Fender Japan

Just as well its not the sub-standard one.
Strike while the iron is hot.

Some typical Japan prices, if you're interested. Ishibashi are a pretty typical store (was coincidentally just in there synth shopping):

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/webshop/guitar/fender-j/kanda/st-index.htm

Yes they are though the main difference is the bridge - the American series uses a much better design that improves tuning and sustain.It doesn' rust as much either.

In other words, it's the same 'spec that the American models used to be up until a few years ago.

I am not sure if they use the same materials but I do know they're a lot better than the Mexican ones which appear to be made out of balsa wood.

Can anyone shed anymore light?

Depends if you mean a new Japanese-made Fender, or an old one. The early Japanese Fenders were excellent, and are now fetching premium prices. I have no experience with new Japanese fenders, in fact I didn't know they still made them there.

Current ones are still VERY good–I heard it remarked by a Fender sales rep (about twelve years ago when I worked in MI retail) that they had no idea (when they began production of reissue guitars) that the Japanese finishing staff would produce units to the standard (or exceeding that) of their American counterparts!

I've got a '62 re-issue Telecaster from 1987 (sparkle red with cream binding) that is absolutely stunning and one of the best sounding guitars I've ever played, including G&L ASATs.

quote:

Originally posted by Rockingdoc:
Depends if you mean a new Japanese-made Fender, or an old one. The early Japanese Fenders were excellent, and are now fetching premium prices. I have no experience with new Japanese fenders, in fact I didn't know they still made them there.

I last played a Jap Strat about 15 years ago and it wasn't all that good. I gather the new ones are a lot better... excellent workmanship etc but I've never played a basswood strat, don't really know how it compares with Alder??

EW

JLFRS

I started playing in earnest this summer and I picked up two guitars on a visit to the states recently. The first is a new epiphone sheriton and the second is a s/h mexican strat (at a lowly $230 s/h). Well I have to say that the strat is a lovely guitar to play. I can now fully appreciate that it is no coincidence so many guitarists use them.

Is the difference in sound quality night and day Vs an American strat or is it a little more subtle than that - esp as I only have a cheapo Marshall 40w solid state amp and an el-cheapo digital effects pedal. I appreciate that the US strat certainly is better built and feels more solid but in terms of playability - esp for a plank slapper like me - are the differences that huge?

I have to say that I do love the retro colours which fender hold back for the us versions. My brother has two custom shop examples and they are gorgeous.

On another note - what amps would people recommend in the £250 - £400 region. I like the idea of a warmer valve sound but also like the idea of enough grunt to use for small gigs or jam sessions with a couple of muso mates. I do like the look of the orange amps but thet is from a purely visual point of view - advice needed!!!

Simon,

In all honesty, I don't truly believe the difference to be all that much and probably not worth it financially.

That said, the American ones are in my opinion better built and the fingerboards a nicer feel but this is a personal opinion.Having not seen a Mexican recently I can't say whether the frets are finished off properly but that's nothing a dealer couldn't sort with a proper set-up. The Mexican ones are lighter, no doubt about it, so they don't feel the same hanging around one's neck.

Years ago I had a Fender U.S Strat and a Tokai copy and couldn't tell the difference.
The lead guitarist in the band I play in has a Squier Jap Strat which he's customised with flashy pick-ups and a replacement bridge and he prefers this to his American Strat,(in Swamp Ash no less).

There's probably a lot of badge snobbery to consider so all one can really do is spend a few hours at a dealer with a simple amp set-up and play a few guitars back to back. Let the ears make the decision.

As for amps,well, I think Marshall the most neutral and deliver the best value for money. Fenders are bloody loud but edging into Mesa territory price wise. VOX are an acquired taste and expensive too.

Yep, I'd scour the second hand ads for a 2 x 12" Marshall JCM - there'll be plenty of them and nicely run-in they'll be too.As they're almost indestructable I don't think age is a consideration so you should get one comfortably within your budget.

I have an 80's Jap Strat, which looks rather hiddeous in silver and black, but plays sooooo much better than my Custom Shop one (which looks beautiful). The Jap one gets to go to all my gigs though, while Custom shop waits around at home until I can face the financial pain of selling it at a massive loss.

I think amp choice depends on what you intend to play. For an all-rounder, I think Strats work best with Fender amps.

Thanks for the input guys. Regarding amps - my playing seems to be heading in two directions at the moment. I am playing along to stuff like kings of leon with the strat and am trying to get a jazzier/bluesier sound with the epiphone. Ideally I want to find one amp which does all.

Sorry if I have hijacked the thread. Back on topic - I think if I was to stretch to a better strat I would get a US one. It's like a 911 or a coke bottle in terms of being a design classic. US made would count a lot to me if I was finding that sort of cash.

I discovered that some Fenders produced in Mexico are better than the japanese and americans one.
It depends on a better pich-up that in mexico factory they mount on the guitars.

Some years ago, it was mentioned in an issue of Guitar Player (if memory serves) that a range of Japan produced Strat's (between 2 dates, don't remember what they were) were the best playing Strat's ever made. They became instant collectors items. It would have sounded like a marketing ploy, but a lot of famous guitar slingers have them and play them with the same opinion.

For amps, try to find a Crate Vintage Club 30 with one 12" speaker. It's an older model, EL84 PP tubes, kind of an ivory or beige color covering. Extremely powerful amp with a lot of tone and adjustments.

