Members RufusFussbuster Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 I'm looking at making this trade. My 08 Hwy 1 is in excellent condition, and I'm assuming the 94 Strat is in good or better condition; some dings, etc. Big unknown is fret wear on the Strat, but for now I'm assuming frets in great shape. My opinion could be swayed if there's significant fret wear. The Strat is loaded with Lace Sensor Golds, which I could dig. I love the Tele, and would be sad to see it go. But I don't love it tons more than my MIM Tele - other than its pickups are better than the MIM's. Easily rectified on the MIM, though, should I be so inclined. I'm having a hard time nailing down an actual dollar value on this oddball MIJ Strat, especially because of the Lace pups, which people seem to either love or hate. I'm thinking actual value to me would be equal to or higher than the Hwy 1. (and I know that's the real answer, but I'd appreciate objective input) Speaking in $ though, do you think an even trade is somewhere in the ballpark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayd_mon Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 The best Strat I ever played was a MIJ one. Based on a quick ebay search (where I found two of the same model you mentioned, I believe), the guitars are about the same value monetarily. I'd say it will be a good trade, especially if you already have a Tele you like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vibroluxman Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 Yep. I'd think you'd come out ahead about a Benjamin. I've been looking into the Japanese reissues for a friend, and they go for about $6-700 in excellent shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 Maybe try to find as close as you can too it's equivalent model here based on it's specs. http://www.fenderjapan.co.jp/products_stratocaster.html Saying "62 reissue" for MIJ fenders doesn't really mean much as there isn't just one '62 reissue'. As you can see there they make 8 different 62's at a few different price points. It could be anything from a 1200 dollar guitar to an 800 dollar guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RufusFussbuster Posted April 17, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 Oh yeah, ST-62-US - checked Fender Japan earlier today. I stopped thinking about the specific model number earlier today because of the weird pickup setup. Thanks for the input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 there aren`t any Fender Japan reissues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PrawnHeed Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 there aren`t any Fender Japan reissues. Could you explain how the model numbers work. Always been a mystery to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 I`ll try...they used to work the price into the model number, for example, I have a 54-128 Fender Japan custom edition strat that is based on a 1954 model and retailed for 128,000 yen in 1991 when it was made. All USA made electronics and pick-ups, 2 piece center seamed ash body, lacquer finish, but the custom editions I have and have seen were all made to better specs than production models and distinguished by the custom edition sticker on the back of the headstock. I also have a 72-55 FJ tele, based on a 1972 model and retailed for 55,000 yen in 1985, it is pencil dated and has an A serial number on the neck plate, not the bridge plate like 99% of FJ teles I have seen...that bridge plate number can not be used to date a FJ tele, but the neck plate serial told me the guitar was mid `80s and when I got it home I saw the pencil date.So...fast forward to the end of the `00 decade and FJ decided to no longer work the price into the model number...they now list them with the year they are based on...for example in the 2010 catalog they have the ST62-TX meaning that one comes with Texas Special p`ups...they also have a ST62-US on the next page...came with USA vintage strat p`us...then there is a ST62...with nothing else after the digits, that means it came with MIJ p`ups. In this city, the Rock Inn shop has a wall full of Fender Japan guitars, every time the company upped their prices, the shop staff would have to re-write all the tags on every guitar, multiply that by the number of shops that sell FJ guitars and you have a lot of folks who had to waste a lot of time on tags, so I believe...and it`s just a guess...that Fender Japan now leaves out the price in a model number so there is no need to write new tags when prices increase...making retailers a lot happier with the supplier, I could be wrong, there may be another completely different reason they leave the price off now, but one thing for sure...the price is no longer worked into the model number. Nowhere in any of my catalogs, or in any of the shops in this city or any other Japanese city I`ve been to, nor on any web sites or individuals selling new and/or used FJ guitars have I seen any model called a reissue by the Japanese, as far as I know reissues are made by F/USA, could be some understanding between the Americans and the Japanese about the term reissue, may be that is reserved solely for US made Fenders, and even the very first FJ strats and teles were not called reissues, they are called JVs...Japan Vintage, so technically, there are no Fender Japan reissues...and I`m sure I`ll get called names for that...have been in the past...but hey, it`s not my fault they don`t call em reissues over here nor can I help it if people overseas insist on calling FJs reissues, I can only beat a dead horse for so long. One more thing, so many Japanese Fenders do not resemble F/USA models in many ways because Fender Japan makes up a lot of their own stuff so what could they be a reissue of if F/USA never made a similar model? Don`t know, and thats why I don`t call FJs reissues nor do the Japanese, and I figure if Fender Japan doesn`t call them reissues then they ain`t. But don`t take my word for it... look at the Ishibashi U-Box site and see how many FJs they list as reissues, new or used...none last time I looked...or the Fender Japan web site for that matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PrawnHeed Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 Thanks alot. And yes, I guess the reissue term is just used differently in different places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 I think it's mainly because most americans never really get to see the MIJ's. And when they do they see those model numbers like ST57 and ST62 and think that means it's a reissue. An honest mistake given the relative rarity of the guitars in america. