Today I got out and looked at two strats. Lately I've been looking for a good canidate for putting some really nice pickups in... Leading me to look at a japanese strat and a mexican strat. I'm pretty torn between the two. I'm looking for some opinions from other people, their experiences, which they think is a better value, ect.

First strat was an '04 mexican I believe. I'm not exactly sure what the body was, nor was the owner. It was 3-tone sunburst, with either really nice looking alder or maple. The owner thought it might be solid maple, while I thought it was probably a maple top. It had pretty subtle flaming on it. Overall very nice. That's one of my favorite color strats. Then it had a maple neck with very nice frets which had just been polished. Black pickguard - knobs - pup covers. Also a SD distortion humbucker in the bridge. Very sharp, very clean looking. The humbucker was really nice, and it has really solidified my plans of having a humbucker in which ever guitar I get.

The second guitar was a 84-87 japanese standard strat (E series). You could really tell it was from the 80's. The maple neck was pretty worn on the back, slightly ambered, with a very worn first fret. The black body was pretty worn also. It had scratches all over the back, and some divits, none of which were through the paint. The front had a lot of wear too. One chip on the bottom that was through the paint, probably the size of a dime.
Here's what was kind of interesting to me. It had a white, single ply, 8 hole pickguard. I believe Fender USA stopped using the 8 hole in 1959, when they switched to the 11 hole. That makes me think that the model is probably is based off a '57, as that was the original blue print fender japan was sent in the early 80's. Also the $@! strat has a thicker tremolo block, not what you see in the japanese. I'm not sure what comes in the mexican, if anyone knows, speak up please.
The pickups were also very vintage looking. They're pretty yellow. I think that the old $@! guitars used similar pups to the american ones, as they are ~25 years old, and there is virtually no rust on the heads. If anyone knows what kind of pups (alcino or ceramic?) came in them, that would be good.

So basically I'm torn between a beautiful and clean sunburst, newer mexican or a vintage black japanese strat. I think the pups on the mexican sound much nicer, but with either guitar, I'm going to be replacing all of the wiring, pots, switches, and PUPs with high quality. It's hard when looking at a guitar to not factor the PUPs in. Also, to keep the SD humbucker is going to cost an extra $50, or I can get the standard pup back for the original cost.

So then to the cost:
Mexican Strat - $250
Japanese Vintage - $325

Now I'm very torn. I was going over there with a mind set on the japanese, but after seeing the quality of the mexi, I'm pretty much on the fence. It's not very often when you go to look at a couple of guitars and end up liking them both.

The last note, I think the japanese is more likely to retain it's value or possibly increase. The japanese is all orginal, and if I do go about modding it, I'm just going to pull the pickguard/ electronics out and put it in a box.

I know this is the kind of thing I need to choose myself, but I just like to hear from other players and their experiences and opinions to kind of flesh things out.

Anyway the general plan is: HSS, eric clapton preamp/pots kit, new pickguard, new wiring, and new tremolo/tuners if/when needed. I really have been interested in trying sanding the paint off of the body where the tremolo contacts the body wood. I think it helps the tone and sustain. I wouldn't be really comfortable doing that on the $@!, but I may change my mind. I'd probably do it day 1 on the mexi.

Thanks guys!

go with the Japanese, you won't be sorry. They are very quality instruments. I have a 1990 MIJ Strat and it's top notch, it has some high end PUps in it the neck is just unreal. I've played lots of MIM Strats but none come close. Of course this is just my opinion and you should get the one that feels best for you, but I think the best choice is the MIJ

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I got a black cat bone, I got a mojo too.

Well I've been doing a bit of thinking. I'm pretty positive the Japanese Strat is based off of a 1957 stratocaster. The bridge, string tree, tuners (I think), pickguard and neck all match I believe. That leads me to believe fender japan may have sold a lot of e series strats like the one I was looking at that were based heavily off of the JV reissue style strats they made a few years before.

Don't buy either, get a new (2009 spec) Mexican Standard. I'm selling my MIA to get one... but then maybe I'm just insane?!

