Are Japan Fenders as good as US Fenders

[GAR]

Only the Mexican guitars match the USA production ones as far as dimension-wise and features: all other foreign-made ones are different and not interchangeable without alot of work.

Some of the Japanese strats from 83 to 89 are actually really great guitars, but you gotta know or keep handy the serial numbers so you know what you're getting into.

[TwoFoolsAMinute]

I have one of the japanese strats listed above. I love the way it plays, and they are just a touch smaller than the USA Strats. The sound it thinner due to lighter wood used in the construction. I read an interview with Kurt Cobain once who said that he far preferred the Japan Strat because it was easier to play due to the frets being closer together. I'd prefer to have a USA strat over my Japan one, but there's really nothing wrong with the Japan. And, as was mentioned before, customizing the Japanese is a bitch because the parts are not interchangable with the USA.

[TwoFoolsAMinute]

[Cathedral]

I hate Strats.....But you all know this about me already, lol.

Except for the Heavy Metal Strat, they lack balls in my opinion and take you dangerously close to Claptonville for dinner.

[sambo]

I have a white 1990 Jap. Floyd Rose Strat with a H-S-S config. The humbucker is a DiMarzio and it does all the things I need it to do.

Best guitar purchase I have made, it's been 13 years and it still plays like a dream. I have played a similar USA version and I agree that the Jap. ones seem easier to play. I notice a slight improvement in tone with the USA model (emphasis on "slight"), due to some better materials I guess, but nowhere near justifying the price difference. The DiMarzio gets me as heavy sound as I need.

I have absolutely no problem with Jap strats, and with the inclusion of the humbucker takes it to another level. A great, solid, and very versatile guitar. Here is the best pic I have atm.

Cheers!

[Panamark]

My Jap strat needs a good pickup.. The factory ones are total shite. You have never heard so much hum in your life. Fookin hate em..
Im going to try the Hot Rails (Thanks Elvis) or chuck a Seymour Duncan Invader in the bridge position, like you did Sambo.
Otherwise, I love this guitar, got it cheap, and its as good to play as
any US/Mexi strat that I have tried. In fact I think its got a better
feel. But thats just my personal opinion.

I love the feel of the US Telecaster I have at the moment..
(Just to show Im not biased to Jap guitars ! )

Fookin Love Gibsons too !!!!

[Tex]

Here's my strat.

[GAR]

Originally posted by Tex
Here's my strat.

oh REALLY

Promise it to me in your will? That's the finest thing I've seen on this site.

I knew a tilesetter that had a 63 looked exactly like that.

I also missed out on Gary Moore's orange strat, because #1 I didn't have $1300 back in 1986..

LOVE the color. Painted my tele that color in '83.. its quite close to 1973 Ford Pinto Orange

[GAR]

whoa.. I just scrolled to see the headstock.

What year is it - or is that a Fender Relic Reissue of a 62?

[Tex]

Thanks for the kind words It's a '59. Here's another guitar I used to have. It's not a strat but still pretty cool.

[Panamark]

Hey tex, is that the original paint ?? Looks like a metallic speckled type of paint.. What the hell is that model ?? I cant quite read
the name on the headstock....

Im no Fender expert..

I only know the tele's strats and broadcasters....

[Cato]

that's a Mustang designed for students in the mid '60s.

[turboblues]

Originally posted by sambo
I have a white 1990 Jap. Floyd Rose Strat with a H-S-S config. The humbucker is a DiMarzio and it does all the things I need it to do.

Best guitar purchase I have made, it's been 13 years and it still plays like a dream. I have played a similar USA version and I agree that the Jap. ones seem easier to play. I notice a slight improvement in tone with the USA model (emphasis on "slight"), due to some better materials I guess, but nowhere near justifying the price difference. The DiMarzio gets me as heavy sound as I need.

I have absolutely no problem with Jap strats, and with the inclusion of the humbucker takes it to another level. A great, solid, and very versatile guitar. Here is the best pic I have atm.

Cheers!

I had one like that in black, and maple board : good sound but the feeling wasn't right. That floyd made it too stiff feelin'. I had lots of strats but I kept 1 american standard from 95, it's perfect! I've jammed with a Brazillian blues guitarplayer and he had a '63 strat, I played it but wasn't impressed (sound and playability). Just to point out that not all of those old ones are good ones! He on the other hand wouldn't let go of my '95. And I'm not kiddin'. On the Jap/American strat debate : I had good Japs and I had bad Japs, same with the Americans! You have to keep looking for those special ones!!

[sambo]

Originally posted by turboblues
I had one like that in black, and maple board : good sound but the feeling wasn't right. That floyd made it too stiff feelin'. I had lots of strats but I kept 1 american standard from 95, it's perfect! I've jammed with a Brazillian blues guitarplayer and he had a '63 strat, I played it but wasn't impressed (sound and playability). Just to point out that not all of those old ones are good ones! He on the other hand wouldn't let go of my '95. And I'm not kiddin'. On the Jap/American strat debate : I had good Japs and I had bad Japs, same with the Americans! You have to keep looking for those special ones!!

Good call, there are good Strats and bad, most on this thread have probably experienced one or both. At first my Strat felt stiff and awkward, I was a bit worried, but I put that down to being new. My guitar playing friends called it a piece of crap after playing it "straight out of the box". I persevered and one day after about a year of constant playing it felt as if everything just "dropped" into place, and it's been that way, if not better, ever since. Those friends couldn't believe it is the same guitar, they love it, and ask to borrow it frequently. Guess I got a good one.

Cheers!

[Panamark]

Can you put a US neck on the Jap body ????