Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

[jgcable]

Hey guys. I just was given one of these instead of being paid for a wiring job on 2 Les Pauls. The guy knows I love Randy Rhoads and he thought that this is a Rhoads guitar. I don't know jack about it but I have read that this set neck 2 hum version is extremely rare and very collectable and is even featured in many Fender collector books. Here is what I found out online:
Fender (Japan) Katana
Production Dates: 1985-1986
Maple glued-in neck with rosewood fingerboard; 24.75-inch scale, 22 frets;
truss-rod adjuster at headstock end; string clamp; angled headstock and neck matches body color. Beveled-edge body; various colors.
Two black coverless humbucker pickups. Two controls (volume, tone) on body; side-mounted jack socket. Redesigned six-saddle bridge/vibrato unit. This is the Japanese-built version of the guitar designed by Bill Schultz to compete with other futuristic guitars of the 80s, such as Jackson's Randy Rhoads model. It incorporates
many features that are unusual for Fender, such as a tilt-back peg head, a set neck and dual humbucking pickups. This model also features a locking nut and vibrato with micro-tuners. Later
versions of this model were built in Korea with the more Fenderish bolt-on necks and flat head stock. The finish on this one is metallic
yellow from stem to stern, with tiny shark-fin inlays on the bound rosewood fretboard. Here are pics of one I found online. Mine is exactly the same but it is a dark purple metallic. What do you think? I think I might have had some REALLY good luck on this on!!!

[jgcable]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

Here is a close up pic of the fretboard.

[StukaJU87]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

Weird looking, but cool. Well worth the payment for rewiring two guitars. I think you made out on the deal. Rock on! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Accept2]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

I always heard the Katana was designed after Bill Schultz had ate too much pizza one night................

[Snoogans]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

Good score! I had one of those in silver. Played really well, too. Mine was very beat-up when I got it, so I had to block the trem and lose the locknut (no big deal there!) I dropped a ToneZone in the bridge position, and it sounded huge!
I hadn't played it for a long time, so I swapped it for a Charvel 275DX, which turned out to be a real dog... [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

[StukaJU87]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

A2:

I always heard the Katana was designed after Bill Schultz had ate too much pizza one night................

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ya had to go and mention pizza. Now I'm hungry. I'm off to Sal's for a couple slices....

[jgcable]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

I agree. Its as ugly as a bag of ass but for $150.00 worth of wiring it is certainly worth it.
Also, since it was designed with Randy in mind it can't be all that bad. I'll display it right next to my Charvel Avenger Rhoads wannabee. I currently have an Explorer and and the Import Star hung up right next to each other with the names BEFORE and AFTER under them.

[pro-fusion]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

I remember the Katana! There used to be one hanging on the wall at Showcase Music in Portland, Oregon when they were first introduced. They seemed pretty cool at the time, but I have to admit that it looks pretty ugly now. Not hard to believe it's a collector--I don't think many were sold.

Funny, Fender wasn't good at metal guitars, except for the HM Strat, which was an excellent piece of work--I'd get one now, if they didn't have that obsolete and unfixable Kahler Spyder bridge. The necks on the HM Strats were awesome.

[MountainDog]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

I have one of these in silver, in mint condition (looks like it was made yesterday) with case. Bought it about 7 years ago from a Pastor of a church for $125. Plays and sounds very nice.

As far as collectability, the highest I saw one go for was $450. I tried to sell mine in local paper 5 years ago (trying to go off the rareness) but never got any calls. Maybe it's worth will get better 10 years from now!!!

FYI, there is also a Squier Kantana, which is bolt on and standard fender bridge, and looks much cheaper:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=33039

[Jim Shine]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

Originally posted by pro-fusion:
I remember the Katana! There used to be one hanging on the wall at Showcase Music in Portland, Oregon when they were first introduced. They seemed pretty cool at the time, but I have to admit that it looks pretty ugly now. Not hard to believe it's a collector--I don't think many were sold.

Funny, Fender wasn't good at metal guitars, except for the HM Strat, which was an excellent piece of work--I'd get one now, if they didn't have that obsolete and unfixable Kahler Spyder bridge. The necks on the HM Strats were awesome.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Look for a later HM. The last year or two that had genuine Floyds.

I had one of these Katanas last year. It was a very dark metallic grayish purple color. It looked black. It had a metal piece under the finish along the bottom edge of the body and headstock. The only real POS on these is the trem. Otherwise they are nice. There was a market for these up until somepoint in '93. They were going for $450, but tanked at around $250. Really clean ones and odd colors still get some dough, but run of the mill ones are soft. The prices may have firmed a little since.

Grab the "Fender Book" by Bacon and Day. They have these in there as they cover the whole Fender spectrum. They also put this in their other Fender books because it contrasts with the other models. Fender Performers have the same necks as these, but have a weird shaped Strat type body. Those are a bit cooler than the Katanas even today.

[charvelguy]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

A set neck Katana is colletable, it seems to be a rather eclectic club, but if any you who are holding want to sell yours, please get a hold of me...we might be able to work someting out. Obviously, you got a great deal for a 150.00 worth of labor. That is usually the going price of the bolt on Squire versions..which I have seen a couple say MIJ on the label but I have read are made in Korea.

[jgcable]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

Originally posted by charvelguy:
A set neck Katana is colletable, it seems to be a rather eclectic club, but if any you who are holding want to sell yours, please get a hold of me...we might be able to work someting out. Obviously, you got a great deal for a 150.00 worth of labor. That is usually the going price of the bolt on Squire versions..which I have seen a couple say MIJ on the label but I have read are made in Korea.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Consider me officially getting a hold of you!!

[Jim Shine]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

Here is the one I had:

[jgcable]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

I tore the Katana apart tonight and I am treating it to a full rewire, fret level, polish and set up. The pickups that came with it are black Dimarzio's. It has a DP102F (X2N) in it and a DP104 (Super 2). They are new. I never had a Super 2 but according to Dimarzio it is a souped up Super Distortion. The pots in this guitar are a single 500k volume and a dual stacked pot with a detent in the middle. It has 2 resistors and a capacitor. I believe it might be a mid boost similar to the TBX circuitry. The 3 way toggle is a very nice sealed version and is Les Paul type in size. This is a very well made guitar. The neck binding is very nicely done and the neck is very comfortable. It has Fender Japan sealed tuners and the control knobs are your typical 80's HM strat type with the F on the top of them. The color is gun metal gray with gold metalflake and it has a silver bevel stripe running down the side.

[toejam]

Re: Fender Katana Rhoads style must see!!

Originally posted by jgcable:
It has a DP102F (X2N) in it and a DP104 (Super 2). They are new. I never had a Super 2 but according to Dimarzio it is a souped up Super Distortion.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It's not really souped up. It's got the same power as a Super Distortion, it just has more treble, and is a great neck pup with an X2N in the bridge!! [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]