Fender Strat - Japanese, USA or Mex?

[Les Paul Lover]

I've tried a few, but shops in my area only have so much of one or the others, can't always compare side by side....

 

Please help!!!!

 

I've tried a few mexicans, (and "usa" made highway one), the usa standard & deluxe.

No japanese to try out though.

 

If I buy mine, It'll be second hand.

 

I have established that my favorite so far seem to be the regular standard from a tone point of view (and feel too).

 

How do the japanese compare to them?

 

Which is your favorite? Why?

Japanese? Standard? Deluxe?

 

Whilst I've preferred the regular standard, I've only tried it for 20mn or so, totally different to acutally own the thing itself.

 

Thanx for your help!!!!!

[MatteusNova]

For the price, I'd go for MIJ, any day. Just a little more than any MIM, at least here. I think it's the same in the UK.

 

I've played MIM strats and many 80s MIJ strats, and the MIJ was much more to my liking. I often feel that the MIA ain't worth

the premium over the MIJs. Just an impression.

[Special J]

I tend to agree with Matteus regarding the high quality to price ratio of MIJ Fenders. They tend to be overall more consistent in their quality too. Some of the older (80's and 90's) MIJ's have cheap electronics in them though, so you might want to factor in the cost of replacing pickups and pots. Some of the more recent higher end MIM guitars are quite nice too. I haven't found a MIM standard that really impressed me yet though. I think it more or less comes down to the features you want and your budget.

[BlueSteam]

Highway One's are a great value and really aren't more than MIJ Strats. The neck alone is worth it.

[Les Paul Lover]

Highway One's are a great value and really aren't more than MIJ Strats. The neck alone is worth it.

 

 

Well... I've tried some decent highway ones, and one the neck of which was particularly unpleasant!!!

 

Certainly, next to a standard, that standard was a very obvious step up in feel, and it's tone was a little nicer to my ears.

 

 

Have some of you got deluxe?

 

What do you think of that S1 switch thing?

[cratz2]

I'm definitely a try it before you buy it kinda guy unless you are getting it for less than you KNOW you can sell it for.

 

Having said that, I think there's more consistency in American and Japanese stuff than with the Mexican stuff. But I've played some awfully nice higher end Mexican strats as well... The Classic Series and Classic Players guitars and I like those Robert Cray necks nearly as much as I've liked any neck at any price.

[rxkid75]

I love my American deluxe. That said I had to send three of them back to MF for issues ranging from neck pocket gaps to gashes in the neck or body. But my most played strat is my Robert Cray sig strat. I picked it up used and it just feels perfect to me. I've been really impressed with the higher end mexi fenders, like the classic players. My only CIJ fender is my Jaguar HH, which didn't impress me much, but most other Japanese guitars I've played have been flawless. If you look long enough I'm sure you will find a nice Mexi, but as mentioned by cratz2, there is a lot more consistency with the MIA & CIJ guitars

 

as far as the S1 switching, its nice but it scares me as one more thing that could go wrong. It basically gives you more tonal variety. Mine is a SSS and flipping on the S1 gives each position a fatter feel, which is great but when I go for my strat, I'm grabbing it for the quack and feel of the strat, if I need a fat tone, I grab a HB guitar; so I typically don't use it much.

 

I picked my Am deluxe up for 999 new from MF. I didn't feel it was a bargain, but I did feel it was a warm deal. I do not think they are worth the 1500+ that they are usually marked. Also, some the neck is different on the deluxe I believe, I'm ok with it, but steveman returned his I believe bc he couldn't bind with it like his Am standard

[Pine Apple Slim]

Get the best one you can afford.

But basically they are all pretty good at their respective price points.

Dont know about Jolly ole England, but here in the SE US new & used MIM Strats can be found hanging by the dozens in just about any shop, and a dime a dozen on Craigslist. Its a peice of cake to find a nice one that you like for a good deal. MIJs are rarer to come by. USAs, go for it if you can afford em.

If you can get past the relicing, the road worns are really good guitars.

Also the CV Squires.

[Lex.Luthier]

Japanese? Standard? Deluxe?

 

My favourite is the American Standard, mainly because I absolutely adore the necks on them. However, Fender electronics tend to be sub-par imo (bar some pickups like the Tex-Mexs) so I generally buy American Standard bodies and necks off Ebay and put in hardware of my own choosing. It generally tends to work out cheaper than buying the stock guitar aswell. Heres the last one I put together with a body and neck I got at Christmas.

