Japanese Strat experts please help!

[1994]

Hi guys,

Don't laugh but I've been learning a lot of early Mark Knopfler stuff recently and I want to get a Strat with vintage spec to broaden my horizons (curvy radius and hum - the works). I will use it for clean tones and a little bit of break-up (think Blackmore's Rainbow sound)

Fender have released a speial run of Japanese made 1972 re-issue strats that weigh in at £550. However, I have seen a second-hand 1987 Japanese re-issue strat (as new condition, with case) for £899. Only difference is the 1987 model has a rosewood fingerboard, the othert is maple.

The purpose of the guitar will be to give me different tonal options to my standard JB with floyd through a MESA set-up. If I get on well with the Strat then I'd look to get a custom shop model in a couple of years.

Any opinions on whether the 1987 model is worth the extra coin would be appreciated

[leftykingv2]

There's nothing to laugh about learning some of Knopflers stuff. He has great tone and catchy riffs. If you've never owned a strat before I would suggest you play quite a few of them before you buy one. Also those prices seem a little high for a Japanese Strat when you can get a brand new American special strat for $899.99. Plus the new American specials come pretty well equipped. They have the grease bucket tone circuit and Texas Special Pick Ups. I would shop around because at 550 GBP that's roughly $870.00 dollars American you can add $29 dollars to that and get a new American special. That used Japanese 72 reissue for 899 gbp is way over priced that's $1400 and change in U.S. dollars. You can get a lot nicer strats for that kind of money probably even a brand new American standard. Look around bro and good luck.

[straycat]

The Jap strats are nice and very high quality but thats a crazy crack smoking price to pay for one.IMO
I just sold an American Std for $600.00.I picked it up for $450.00.so look around before you drop big money.

[leftykingv2]

I agree the Japanese made strats are very nice but like you and I both said Stray that's a huge price tag for a used Japanese Strat. Also yes, "Really" Stray.

[xenophobe]

Japanese Strats are awesome. Those prices are a little high for older ones. New ones are as expensive or more expensive than USA Std production models. The quality is somewhere between USA and CS. The only reason I would buy a new MIJ Strat is to get one with a Gotoh Floyd. Fender doesn't allow Japanese dealers to sell new MIJ Fenders to the US Market though. You're free to buy used ones, and there are a lot on the market if you look overseas. Ishibashi is great if you're buying used non-us market stuff. I got both of these from them:

[jacksonaxes]

Love my Jap strats, excellent quality.

[1994]

Thanks for the comments guys.

I think some people with 80's strats are pushing their luck having seen the price of 70's strats go up a lot now that the 50's/60's originals are out of reach for most people.

Whenever I go to my local store the Fender display is a source of confusion for me - there are so many Strats out there. They have had a USA 50's reissue in black on the wall for 2 years so I might try and get a deal on that. If the FSR '72 reissues fail to sell I might get a clearance deal - otherwise I will go for a USA model

[BenoA]

Well, guys, I just got a few weeks back a MIJ 2013 Limited Edition '72 Strat in Vintage White, one of (reportedly) 144 copies made for North America. (pics were taken when I got it out of the box).

More pics here: https://plus.google.com/photos/11675...COj2sqP5hsWOeA

Yes, it was a bit expensive at 699$us. But I could not find a big heastock strat in vintage white nowhere except buying a YJM sig with a scalloped board that was scaring me.

When I got it out of the box it was badly setup to a point I was very disapointed. But, after spending some time adjusting it and setting it up to my liking, it now plays quite well. I'm quite impressed by the quality of this guitar. Fit and finish is awesome.

Neck is rounder than what I'm used to and frets are not very tall.

It's my first Strat and the more I play it the more I like it.

[leftykingv2]

The Highway 1's all had the big head stock for a while.

[BenoA]

The Highway 1's all had the big head stock for a while.

But not in vintage white color...