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted April 17, 2011 Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 maybe, but there was a time when Fender Japan did export a lot to America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RufusFussbuster Posted April 17, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 17, 2011 Thanks for the input zenbu, much appreciated! FWIW, the other party never used the term "reissue" - I made that assumption based on the model number. It seems fair to say that this is a an odd one here in the US, if nothing else. I'll have to get it in my hands and decide from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 well, in my 2008 Fender Japan catalog they have the ST54-LS listed and selling for 112,350 yen...same model with Gold lace Sensor p`ups so it certainly isn`t a rare guitar, it was a standard production model and I don`t see it in the 2010 catalog. Rare?...maybe in the US, but if somebody really wanted one I bet they`d fine em on line in Japan without too much trouble. I have seen them from other decades as well so they were made for sometime. So figure 112,000 minus the standard 20% off list for a new one in 2008 then subtract whatever money you want from that for a used model...don`t know how people work that in the States, but in this Japanese city used shops would probably ask about 40-50% of the original selling price, depending on condition of course. Did F/USA ever make a Gold Lace sensor model? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RufusFussbuster Posted April 18, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Well, that wasn't to be. I played it yesterday and it had quite a bit of fret buzz. From the second fret all the way up to at least the twelfth on most of the strings. Based on a quick eyeball, the setup was decent. Neck relief looked normal. The action wasn't way too high, but it was as high as I would like. Maybe a fret level would have done it. But my Hwy 1 is near mint, and I wasn't looking to trade it for a project, regardless of value. It must have been basswood - it was the lightest strat I've ever held. Very resonant. Pickups sounded very good to me. At the end of the day I played my Tele, appreciating it all the more. Thanks for all of the help, people! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ratbatblues Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Sounds like you made the right choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BushmasterM4 Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 The 94 Strat was made at the Fujigen factory in Japan. Fujigen is one of the premiere stringed instrument factories in the world. Thier quality is unmatched. Fender quit using Fujigen for making "Non-American" Strats because the build quality was better than the US made. You cant go wrong with the trade. With a proper setup (if not allready), it will play as good as (if not better) than its American cousin. I just aquired a 95 Fujigen Fender Fotoflame that is mint. Someone bought it, played it once or twice and stored it. Has the original strings on it. Do the trade Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RufusFussbuster Posted April 18, 2011 Author Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Yep, I'm well aware of its origin, and I've seen plenty (and own a couple) FugiGen guitars. I don't disagree with the reputation you state, but reputation alone won't trump having a guitar in your hands. I liked this guitar - but if it needs work to be played, I don't care where it was made, and won't make the trade. Whoa, I think I just channeled Johnny Cochrane there for a second. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BushmasterM4 Posted April 18, 2011 Members Share Posted April 18, 2011 Yep, I'm well aware of its origin, and I've seen plenty (and own a couple) FugiGen guitars. I don't disagree with the reputation you state, but reputation alone won't trump having a guitar in your hands. I liked this guitar - but if it needs work to be played, I don't care where it was made, and won't make the trade. Whoa, I think I just channeled Johnny Cochrane there for a second. I sort of missed the fret buzz issue. Guess I should have read more closely all the replies. Sorry Johnny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted April 19, 2011 Members Share Posted April 19, 2011 Fender quit using Fujigen for making "Non-American" Strats because the build quality was better than the US made. Gotta wonder where some of the stuff on the internet comes from. I own Fujigens...old and new...and am very happy with them and there are quite a few high end Japanese builders making guitars of equal quality these days, but you`s have to come to Japan to see them. Finding top quality MIJ guitars is not hard in Japan, deciding which to buy is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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