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Post subject: Fender Japan Stratocaster - please help me with recognition
Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2018 3:12 pm
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Hello,

I just bought Fender Stratocaster in Japan. It looks vintage, plays beautifully but it has no serial number. I have no idea what it is and why it has no serial number on it.

It has "46" in neck pocket. "Deluxe" mark on tuning keys. No other signs.

Detailed picture here :
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/fold ... 28zYzhDYms


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan Stratocaster - please help me with recognit
Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2018 8:51 pm
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The pickups are not vintage Fender. Possibly Fender-Mexico, or cheap aftermarket.
The neck heel and neck pocket on the body would have part numbers and date stamps.
If it were vintage, the lack of a serial number on the neck would be OK because it was on the neck plate.
The position of the decals, and the worn areas are suspect.
The wiring is inconsistent (one jumper on the switch is cloth push-back, plus the non-matching grey shielded wire to the output jack.)
There is no body ground lug, no recess for a body ground lug, and no shielding on the pickguard. There should a foil shield under the controls.

I don't believe that is a Fender neck, definitely not a Fender pickguard, and I suspect the pickups and body are also not Fender.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan Stratocaster - please help me with recognit
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 12:05 am
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I agree it's none of the Fender Japan vintage models. And I believe the neck and body didn't originally belong together, and that the electronics/wiring is not factory stock.

I get a distant (Squier) Affinity feeling about the body, but then the trem backplate screws placement (mid ones slanted, one almost in the trem block routing) makes me wonder. The pickguard might be an Affie one, though. And the ceramic pickups could be from a Squier, but not from a Japanese one.

With the above, the neck almost looses significance - too much wrong elsewhere. If that guitar was sold as a "Japanese Reissue" and the price was where one thus would expect, I'd contact the seller. If you got it cheap (Squier level prices), it could be a nice instrument.

All of the above just IMHO, of course.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan Stratocaster - please help me with recognit
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 7:52 am
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What they () said.

It's as phony as a seven-dollar bill.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan Stratocaster - please help me with recognit
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 8:41 am
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If the tuners were Kluson Deluxe the hole would be in the "o" of Kluson so they don't seem right.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan Stratocaster - please help me with recognit
Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2018 1:59 pm
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jmattis wrote:
I get a distant (Squier) Affinity feeling about the body, but then the trem backplate screws placement (mid ones slanted, one almost in the trem block routing) makes me wonder.

Ya... the electronics give me a "want to make this better but I don't know how" feel.
Every Korean or Chinese Squier I've seen has the "box" type 5-way and mini-pots.

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Post subject: Re: Fender Japan Stratocaster - please help me with recognit
Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 7:03 am
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The neck has a 60's replica vibe about it but what it was bolted to originally (wasn't from the 60's) I wouldn't like to guess. It isn't as accurate a rendition as I would expect from Fender due to the pearloid fret markers and fake machine heads.

The body fit and finish look quite nice but, again, could be from almost anywhere. It doesn't seem to have any CNC location or other markings which might suggest it is a Fender.

I will stick my neck out and say the bridge is not Fender mainly due to the fold line.

The jack plate looks classic not Fender as it seems to have a more pronounced lip to the lead in.

The spring claw looks like a MiA (although I don't think it is) as it doesn't have a punched wire retainer like a MiM would have. I don't know the configuration of a MiJ.

If (as noted above) the spring cover holes had been level I would have said Squier (perhaps) but I am confused that they aren't so it could be something else again.

None of this mean it is a bad guitar and it might play really nicely. I just don't think it was made by Fender.

[edit] Google search does suggest Squier Classic Vibe have off set screw spacing on the spring cover. Also pearly looking fret markers. The bridge is nicer on the Classic Vibe though.

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