Actually, Japanese Strats are much more better in terms of quality campared to the mexican strat. most of the japanese strat comes with USA pickups while the mexican comes with mex pickups. some of the old japanese strats are even better in tone compared to modern USA strats.

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04' CustomShop 65' Strat Relic
05' 70s Strat CIJ
03' Gibson J-45
03' Ovation Celebrity CSE24

I'd say get the Japanese strat. Mid 80's E series strats are of exceptional quality. Most contain american electronics and blocks. The amber coloring you see on the neck is from the vintage tint, this does not account for wear though.

Mims experienced some upgrading in 2006. But since the model you mentioned is an 04', it will not have those upgrades.

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"I started out with nothing, and still have most of it"

in 2009 it doesnt matter what you buy mexican /japan or any thing else. most of the guitar makers use the same state of the art equipment they have top craftman use the same machines to cut the wood and most time the same woods. and this isnt anything new this all started back in 1997 when the guitar makers were building state of the art factorty and using the same state of the art cutting machings the USA are useing and it continues today. not to long ago i saw and herd a overseas jackson made the guy said he paid $350 brand new for it and it blew away a 1962 RI STRAT right off the stage this is a fact my self and 4 of my friends laughed at the guy who owned the STRAT. THE JACKSON TORE THE 62 RI UP! ITS GETTING TO THE POINT PEOPLE were most guitar makers are useing state of the art factory's using decent parts and the craftman are VERY GOOD and you wont have to spend $1,500 for a great guitar.

oh the also the jackson in question had jackson humbuckers and
the tone and volume pots were 500k pots.

I say the Mexican Strat because well I like it javascript:emoticon(':shock:') but I haven't seen the jappanes one so just the one that look's cool I would say

From your description it sounds like the MIJ is one of these: http://homepage.ntlworld.com/john.blackman4/50s.htm


Of the two guitars you described personally I would go with the MIJ and leave it as stock as possible.

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Chet Feathers

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

oh well now that i have seen the '50s Reissues



I do like it thanks but I still like the Mexican Strat but it's up to strat_tone

An 87 japanese strat will be considered legitimately vintage in 2 years when its 25 years old. Add to that the fact that japanese strats of just prior to that period are considered the guitar that saved fender. I think you'd be mad to look elsewhere. Particularly Jackson, they really are one trick ponies. Ok their brilliant at that one trick, but thats all they have to offer. A metal guitar that is quite useless for anything aside from twiddly lead playing and chord work in 5ths. The Jackson CVR2 pickup is a truely horrendous affair, mushy bass ended and overly zingy highs without much of anything inbetween. Thats why on anything above the Korean JS range they put seymour duncan JB and jazz, or EMG's in em. Note they got close to bancrupcy in the mid 90's when trends shifted away from metal, no one was buying them. That was when FMIC bought them out.

I still have a jackson dinky, I sold my RR3 last year. The only guitar they made that still intrests me is the Surfcaster.

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No no and no

I have a 1984 MIJ strat, 70s style, big headstock, well made but with horrible die-cast bridge saddles, they were originally chrome plated but that's worn off. The block looks die-cast also. the neck is narrow at the nut (which I love), but a bit too 'U' or 'D' shaped higher up. The body is VERY heavy also.

Whilst is has great sustain (as you'd expect with a heavy body) and sounds ok, it does however, sound nothing like a lively jangley strat.

It fails that popular strat test in which vibrations are felt-for by holding the base near the jack-plug whilst the guitar is suspended when the B string is plucked.

I'm very attached to it as I've had it from new (bought it in Leeds in 1984), but is it a good guitar, I'm not so sure??

I've often wondered if new bent steel saddles and a new steel block would help? Maybe the body wood (basswood?) is what's making it sound so un strat-like?

I'm considering a full renovation job on it - it's looking very naturaly road-worn!

Sometimes they just need a renovation. If I was going to bring new life into one of my MIJ Strats I would go Callaham: http://www.callahamguitars.com/partsstr.htm

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Chet Feathers

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