Hey guys Found a decent looking 1993 MIJ strat in my area, but need some help identifying it. Serial # is P followed by 6 digits Looks like it could be a ST54 or ST57, but how can you tell? And than how do you tell the specific model? Is there something I should be looking for? And what are some differences between models? I assume just different pickups? Lastly, what's a good price range for these? http://imgur.com/a/7Hy0Hul Thanks for the help!
It's an ST54 details of the specific models are here https://www.alston-family.co.uk/MIJ Strats/ST54.php ST 57 range on other pages of the site
Thanks guys. I guess a question is, if the pickups are the "cheapest model" ceramic pickups, is that bad?
If the string tree is original, it's a ST54 reissue. ST54 reissues had a "V" neck shape, instead the ST57 had the Oval profile. Maybe it could be one of these models: https://www.fuzzfaced.net/st54-650-st54-70.html https://www.fuzzfaced.net/st54-55-st54-500-st54-53.html
Thank you for this info! With covid, its really hard to meet up with people and really inspect the guitar, and it seems like the owner doesn't know everything about the guitar. So thanks for the help!
Seeing you has just reminded me – I said I would make a small donation to your website a couple of months back, I will do that tonight, soon. But please, amico – it is REALLY* not much, it is just a *tiny* way of saying thank you for your great work. *Literally only a small amount, I am not wealthy at all – so don't get your hopes up !!!!!
Welcome to the forum! Fotos are little blury, but I think I can see some grain in the wood. So it should be alder and therefore minimum a ST54-70. This model should have US vintage PUs, diecast block and japan 3-way switch and pots. I doubt this model was available with ceramics, but I'm not shure for that.
Now if we say "could be alder" and "may be a ST54-70" and "this particular guitar may never have appeared in any Fender catalogue" we'd be closer to the truth.
This is very true I have come across completely undocumented MIJ Fenders, models which don't exist some posted on this forum. The problem is that whilst the majority of guitars made for export are the same models as the domestic ones, some are completely different to the domestic ones and are not catalogued.
And istn't a strat from the beginning supposed to be a modding platform? Taking into account that MIJ guitars are often very inexpensive (in relation to their quality), the number of those owners who even acquired them as a modification basis increases. The electronics in particular can also be changed at a level that does not differ from industrial manufacturing. It will therefore not be possible to clarify whether on the one hand this type of guitar never had ceramic pickups, or on the other hand there were ex-works manufacture that were not published in the catalogs.
If you're saying we can never say for certain if a 25 year old MIJ is all original, you would be right. If you're saying that they've all been modified if they don't conform with the catalogues, you would be wrong. From the photos provided in this thread all we can say is that it looks like an MIJ Strat.
Not really they were meant to be modular so parts could be replaced modding is a relatively recent practice except amongst professionals who particularly wanted something unique to them, even then this often just happened as a result of repairs etc.
Thanks everyone for the replies! So last question for anyone, what would be a good price to offer? The guy selling it doesnt seem to know much about it, so sort of going in blind haha He wants 900 canadian Thanks
I want to express the first point. Maybe sometimes I'm not super exact, think may bad english could be the reason. The last sentens is very true, it looks like a MIJ Strat. Without better fotos as well from the outside as from the electronics we can not advice nothing concerning the value.
