I have a MIJ '54 reissue. I love the neck, vintage tuners and bridge but I'm not a big fan of the colour (natural). I just bought a '04 US American series in 3-tone sunburst (which I much prefer to the natural finish). I intended to sell the Japanese strat to finance the purchase of the US one. However,...

I find I like the neck, tuners and bridge on the MIJ much better. I am considering switching parts so I would end up with
1. A MIJ body and electrics with a modern American C neck, tuners and bridge, and
2. An American Standard body and electrics with a MIJ V neck and vintage tuners and bridge.


I have two questions for you guys:
1. Can this be done, i.e., will the necks and bridges fit the "other" bodies, and
2. I can't justify keeping both so the MIJ version will have to go. By how much would this switching of parts affect the sale price?

Thanks
Greg

Hi Greg, welcome to the Forum.

A reissue '54 in a natural finish? Hmm - would you care to post pictures?

Anyhow. The necks should swap fine.

Can't give you numbers but for sure messing with the parts will drop the price. There's getting to be a semi-cultish following for Japanese Strats due to the quality of production and the difficulty of purchasing new these days. But people who are looking to buy definitely want them stock, not interfered with.

On the other hand, you gotta do whatever it takes to get a guitar that plays the way you want it to...

Good luck - C

Welcome to the Forum.


Here is an example of price differences. I just got a 1986 MIJ '68 RI Strat, all orginal (except for 2 screws) for $700.00. Two years ago I bought a 1986 MIJ '72 RI, not all original (pickups and wiring were changed) and paid $300.00 for it.

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Ceri, Check this out:

Ishibashi Link

a natural '54 Reissue is kind of odd, but there it is, the ST54-DMC.

The necks will swap, but the vintage and 2-bolt trems won't.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Well... Bless my socks.

Not that I doubted what Greg says he has. But you understand my interest.

So is that a reissue of an actual 1954 guitar? Or is it Fender Japan saying, "This is what a reissue of a natural finish '54 would be like - if it had ever existed" - ?

Either way, Greg, if it was mine I'd want to keep it, 'specially if, as you say, it plays comfortably. Looks nice.

Cheers - C

That sunburst 54 looks a crackin buy for £700 odd. Even with £100 shipping.

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No no and no

That sure looks close to mine. (I haven't posted pics because I don't know how) The only visible difference is that mine has aged/parchment knobs and pu covers. I don't believe mine has Dimarzio pickups. Mine was made in 1994/5 and I believe it has Japanese electronics. I assume the one at the link is a "new manufacture".

I don't know whether Fender made such a guitar in 1954, i.e. in natural finish. I doubt it and it certainly wouldn't have had Japanese pickups (ha!). So, in that respect at least, it is not a reissue of a guitar that once existed.

Thanks for the information everyone. I think I'll take the advice I'm getting and leave it alone. Now I'm stuck - 2 strats and one has got to go.

Greg

Thanks everyone for their input. I got out of this nicely. I sold the US strat for what I had paid for it a few days earlier. A lesson learned at no cost - a rare occurence.

Greg

Excellent! That MIJ is a great looking guitar, especially the finish. Though the MIA sounded nice too...

And if nothing else, this thread has given many of us an excuse for yet another mouthwatering tour around the world of Japanese Fenders - always welcome!

Good luck that guit - C

I'm glad you had a happy ending.

Just a heads up. You can still find MIJ Strats at good prices if you look around. In my area(West Virginia), I have found many good deals on used Stratocasters. I am active in searching them out in music stores, trader papers, pawn shops, and anywhere guitars are sold. There is still the idea that Made in Japan means cheap and poor quality.
My latest find of an original 1987 Squire Stratocaster MIJ E series with rectangular Fender USA hardshell case, tremelo bar, original owners manual still has me kinda smilin'!! I paid $80 for it. I replaced the tremelo unit with a Vintage USA steel saddle tremelo from Guitarfetish(a nice unit for the price), and put on Fender vol/tone knobs. I now have a really nice playing MIJ Strat for about $115!! Vintage Guitar price guide puts it in exc. cond. in the $250-400 range. Not too bad for a 22 year old MIJ.
Keep looking, and they are out there.

mmmmm.........I'd like to see one of the MIJ guitars and play it, to see what the fuss is all about.

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"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."-John Wayne

I stand corrected. I said in an earlier e-mail that I doubted my '94 built Japanese strat had DiMarzio pickups. I had it apart today and in fact it has 3 different DiMarzio pickups: a YJM (Malmsteen) at the neck, a HS-2 in the middle and a HS-3 at the neck. All three are still in current production. Live and learn.

Greg