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March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | Is there anybody here who knows Strats? Was just given a Mexican built Fat Strat and want to learn more about it. |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Mexi-built Fat Strat? Nothing but junk. Seeing as it was given to you, you should just send it to Cliff or myself for proper disposal.
:D
Seriously, I believe Fender has a forum that's OK, should be able to get lots of info from them:
Fender Forum...gateway to the FDP!
Have fun! |
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November 2002
Posts: 3664
Location: Pacific Northwest Inland Empire | Well, Paul, it ain't "Blackie", but they're usually very playable. Electronics are reliable. I surmise the labor costs were the causal factors to place of manufacture. Two single coils, and a humbucker, if I recall.
So, your "collection agent" closed an account, or something?! |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | i think the current pecking order of strats are
usa
mexican
japan
korean
indonesian
china |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Al-
I thought the 'Crafted in Japan' Fender's were supposed to be 'better' (for certain values thereof) than the American ones, and that's why Fender quit importing them. Or is that just an apocryphal urban legend? |
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March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | I'll post a pic of this beast, but eventually, I'm going to replace the rosewood neck with a maple one, and the all black pickguard, pickup covers and knobs are going to end up white. |
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January 2002
Posts: 970
Location: Atlanta,Ga. | The japan built reissue strats are quite sought after and bringing pretty good money.Some say(including myself) they are better than the USA strats of that era.. |
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January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | The problem with any of the Eastern built Fender guitars is that the standard parts dont fit. Simple as that. Be it metric spacing, or different pickguard hole layouts... the parts dont fit correctly or at all.
The Mexican and USA models have near exact parts swappability.
Also all the Eastern made ones, aside from Japan, have a poloyester finish, as opposed to polyurethane. What it amounts to is that "solid hardwood" body is getting structural strength from the finish applied to it. |
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February 2004
Posts: 2487
| I do not believe the Made IN Japan models could be as good as the USA models but I do have to say from experience I had a "JAP" strat in cream & white and It was absolutely the very best playing electric guitar I have ever owned or tried! Mine had the fine tuners on the tailpiece and I did have the frets filled down a little, a nice set of light strings and you could play scales & bar chords all night. It is the only guitar I have ever wished I did not sell. Japanese craftsmanship was top notch on this one I think it was a 1981? Randy |
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August 2004
Posts: 79
Location: Minnesota | Having played Fenders for years, I agree, the early Japanese strats are as good as the USA as far as playability is concerned. The real difference is in the pickups!(and bridges in some cases). The only strat I've hung onto through the years is my early 80's Jap strat. HOWEVER, The day after I brought it home, I dropped in a Kahler trem setup, EMG SA pickups, a Wilkinson roller nut, and some unique little roller string trees made by a guy named Chuck Orr(whereabouts unkown now!)My $199 guitar went up to about $500 in a big hurry. It's absolutely the best playing strat(stays in tune too) I've ever owned! Now if your talking Tele, USA is the only way! :cool: :D ;) |
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June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | Certainly can't beat the price, no matter WHERE it was made! Nice pick up, Moody old boy. |
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March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | Even the CEO of Fender says that the first Japanese Strats, from the mid 80's, were better than the USA built Strats of the same era. When the company was purchased at that time, from CBS, the USA production was literally shut down to move the facilities from Fullerton CA to Corona CA and to address the quality control problems. |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | Moody
I don't know about strats, but my daughter gave me her 1966 Mustang that she bought in Portland OR, with Schallers and Seymour Duncan pickups, which are strat pickups, that hopefully was made from pre CBS parts, and really plays good after I worked it over. The Mustang aficiandos are almost as bad as us OFCers after Curt Cobain, and they have their web sites. They are very excited over Japanese reissues in the 80's, and the new? Jagstangs.
The Mexican strats are OK from some of my secret sources (my son in CA), however their tremolos are substandard, poor workmanship and materials, get an aftermarket trem and you will probably be happy if you need a trem.
You probably won't throw away your Viper Deluxe, but they are two totally different guitars, if you need a strat, only a strat will do, Mexican or otherwise.
My son in New Mexico plays a highly modified Squier Strat and it sounds awesome, tune in to "Ragin' Redneck" on garageband.com and you will hear it.
Bailey (The man who played and said that a Les Paul Jr. was a "piece of wood with a microphone attached", is a man after my cheap heart)
Bailey |
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Joined:
June 2002
Posts: 6202
Location: Phoenix AZ | Originally posted by alpep:
i think the current pecking order of strats are
usa
mexican
japan
korean
indonesian
china
I think this is Al's current pecking order of restaurants. |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Just go buy Warmoth parts and make your own strat or tele. They all fit together just fine and sound good. You get exactally what you want and it's at a reasonable price. |
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February 2002
Posts: 1817
Location: Minden, Nebraska | I have had a number of Mexican Strats and found the quality to be quite variable, though getting more consistent year by year.
So, two observation:
- our speculations and Fender taxonomy aside, what matters is that YOU like it; and,
- you can't beat the price! |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | WRT to the Japanese Strats, and to expound on my earlier post, it was my understanding that the 'good' Japanese ones were stamped 'Crafted in Japan' and the later, not-so-desireable ones were stamped 'Made in Japan.' Anyone confirm that? Not that I'm buying a Japanese strat anytime soon, but hey, sometimes you just never know when it's good to have these trivial details in hand. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | about 6 years ago Fender put out a poster of all their strat models. I find it imposssible to keep them all straight.
the best one is the one that feels and sounds the best to you. |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 648
Location: Florida | Also remember, there was a time someplace in the 80's, where Fender literally did not have any USA models, at all, zilch, zero, nada, like-kissin-yer-sister: Nothin!
When Fender management bought "Fender" from CBS, they got the name, the model rights, and inventory. That was it. They got no factory, no machinery, nothing else. Quite literally, at that time, everything sold was of Eastern manufacture. In 1985, there was ol' Leo... bidding against "Fender" for the "his" stuff at auction. Lots of that equipment went to G&L.
Back to subject - there are lots of TERRIBLE USA made Fender guitars right before and right after the de-BSing of the company. Certainly, the "quality" Eastern made ones were better. Als got it right - find something you like, and play the crap out of it. |
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Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | very few people remember that fender almost went under.
I wish I had a "pocket full of fun" back then to buy the company. Look where they are now! |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 338
Location: Omaha | Just go buy Warmoth parts and make your own strat or tele. They all fit together just fine and sound good. You get exactally what you want and it's at a reasonable price.
That's what I do because of my 'disability.' Quality wood, pickups and workmanship (the assemply, set-up and wiring are my own!) means I have lefty 'strats' that rival custom shop stuff. No "F" on the headstock of course, but hey, they're not for sale. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | Can these be any good?
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electronics,_pickups/Pickups:_Guitar,_electric/Pre-wired_Pickguards_For_Strat.html |
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December 2001
Posts: 10583
Location: NJ | you get what you pay for |
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March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | Yeah. That's what scares me. |
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Joined:
October 2003
Posts: 6
Location: Albany, NY | Not all Strat pickguards are created equal. My American Strat has eleven screw holes. The eight hole pickguards don't line up correctly. I'm not certain, but I think the eight hole pickguards fit Asian models. They may or may not fit Mexicans. |
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Strat
