i cant tell may be u can help
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=63153646&albumId=2749903

can't see it

There is no way to know by looking at it....... I think....

I'm surprised no one has answered, as it is obvious. But it's neither....it is swamp ash. if you want to see for yourself just compare it to some of the ash strats in the fender catalog on this site and you'll see theres no mistaking it.

thanks, i wasnt sure, i didnt thought the grain of the wood was some what different but i read some were that all exported japan strats were basswood but mine is a 98, thanks

Are you sure it's an export? Did you buy it new? I ask because a lot of people buy fenders directly from japan and have them shipped here thru the Ishibasi website. So if you bought it used then it may be a guitar someone here ordered from japan. And they have strats of all 3 main woods...basswood, ash, alder. The imports that fender imported from japan were only basswood. The ones of ash and alder are only sold in asia or to customers around the world who order from them. But fender never imported any of the 90's strats in anything but basswood, at least not any of the RI's. So if yours is made in japan then it was brought over here by a customer, not by fender. Does it say "made in japan" on the back of the neck or does it say "crafted in japan"? I would gues crafted because i think most japan fenders that are bought by customers via the Ishibashi site say crafted and only the ones fender imported said made. Although at the end of the 90's i think the last few japan imports fender got said crafted. I may be off a bit on some things, but i'm pretty sure most of what i said is accurate and that no strats fender imported were ash or alder except for some of those oddballs in the 80's.

I bought a fender Squier 50's telecaster back in 1985 and it was definitely ash.

note that i said '90's". Also i was talking about starts. There were some ash teles afaik.