 

[Longhair]

The Highway One models have a 43mm nut width as opposed to the normal 42mm nut width found on the majority of guitars.

 

For me, that 1mm makes a HUGE difference while other people don't even notice it.

[Edward]

The Highway One models have a 43mm nut width as opposed to the normal 42mm nut width found on the majority of guitars. For me, that 1mm makes a HUGE difference while other people don't even notice it.

 

Oh, that's good to know. Makes a huge difference to me too.... though I'd already ruled out a HW1 on the basis that they only produce a lefty with a rosewood board, no maple. Dealbreaker for me.

 

I have limited experience with MIMs as their left handed provision is, at best, a joke (Standard Strats and Teles only for guitar, Std J Bass only for Bass). What I have seen of the standard models, they're nice. Prefer the Strats as they're closer to the vintage spec - hate the si saddle bridge on the Teles (could be changed, of course, but if I can get what I want elsewhere to begin with...). Not that I'm one of these said vintage fanboi "everything was best in 1954" types (you know, the ones who'd claim that green cheese was the best tonewood if that's what Leo had been able to buy cheapest and had therefore used in 54...), but it does seem to be the case that it's the odler style that appeal to me. If I was looking for a readily available, decent basic Strat (or was right handed) I'd be trying out the MIM range, but in my experiencethe CIJ range just has that extra oomph.... A lot of them are basswood, if that's an issue for you, but there are other options too. Their lefty options aren't by any means perfect, but it's a much, much better tange of options, IMO, than even the MIA Fenders. The CIJ guitars are close enough to the MIAs, IMO, that it's not worth worrying about.... unless you absolutely have to have nitro finish.... and even if I liked that, I sure would consider it worth doubling the price of the guitar over....

 

I have a CIJ 71RI Tele which is hands down the best guitar I've ever owned or played. In fact, it's the only guitar I've ever idly picked up just to try in a shop (as opposed to looking for a specific one) and ended up buying.... While it's obviously not a direct comparison, it more than holds its own against my MIA 1994 US Std Strat (which I bought new back when) - superb guitar itself, but these days I wouldn't see any value in the 'MIA' tag alone.... not when you can - again, if you can find a shop that stocks them - a CIJ that is very comparable for half the money.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Fender US - they're superb instruments and I'm always impressed by their consistency. I love their 57RI Strats, and I'm even really impressed by all the mods to the new American Standard model (the two post trem with the old school saddles now isn'tg the ugly as sin lump that it looks on my MIA, the overall standard is superb, and I love, love, love the combination of glossy fingerboard and satin back of the neck). I'd love one.... thing is, they seem to still sell for GBP800 or so that I've seen (a lefty MIA 52RI I can't find for less than a grand new or eight hundred used). I simply cannot justify spending that on a guitar, tbh.... even if I did play out regularly again, I don't see it as an expense I'd want to make, not with guitars of the quality of the CIJs out there.

 

FWIW.... are you particularly stuck on it being a Fender? If you're near London, it might be worth dropping in with Brandoni - www.brandoniguitars.com - I'm gonig to be looking to them for my net "Strat" - they seem to be really high quality stuff, markedly cheaper than a Fender - obivously, you're not paying the premium for the name; undoubtedly great for the money that Fenders are, you do still pay something for the big brand attached.

[faberbz]

You didn't say anything about your budget.

 

Get the Strat that you can afford.

 

Really, they're all very good, very playable.

[clay sails]

I've said this before, and been flamed horribly for it, but here I am again putting out the straight troof:

 

A Fender strat is a strat is a strat.

 

Pick the one with the specs you like. Get it adjusted to your specifications. Don't look back. You'll be happy.

[Foamoi_refreshe]

i would say buy any strat that feels great to play and sounds great. doesnt really matter where its made as long as your buying the guitar thats right for you.

 

what features are you specifically looking for?

 

vintage trem? or modern machined?

SSS or HSS

locking tuners?

LSR roller nut?

finishes? relic'd? FB?

neck profile? neck feel?

 

ive got 3 strats and started by going out and trying a few, i didnt really like most neck on MIM strats, everything just felt a little placticy, and too light for me, played 1 MIA and thought, i love the feel of that. couldnt afford a brand new one, so snapped up a 50th aniv on ebay, put some CS texas specials in it, and its been my No 1 guitar ever since, was just coincidence that it was everything i was looking for without actually playing the guitar before i bought it. which shows thats its great to try a variety out first, but if you have to take that risk it might very well pay off . . . .

