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Post subject: Fake MIJ Strat?
Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 9:37 am
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I have what I was told was a 1991MIJ Fender Strat that was purchased in Japan by the original owner and while I think he thought it was real I'm pretty convinced it's not and am looking to prove that. The neck is not stamped on the back above the joint and not stamped on the area beneath the bolts either. The neck logo is also flaking heavily. The body has humbucker sized routes in the bridge and middle position and is not stamped in the pocket at all. The pots only have ST-2 stamped on them in ink. No embossing at all on all three. Also, the bridge says fender but it has the thinner block like a Mexican strat. Here is a link to a YouTube video I made. Let me know what you think... https://youtu.be/A8_L2F8RfHs


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Post subject: Re: Fake MIJ Strat?
Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 7:14 am
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Good video. Hard to tell for sure but it could be a "parts aster." If you have access to The Fender Stratocaster Handbook by Paul Balmer you will find a MIJ Strat dissected in full detail. The body route on your guitar is identical to the one in the book which is a '96. Other things do seem off. Hopefully someone with more expertise in MIJ Strats will offer their opinion.


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Post subject: Re: Fake MIJ Strat?
Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 10:18 am
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I have a 1995 MIJ Strat, It;s a 1968 reissue , 3TSB, maple neck with no skunk stripe (it's a maple cap board on maple neck) with heel truss rod adjust
Mine has no stamps in the neck pocket either , it has slightly smaller pots than yours , the same 5 way switch , really good sounding pickups , SSS routing but it has a thicker heavier trem block

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Post subject: Re: Fake MIJ Strat?
Posted: Fri Nov 03, 2017 10:25 am
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wadeofdeath wrote:
purchased in Japan by the original owner

That makes it even more complicated than usual... There's limited info on MIJ's in general, and almost nought on the domestic versions...

Checked the serial with Nathan from Fender's wonderful chat service: no results, but that isn't surprising with a 1991 MIJ.

After skip-hopping thru the vid; one time only but revisiting some frames; and sounds off (I'm an old dog & prefer pics), I'm leaning towards a Partscaster.
Somehow the neck, sticker, wiring and ceramic pickups just don't seem to belong together, and all typical stamps & markings missing bothers me. I'm thinking a ST-57 neck, possibly a Squier or MIM body...
And yet, somehow the guitar seems reliable. Go figure.

I wouldn't be surprized if it remains a mystery. Did you buy it from that 'original owner'? The info you've been given, how reliable do you regard it is? Is the price in line with MIJ's or substantially lower?
And of course the big Q: does it play & sound like a MIJ should?

Edit: Just noticed this is a slight return to September: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=108009&p=1201678


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