What about these Made in Japan Strat bodies? I have never owned a Japanese Strat so I don't know if the woods are crappy or what. I know my last Mexican Strat body was horrible.

http://freespace.virgin.net/john.blackman4/history.htm

The body I'm looking at is a 2007 model of a Vintage 57 Reissue. That article doesn't say anything about quality of woods or anything.

Ok found another one

http://www.mijguitar.com/Templates/Guit ... 0Woods.htm

Alder isn't really a very hard wood. I listened to my technician insert a much longer screw for the strap button and you could hear the softness of the wood. Plus if the wood was really hard I wouldn't be having issues with buttons working loose.

You are right 357 its true Alder in not a very hard wood and sound wise Alder and basswood are almost the same. Basswood is considerd a little darker sounding. The only reason you don't see more Basswood is because it plain looking and absorbs finishes more. Another thing about Basswood it tends to be lighter weight then Alder which is not reily a bad thing. Also the other posters statement about the neck fit on MIJ or CIJ guitars excepting other Fender necks they are standard size neck pockets and the Japanese were built to very high standards. And if you can put a dent in a guitar thru the finish with your finger nail look out it's Wolverine!

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

I have only been doing repairs for now for about 25 years. Currently doing overflow work for a local shop as well on call stuff for another. Has not been my full time job though that was working military rigging contracts for the Johns Hopkins thru the years. Now putting together guitars I have done lets say a few bolt ons and few set necks. I am fairly good at acoustic repair as well. Not much to putting bolt on parts together and I have replaced necks for jobs in manny different guitars from Japan, Korea Ect. I have one CIJ neck here in my office closet even.
While up doing this post I working on an old amp and looking at an old Mercury rectifier tube in it.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

This ia an old amp built by the guys relative back in the sixty's it stoped working and I tryig to find out why. Also brought me a box of tubes they had it looks to be about 40+ tubes many are old Mercury tubes wanted to no if I would buy or trade for repair cost. I have to look through them might go for that and sell them. Theres even a box tootsie caps, must have been into electronics.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Jan- 6L6 nice tubes , them and 7581's same tube little more wattage smaller bottle.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson