing.

Thanks for the various replies as it all helps with the decision making process.

Regards,
Martyn

[Bill Bowley]

I understand that the rythym guitarist in this clip is playing a 'Jap Strat' - he seems happy enough to do it in broad daylight, enough said IMHO. .

[George Geddes]

I bought the Simon Neil Squier in December - £259 from Merchant City Music here in Glasgow. They set it up for me with 10s instead of the fitted 9s and I am very pleased. Last band rehearsal the middle pickup started cutting out but a quick squirt of Servisol seems to have sorted that. Great guitar for the money. No. actually, just a great guitar...

Geirge

[dave robinson]

Dave - I think the reference to 57/62s was possibly Jay quoting me quoting the bloke at MIJ saying the Jap'62 is currently sold with 57/62s. When you replaced the Jap '62RI with the US one, do you recall how they differed, or was it simply wanting the US one anyway for all the reasons you've mentioned?


The Jap 62 reissue sounded 'right' until I compared it with the same USA model and it blew me away. Hence the sale of the Jap guitar.

I think you hit on an important point when you mentioned that you had tried the Biffy Clyro guitar in one store and was not impressed, only to go elswhere and have a better experience. I believe this to be the case with any instrument, you need to try them out.

[OLDEREK]

One thing I've always wondered , do Jap Strats hold thier value second hand.........

[ecca]

I just could not get my stupid brain to ignore the Squier logo


Amanda will make you a Cakeocaster sticker for the head Mart....

[Bluesnote]

Bluesnote - Could the differences in weight and pickups have just been their eighties spec at that time? I understood the modern ones to be almost identical to the US guitars with no discernible weight differences and with proper US 57/62s, although I imagine timber options would still vary.

Martyn

To be honest, I did'nt really study body thickness and types of woods etc at that time of my playing life. The pickups were definately tinny and crappy sounding. I'd just started back playing with a band again after around 12 years away from live playing and the guitar I was using at the time(aria pro 2) albeit a great instrument did'nt have the sounds that I needed for the songs we did. I decided to get another Strat, I'd had one years earlier which was American and foolishly sold for whatever reason. So I went into a music store and saw and tried one of the Jap instruments I liked it and bought it. It looked great in sunburst and maple neck with a brilliant solid finish. In hindsight I should have taken more care in the decision I made.
When I think of the money I spent converting it, I could have got a much better guitar for my money.
But I suppose when you are playing a few gigs every week and making loads of extra dosh, you just make these decisions sometimes.
As far as I remember it was around 84/86 that I got it. I never checked to see if there were other models of it at the time.
We did'nt have the luxury of the internet to click onto for info in these days. We had to rely on the honesty(cough) of the sales persons in the shops to tell us how good their wares were and the store I went to normally gave you a load of bullshit which I believed sometimes
I think it cost me around £250 then.

I think that sometimes ecca about my Squier. It plays great, sounds great but that logo

[Amanda]

I just could not get my stupid brain to ignore the Squier logo


Amanda will make you a Cakeocaster sticker for the head Mart....

I can make him an anything caster decal as long as it's all monochrome!

Amanda