 

never played an MIJ strat, but have played many other MIJ guitars (own a '91 MIJ PGM300) and its is just insanly amazing, but its in a higher price range so that might say something, i will def have to get my hands on some MIJ strats and see how they feel to give my actual opinion on them. but you do get some nice options with MIJ's that ive seen online.

 

so play some, buy one, love it

[Les Paul Lover]

what features are you specifically looking for? vintage trem? or modern machined? SSS or HSS locking tuners? LSR roller nut? finishes? relic'd? FB? neck profile? neck feel? ive got 3 strats and started by going out and trying a few, i didnt really like most neck on MIM strats, everything just felt a little placticy, and too light for me, played 1 MIA and thought, i love the feel of that. couldnt afford a brand new one, so snapped up a 50th aniv on ebay, put some CS texas specials in it, and its been my No 1 guitar ever since, was just coincidence that it was everything i was looking for without actually playing the guitar before i bought it. which shows thats its great to try a variety out first, but if you have to take that risk it might very well pay off . . . . never played an MIJ strat, but have played many other MIJ guitars (own a '91 MIJ PGM300) and its is just insanly amazing, but its in a higher price range so that might say something, i will def have to get my hands on some MIJ strats and see how they feel to give my actual opinion on them. but you do get some nice options with MIJ's that ive seen online. so play some, buy one, love it

 

vintage trem? or modern machined?

 

No idea!!!

 

SSS or HSS

 

SSS

 

locking tuners?

 

Not fussed

 

LSR roller nut?

 

What?

 

finishes? relic'd? FB?

 

It will be a 2nd hand, but will not be in any of those surf colour I hate so much (green pink or other, they

[Lex.Luthier]

I hadn

[soundcreation]

Budget is irrelevant, I want the best!!!!! (2nd hand that is, and not one of those signature/reissue rip off!!!)

 

If you're willing to buy online...then...

 

go here

 

http://www.ishibashi.co.jp/u_box/e/

 

Type in "Van Zandt" and check out the three strats they have for sale.

 

Then go here to see the specs

 

http://www.taurus-jp.com/vanzandt/guitar.html

 

You want the best...well there they are.

 

With all do respect to fender, the 1600 bucks you'd spend on one of those van zandts will get you a masterbuilt quality guitar. Ultra thin nitro finished guitars of the highest quality. You won't find a fender any better than these.

[Sale83]

If the budget is irrelevant,and you want the best, then go for the master built.

[zenbu]

in all the years I`ve been buying Fender Japans here, I`ve never seen nor heard of them calling any models reissues...F/USA makes those. FJs may or may not be based on USA models but they not always replicas, plus shops can order them to any specs they want. Fender Japan also builds them in various price points...they can not all be lumped into one or two catagories...if you buy a low end model thats what you get...same goes for MIJs in general, there are so many builders around now...some very high end makers others not so much, really depends. When it comes to mine, my best MIJs are not Fenders...and that statement above about the 80s and 90s models having cheap electronics contradicts the guitars I own...it`s the new stuff that comes...for the most part, there are exceptions...with the plastic switch and tiny pots, all my `80s and `90s FJ have full size pots and steel switches. Right now the best deal on used MIJ strats I have access to are the Edwards...the best MIJ? no, but price wise the best bargains...the tone bursts I see have 2 piece center seamed bodies....most FJs do not...again there are exceptions...but the Edwards strat I have is outstanding for the $400.oo I paid, and there are other Japanese builders I`d buy...and have bought... before buying a F/USA I see hanging in local shops, my Van Zandts and Seymour Duncans stand up to any F/USA custom shop guitar around these parts. So if you see a FJ thats interests you try to get some pics of the neck pocket and post em so members can have a look at what it might be...lots of people seem to think everything MIJ is great, it isn`t...ya gotta be careful `cause some sellers think the same thing.

