Cruising the local pawn shops yesterday I found an interesting Strat I'd like to get your opinions on.

Made in Japan, (Not Crafted in Japan). The decal was standard Fender, with a small “Squier Series” decal on the headstock.

Floyd Rose system.

Beautiful, and I mean beautiful, flamed 2 piece top. (Kinda burgundy, purplish color). Rosewood fretboard.

I'm guessing this is a mid-80s Japanese Fender, but I'm not sure. My knowledge base in kinda thin on these. I was in a hurry and didn't have time to get pics or a serial #, but I'll try to get by today and get them.

Condition-wise this has sat in the closet most of its life. There are a few small chips on the face of the guitar, but nothing of consequence. No other dings. Neck shows no wear. It is in way above average condition for a pawnshop guitar.

It played nice and impressed me as a well taken care of, non-abused guitar.

The pawnshop wants $399, I'm sure I can walk out with it for $350.

This is a large military town, so it could have been brought from overseas by one of the GI’s as well as being an import guitar.

Any thoughts on what exactly it is? The flamed top kinda calls for me.

Thanks
Rick

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Old age and treachery will win every time over youth and enthusiasm.

"You can never have too many Tele's." A quote from my Sweetwater Sales Engineer

Made in Japan Squiers are highly collectable and great guitars. I dont think Japan makes them anymore but I may be wrong.. Vinny Pop is sometimes wrong. The top sounds fantastic google ebay japanese squier and see what one sells for or is worth and get back to me here please , you dont want to pay too much cheers and pleased to meet you blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa and twaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I dont consider myself a tight $@! but my $@! is itchy so Ill scratch it hahahah

grab it I say- it sounds to me its either a '50s or a 60's mij floyd rose foto flame- Hss configuration. Ive allways wanted one and I nearly bought one back in '96- I opted for a MIM in black instead. It is basically as you say- mine came with a small squier series on the headstock with an old standard decal- one volume, one tone knob. very low quality bucker in the front with no adjustable pole pieces. the mij had better pick-ups as far as I knew. the neck date on mine was an '89 which puzzled me.
I sold it to pay a debt I incurred as a stupid teenager with no sense of money lol

BTW- I hear my guitar is in the states now- I wrote my name, address and phone number on a small piece of paper, folded it and stuck it in the input jack cavity- if anyone finds it- Ill offer to buy it back

they are very hard to come by

blaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa and twaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

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she is beautiful...

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I have a 1987 MIJ Squire Stratocaster that seems to be a '62 RI model, or at least has the same specs as one. Mine was quite worn, and needed some major work. I only paid $80 for mine with its original rect. case, and leather strap.
MIJ Squires do seem to be very comparable to MIJ Fenders from the same time period. I do believe that they were made in the same factory, but could be wrong. The quality is nice. For the price, you could get a MIJ Fender, rather than a Squire tho.
I have never heard of a Fotoflame Squire before. I have never seen one in person or online. It could be, but I have no recollection of one. Is it possible a Fender Bitsa ( bitsa this, bitsa that)?
Look into it more before you lay your $$$$ down.

Blertles - you nailed it exactly with that picture. Change the color and that's the guitar. Exactly. Note the standard "Fender" decal, then 2 smaller decals on the headstock. One says "Floyd Rose"; the other, where it would normally say "Original Contour Body", says "Squier Series".

I did some research here: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.blackman4/index.htm

Running the serial #, it appears to be a 1994-1995 MIJ Fender '60's HRR (Hot Rod Reissue).

The one difference I see is the link above (and its associated picture) calls for 22 frets. The picture you posted as well as the one I'm looking at has 21 frets. So, ...? Maybe the Fender had 22 frets, the Fender/Squier had 21?

paisley strat - I also thought of it maybe being a Fender Bitsa, but looking at the picture that Blertles posted, I'm tending to think it's all factory. Blertles picture and the one I'm looking at are identical except the color.

I'll see where I can get it price wise. The shop owner is a pretty good stand-up guy, I've dealt with him before, his used prices are fair, and he'll make it square with me if it turns out to be something different. (These guys don't like to get a bad reputation w/ the local GI's.)

Thanks for everyone’s help!

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Old age and treachery will win every time over youth and enthusiasm.

"You can never have too many Tele's." A quote from my Sweetwater Sales Engineer

[quote="RickyD"] Note the standard "Fender" decal, then 2 smaller decals on the headstock. One says "Floyd Rose"; the other, where it would normally say "Original Contour Body", says "Squier Series".



Running the serial #, it appears to be a 1994-1995 MIJ Fender '60's HRR (Hot Rod Reissue).

The one difference I see is the link above (and its associated picture) calls for 22 frets. The picture you posted as well as the one I'm looking at has 21 frets. So, ...? Maybe the Fender had 22 frets, the Fender/Squier had 21?

[quote]

Bingo!!! go for it mate- and never ever let it go- you may never see one again in a hurry

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Look like a keeper to me - I'd snag it now! Look forward to some pics soon and congrats on a swell pawn shop treasure!

Ricky is the headstock logo all black like this one?



ignore the earvanna nut and the made in mexico. Squire series guitars were made in mexico, usa (mexican ones were MIA bolted together in mexico) and korea to my knowledge. It seems that different ones turn up all the time so no way is Japan ruled out. Fine guitars from 92-98

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No no and no

Yup. All black. Take of the "MIM", serial # and add in the Floyd Rose decal and you've got it.

Any ideas on the specifics of what this beast is?

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Old age and treachery will win every time over youth and enthusiasm.

"You can never have too many Tele's." A quote from my Sweetwater Sales Engineer

They were a short lived budget model from 92-98. Mine was bought new in 96 or 95. The guy at the shop (was the biggest guitar shop in europe at the time) said american body and neck shipped to mexico (something that stopped a few years back).
The pickups (ceramic bar magnets), bridge (squire) and tuners(squire also) were all cheapies but i got years of service out of em. As i said i've seen MIA, MIM, MIK and now MIJ models. The guitars are not squire guitars but fender note they say fender squire series not squire fender series. The full sized body attests to that fact. The neck on mine is slim as boney maroney with the smallest of vintage frets.

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No no and no

I just found this thread while googling Floyd Rose Strats. This is truly a gorgeous guitar. Brings back memories. I remember this from a guitar shop in Florida in the early 90s and wanting it oh so badly.

Love the finish on it. maybe one day Mrs. C will see it fit to get me one.

Santa Claus... if you are watching and the ACLU doesn't stop you... please put this under the tree for me.

There's a strat like the one in that pic for $400 in the Atlanta area.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/wat/msg/1754290135.html

Hey i have this guitar and it is a Beautiful playing guitar had it for over 10 years now 92 to 93 model best $@! strat

Kahuna Ricky:



Nice Strat. Pick it up.