Members woodsmandan Posted February 12, 2009 Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 Local pawn shop has this Fender Stratocaster...I think I could grab it under 400$... Seller says it's a mid eighties MIJ, but some features make me doudt, and I'm no expert... Here are some features: - Hardtail, strings thru (like a Tele)- V neck, maple, with skunk stripe- Small headstock, "with syncronized tremolo" (which I find suspicious since it's a hartail)- No serial number or "made in..." on or under the headstock, but a sanded bit on the back of the neck, just before the body joins.(as if the pre owner erased the serial number)- String saddles NOT stamped Fender- Staggered poles pickups- 1 ply pickguard, very thin, 8 screws -Black body, looks like poly finish Neck feels very good, guitar plays and sounds good...but how can I be certain that it's a real 80's MIJ ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members -Assy- Posted February 12, 2009 Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 sounds to me like a fender jap neck on a cheap plywood body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted February 12, 2009 Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 Hard to say without pics. Actually, almost impossible to say without pics. I had one MIJ that had a bridge exactly like a Fender... full size block, full width saddles and the saddles were stamped Fender. The one I have now has the full size block, narrower saddle spacing and solid saddles, but they aren't the folded Fender saddles. They are bulky steel saddles. Does it not say Japan anywhere on it? Most 80s MIJs had the normal 4 bolt neck joint while some of them had the 3 bolt micro. These will almost always have the large style headstock though. I don't think I've ever seen a Korean Fender with the 3 bolt. And I think every 80s MIJ I've played had a glossy neck rather than a satin neck. If it's all original, it should say Made In Japan either on the headstock or on the neck plate. But if you like it and it feels great, who cares where it was made? It would effect the price, but regardless of where it was made, if it doesn't say Made In Japan somewhere on it, it's not all original and probably not worth $400. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bubbluz Posted February 12, 2009 Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 So all you have is the pawn shop owners assertion that it is MIJ ? gotta have more proof than that...offer $200 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members woodsmandan Posted February 12, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 From internet research, it looks like a '54 or '57 MIJ reissue, but I'm not sure they made hardtail versions. And where on a 50's reissue MIJ strat would the serial and "made in japan" appear ? Because something was purposedly sanded off on the back side of the neck, near the body. 200$ seems a good, I'll try offering that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted February 12, 2009 Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 From internet research, it looks like a '54 or '57 MIJ reissue, but I'm not sure they made hardtail versions. And where on a 50's reissue MIJ strat would the serial and "made in japan" appear ? Because something was purposedly sanded off on the back side of the neck, near the body.200$ seems a good, I'll try offering that. Should say on the front of the headstock, the rear of the headstock or on the neck plate. If it doesn't then yeah... I doubt I'd give more than $200 for it and I certainly wouldn't expect to be able to sell it for a profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lowbrow Posted February 12, 2009 Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 Actually...Japanese Fenders are the only ones I'm aware of that ever had country and serial number on the neck heal right above the body....I don't know when they started doing it that way though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members solderjunkie Posted February 12, 2009 Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 From internet research, it looks like a '54 or '57 MIJ reissue, but I'm not sure they made hardtail versions. And where on a 50's reissue MIJ strat would the serial and "made in japan" appear ? Because something was purposedly sanded off on the back side of the neck, near the body. 200$ seems a good, I'll try offering that. My MIJ has a "Made in Japan" in black lettering and the serial number on the back of the neck near the heel. If it is a '57 reissue, the trussrod adjustment will be at the heel (with a walnut plug at the headstock), and there might be a three-way switch. It sounds like it has the right pickguard. Many have been sanded off (both intentional and not). I "rebodied" mine in favor of a nitro-lacquered yellow hardtail... I'm just not a trem guy. Here's mine so you can see the neck: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members woodsmandan Posted February 12, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 Actually...Japanese Fenders are the only ones I'm aware of that ever had country and serial number on the neck heal right above the body....I don't know when they started doing it that way though.. There ! Exactly where it's been sanded...so the strat is probably a MIJ, and for whatever reason, someone decided to erase the serial number/country of fabrication. Thanks for the pic Lowbrow ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members woodsmandan Posted February 12, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 12, 2009 My MIJ has a "Made in Japan" in black lettering and the serial number on the back of the neck near the heel. If it is a '57 reissue, the trussrod adjustment will be at the heel (with a walnut plug at the headstock), and there might be a three-way switch. It sounds like it has the right pickguard. Many have been sanded off (both intentional and not). I "rebodied" mine in favor of a nitro-lacquered yellow hardtail... I'm just not a trem guy. Here's mine so you can see the neck: The guitar looks exactly like that one, except black. Thanks solder ! I'll try to go to the shop tonite and maybe take some pics. And make a low offer ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lowbrow Posted February 13, 2009 Members Share Posted February 13, 2009 Hate to say this, but usually when the serial had been obliterated like that, it's because the guitar was stolen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted February 13, 2009 Members Share Posted February 13, 2009 Hate to say this, but usually when the serial had been obliterated like that, it's because the guitar was stolen. Yeah, but I think there is/was a fair bit of anti Japanese sentiment as well. My lovely 83 Ibanez had the entire headstock sanded off. Only think I can imagine is someone didn't want people to know he was playing a Japanese guitar. Serial number is still intact though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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