I bought a USA Strat new in 1977, black & maple neck and it is still original, although the black has cracked and broken down in places due to wear, sweat and gigging, and the paint was attacked by the foam in it's flight case over the years, and although it is badly due a re-fret, it is still perfectly fuctional. By comparison, I have an '89 Jap '62 reissue that has been treated to Seymour Duncan classic strat pickups and USA switch and USA pots. I rewire both mine to use only one pot as master tone. Although its Basswood, it's a very good guitar and feels right. When it was new I had it set up by a luthier and he worked on the details and neck fit to make it as perfect as possible, and I think it makes all the difference. They are obviously very different guitars, and the Jap '62 is good, though I've been playing my black Strat for two thirds of my life and I guess nothing will feel like that, so it isn't a fair comparison.
If it was me, I'd spend the Jap money on buying a used USA. I used to play a '63 with the finish removed, and I'll never forgive myself for not owning it now. I've never played anything close to that since.

EW;

I'm a Telecaster man, and had a Jap copy for a few years. I got around to treating myself to the genuine USA made article a few months back, and it's a different kettle of fish.

The playabilty is better - better fret machining, and better quality wood (mine is Ash) and metal parts as others have commented.

But what really surprised me at low 'home/practice' levels, was how much better it sounds. It has more bottom end balls, and a more cutting sweet top end.

The Jap copy sounded just plain weedy and dull by comparison.

Go on; spoil yourself. The genuine USA article will hold its value better too.



John.

John,

It would look even better with a few fag burns here and there.

quote:

Originally posted by Rasher:
I have an '89 Jap '62 reissue

A Jap '62 is another option. It's available in Basswood and (for an extra £100) Alder... unfortunately I can't try before I buy so I'm interested in opinions on Basswood. I've had Basswood Ibanezes which sound... well like Ibanezes - loud and with no genuine bottom end, but I suspect that's to do with the long thin Wizard II necks rather than the main body of the axe.

There's a droolsome '62 reissue with aged plastics and Texas Specials... dunno what they sound like but they look the absolute bollocks:



Thing is, if you want a hard case too, you're getting horribly close to the price of a USA Strat...

So opinions on the merits (or lack thereof) of Basswood welcome!

EW

J.N, that's an absolute beauty!

I have literally just started to learn to play a few weeks ago and aquired a Fender Squire, which is nothing compared to a real Fender but is a Tele shape in Butterscotch. It's like the difference between a CDS555 and a £50 Aiwa jobbie but we gotta start somewhere right?

As always, it aint what ya got, it's the player.

Damn, that means I have a serious problem.

Steve

Richard;

My Jap copy was a 'Squire Silver Series' and they are excellent v.f.m.

Reasonably priced acoustic and electrics are so much better than what you could get for the same money ten years ago.

As ever though, with the real thing, there is pleasure in handling something superb, every time you pick it up.

And as you comment EW, that's the other advantage of the genuine USA version - it comes with a good quality hard case.

John.

I've played a strat that sounded very weighty, almost Les paul weighty, and another that sounded thin and weedy. I don't know that you can generalise too much about woods. Having my Jap '62 neck set in some graphite type paste and screwed up tight has really helped give body to the sound, and attention to details like removing edges from saddle screws etc eliminates all the buzzes and makes the whole thing stable and very solid. Don't forget that all strats are bastards anyway, and if you want to chuck out the basswood body and buy an alder body later, you can. Eric Claptons original Blackie was cobbled from about 6 strats, so don't think it has to end with what you buy.
I would still buy a used USA though. The Strat is an American icon. How can you buy a Strat that hasn't even been there??? It's like buying a Naim amp copy. Bottom line; it's an American guitar. Do you want the real thing or can you settle for a fake?

quote:

Originally posted by Rasher:
The Strat is an American icon.

Yeah, there is that, and American Strats can be had in sunburst for a smidgen over £600 on the Inernet now...

It's just I'd rather it was £300, given the amount of use it's going to get. I just don't want to spend £300 on a duff axe. Suppose I ought to keep an eye on ebay...

EW

Dear EW,

You are lucky. Ten years ago, when I had my five stringer bass made, that cost £9K! The strings alone were £450 for best gut and silver wire covered gut. Steel would have been a little over £300 for five! I picked it up ten years ago this week! Eventually I gave up on the covered gut B string, and used a fine (but not new) Pirastro Original Steel on the bottom, which new would have been £85, so I reckon £600 for a fully set up instrument sounds rather inexpensive. Go on, and treat yourself to what you want. You know that if is lovely it will be a bargain and get far MORE use, than if it is not so fine.

Fredrik

Dear EW,

If you want to see a picture of my lovely bass, look up SL2 and Bass, and put the author as Fredrik Fiske without underscore. You will get to a posting from August 2003, on a Thread of mine called '180 vs 300'...

I tried to re-post it here for you, but the file is now too large for the system to accept, so we shall have to use the archive in this case.

Fredrik

quote:

Originally posted by Earwicker:

quote:

Originally posted by Rasher:
The Strat is an American icon.

Yeah, there is that, and American Strats can be had in sunburst for a smidgen over £600 on the Inernet now...

It's just I'd rather it was £300, given the amount of use it's going to get. I just don't want to spend £300 on a duff axe. Suppose I ought to keep an eye on ebay...

EW

I had a quick butchers at the Danish free ads paper and genuine US Strats go from as little as £450 used. There were about 20 US strats from private sellers going up to £4800 equiv for a 60's model this week alone.

My lad played a Squier Strat with Marshall valve amps and 4 x 12 Cabs. He played faster than Malmstein too.