[Angry Tele]

CIJ

[Les Paul Lover]

in all the years I`ve been buying Fender Japans here, I`ve never seen nor heard of them calling any models reissues...F/USA makes those. FJs may or may not be based on USA models but they not always replicas, plus shops can order them to any specs they want. Fender Japan also builds them in various price points...they can not all be lumped into one or two catagories...if you buy a low end model thats what you get...same goes for MIJs in general, there are so many builders around now...some very high end makers others not so much, really depends. When it comes to mine, my best MIJs are not Fenders...and that statement above about the 80s and 90s models having cheap electronics contradicts the guitars I own...it`s the new stuff that comes...for the most part, there are exceptions...with the plastic switch and tiny pots, all my `80s and `90s FJ have full size pots and steel switches. Right now the best deal on used MIJ strats I have access to are the Edwards...the best MIJ? no, but price wise the best bargains...the tone bursts I see have 2 piece center seamed bodies....most FJs do not...again there are exceptions...but the Edwards strat I have is outstanding for the $400.oo I paid, and there are other Japanese builders I`d buy...and have bought... before buying a F/USA I see hanging in local shops, my Van Zandts and Seymour Duncans stand up to any F/USA custom shop guitar around these parts. So if you see a FJ thats interests you try to get some pics of the neck pocket and post em so members can have a look at what it might be...lots of people seem to think everything MIJ is great, it isn`t...ya gotta be careful `cause some sellers think the same thing.

 

I have a MIJ guitar that's excellent, a 1983 Aria Pro 2, but I do specifically want a fender strat.

 

Could sound narrow minded, but I've been a humbucker player all my life, and whilst I'm gassing for a strat, I will buy it 2nd hand, and I'm keeping in mind that I want it to be able to resell for the same price should I fail to bond with it.

 

So whilst Van Zandts guitars might be simliar to a strat, or even 2% better, I know that reselling more obsucr brands, even though possibly better, is more touch and go.

 

[zenbu]

a few years ago people were saying that Tokai, Greco, Bacchus, Van Zandt, Seymour Duncan...to name but a few...were obscure too, a look around the net will show how popular they are now, the web has changed everything, unfortunately...getting harder all the time finding great deals on those names above like I used to. Still...if it`s just gotta be a Fender...hopefully one MIA , then I`m not going to try to convince you otherwise, not like there aren`t more than enough people after the best MIJs already. Cross your fingers a wood knot won`t start poking through the body finish if you buy a F/USA team built custom shop strat like mine has...and used is the only way to go for me now, learned my lesson a long time ago. Last time I bought a new Van Zandt was because it was 50% off list during a local sale...they go for more used these days, and am I correct in assuming you`ve never seen nor played a Van Zandt?

[jbear555]

My Strats have been:

-MIA Std Rosewood Nk stock pups

-MIA 40th anniv. Maple Nk Bill Lawrence pups

-MIM plain old Strat Rosewood (see below)

-CIJ 68 Reissue Maple (two stock pups and a SD mini59 in the bridge)

-MIJ 50 Reissue Maple (stock pups)

The best playing of the lot were the two MIA's. They both had very rich unplugged sound and the sustain without the amp was just crazy. The nicest build was the CIJ 68. The fit and finish of that guitar was as nice as any Custom Shop guitar that I ever played. The only one I have left is the MIM. I put a Duncan '54 in the middle, a DM HS2 in the neck and HS3 in the bridge. I keep it at school where I teach. I change the strings once a year (whether they need it or not) and I absolutely love playing it. The freakish thing about that guitar is that it is always in tune. I use the bar a lot and bend the **** out of the strings (I'm a Scott Henderson wannabe)...it never needs tuning. I really don't get it, but...I'll take it.

My advice...just shut your eyes and play. If you feel it...that's the one you want.

[soundcreation]

When I mean that the budget is irrelevant, I mean that I know I can afford a 2nd hand fender strat MIA deluxe, but will not push into the custom build territory!!!!!! I have a MIJ guitar that's excellent, a 1983 Aria Pro 2, but I do specifically want a fender strat. Could sound narrow minded, but I've been a humbucker player all my life, and whilst I'm gassing for a strat, I will buy it 2nd hand, and I'm keeping in mind that I want it to be able to resell for the same price should I fail to bond with it. So whilst Van Zandts guitars might be simliar to a strat, or even 2% better, I know that reselling more obsucr brands, even though possibly better, is more touch and go.

 

That's funny cause I have a 79 aria pro II strat I payed two hundred bucks for and have yet to find a mexican or factory USA strat that has a neck as nice.

[zenbu]

my $80.oo Aria Leopard from 1981...which was in the junk section...see the pawn shop moron thread...