The Japanese Strat Appreciation Thread

[Ubermuzik]

Hello Everyone,

I bought an MIJ strat last year which is a G serie 87-88 Fujigen made fender strat Which I think is a 57 reissue. So far so good I'm enjoying this guitar but since it's hard to find infos on those G series I'm starting to get a bit paranoid. Is my guitar a fake MIJ fender strat ?

There is no "made in japan" label, the body is fully routed, the electronics looks weird (500k pots...)

Here are some photos to help me identify this guitar. What do you think ?

You’re good to go.
I have an E series from 1984 it has the same headstock,maple neck. the Made In Japan should be on the headstock.
Maybe I didn’t look close enough.
The E series 57 maple necks
Have
Fender
Serial # under Fender
Stratocaster with Made in Japan in small letters in Stratocaster. I’ll look at your headstock again. Maybe I missed it ...

 

[Ubermuzik]

Hello Everyone,

I bought an MIJ strat last year which is a G serie 87-88 Fujigen made fender strat Which I think is a 57 reissue. So far so good I'm enjoying this guitar but since it's hard to find infos on those G series I'm starting to get a bit paranoid. Is my guitar a fake MIJ fender strat ?

There is no "made in japan" label, the body is fully routed, the electronics looks weird (500k pots...)

Here are some photos to help me identify this guitar. What do you think ?

you’re right my friend. It doesn’t say made in Japan on the headstock or the heel of the neck. That’s really odd.
Here’s my E series 84 Japan 57 maple neck headstock.

I'm pretty sure this is a one piece neck. The grain of the wood is regular from heel to head. And I don't think the body is mdf since I can see the fibers of the wood in the neck join (also I'm going to double check that).

Sadly a two piece maple neck which 95% maple necks are two piece.
Here’s a pix of my neck at body . Look at marks.
That’s a rare ST 3 57 V with a slim A covering the 5 ,and red D ...

 

[El Gobernador]

You’re not showing the guitar,you’re just showing a G Maj 7 chord. Show the bloody guitar.

If you can't see the guitar...you're blind. Or one of the other monkeys.

Enjoy the parking lot.

 

[60 60 60]

Hey guys this is my MIJ hybrid 50 strat I love this guitar so much. It has the best of the both world, craftsmanship of Japanese guitar and USA pick up (I believe it has (57/62 vintage pickups). It sounds amazing!!
Here’s what she sounds like, excuse my ****ty playing

 

[Thrup'ny Bit]

That’s a rare ST 3 57 V

There's no such thing as a rare Japanese Standard ST-357, they were the most common basic model available.

 

[CastleBravo]

Love these with all my heart. Looking for another Contemporary model in Olympic white. Anyway here are my 2:
Angel : Olympic White '87 G series HSS Floyd Rose model
Heidi: Sunburst '85 B series Contemporary model with System I trem.

 

[SpeedKing]

Evening all.

This one is really only for Rafasounds (you'll need to go back about 6-7 pages to know why) and only just squeaks in here because it's built around the pups and electronics in the guard from a MIJ ST72 that itself now has a 'Blackmore Signature' loaded guard in it as a tribute to his Oly White '74.


It's a MIJ, A & M partscaster ''MIJ' & 'Machine Head' '71 Tribute' with that rare '71 only combo of 4 bolt but one piece maple neck with the vintage truss but CBS headstock though wearing the 'older' decal with the large 'with synchronised tremolo' text. The body has the old style trem with bent steel 'Pat. Pending' saddles and I've swapped in a 'Blackmore' style thicker arm I had made for me.

The only thing 'off' is the sunburst. I'd certainly consider a different but still genuine Fender body with less black and a lighter yellow, more like those typical of the end of the sixties and start of the seventies but I can just keep an eye open and do a straight swap if I find one. I've seen lots on Strats from Japan actually...

 

[SpeedKing]

 

[SpeedKing]

Oh and since this is the MIJ thread and that last is tenuous to say the least here's the long modded but finally finished ST72.



... unless I give it Dunlop strap locks too.. ...... mmm.



As mentioned above a tribute to Blackmore's '74 circa '82 with 1/4 pounders substituting for the Schecters in a '60 style guard with silver trem tip but otherwise black plastics and added headstock furniture. The MIJ tuners look pretty close to the Schallers Blackmore was using himself at the time instead of the standard Fender 'F' type.




PS.
I might be in a position in the not too distant future to treat myself to something new (to me). If anyone knows of a black ST68 maple cap ... or even a NOS CS in the same combo (must be a 7.25 neck) ... do drop me a PM.

 

[bikehomero]

My ST54-70 with the 54style knobs:

 

[SpeedKing]

Nice.

Very nice.

 

[somebodyelseuk]

I'll try and insert pictures later (they're on my other computer), but I've got a 94 Fender 54 Reissue, two Tokais - one's an 83, the other a 20 - and a pair of ESPs that I had made in the mid 90s.

 

[Shaune]

Not fender but I do like this one

 

[somebodyelseuk]

I'll try and insert pictures later (they're on my other computer), but I've got a 94 Fender 54 Reissue, two Tokais - one's an 83, the other a 20 - and a pair of ESPs that I had made in the mid 90s.

Couldn't see how to edit my post and just add the photos, so, left to right, as above -

 

[Bladesg]

2021 Traditional 60s

 

[Sixstringer107]

My 2 mid 80s MIJ Squiers. Bought the black one new in '87.

 

[simoncroft]

"My mid eighties Contemporary Series Strat with a Series 1. I got it as a basket case and it was my first refret and I decided to refinish it as a natural beauty instead of repainting it when I saw the grain patern. It originally was a blondie. I had to completely soak the bridge to get the parts to move properly and had to replace one saddle because the intonation screw broke off in it. I will be taking it back apart this winter to redress the fret ends."

I had one of those for more than 30 years, and only sold it because my old hands need a bigger neck profile these days. By the time I'd finished with mine, it looked a little different, because I didn't gel with the Series 1 trem. I wished I'd kept the unit though, because they sell for silly money as a replacement part. After this pic was taken, I also added CS Texas Special pickups. Not everyone likes them, but they recorded vary nicely for me.

 

[SpeedKing]

I have a quick question for all you MIJ lovers ....

How much would you pay today for a mint ST68-TX in the UK? A few years ago I'd say I know but these days?

I paid £600 three years ago for a mint 2005 Basswood bodied oly white and rosewood ST72 which might have been dear back then but as I say was a minter (still is) and came from a store with a free 21 day money back return option. The ST68 would be a private Reverb seller though close enough for me to go and inspect the guitar before purchase.

Alder body, maple cap, all vintage specs, 40.5mm nut and of course Texas Special pups and pristine but for one small ding below the tone pot.

Thoughts?

 

[Badstratplayer]

I'm constantly impressed by every Fender Japan neck that I play ,yep the special sauce is in their necks

 

[Badstratplayer]

I have a quick question for all you MIJ lovers ....

How much would you pay today for a mint ST68-TX in the UK? A few years ago I'd say I know but these days?

I paid £600 three years ago for a mint 2005 Basswood bodied oly white and rosewood ST72 which might have been dear back then but as I say was a minter (still is) and came from a store with a free 21 day money back return option. The ST68 would be a private Reverb seller though close enough for me to go and inspect the guitar before purchase.

Alder body, maple cap, all vintage specs, 40.5mm nut and of course Texas Special pups and pristine but for one small ding below the tone pot.

Thoughts?

Around 800 to 1000 us dollars maybe , couldn't even move mine at $750 not mint but still very nice