I agree! As much as I love MIJ guitars, not a chance for a deal like that....unless you want to trade me..I have a number of MIJ guitars! LOL! Like Niki said, The Gretsch is a classic....

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It's going to get done this Thursday. It actually turned out to be quite a coincidence, for the fellow offering the Hwy 1 is the exact same chap I got the Gretsch from in the first place, more than a year ago. I didn't bond with the guitar, and he evidently wants it back. Even though the Strat doesn't come with a hard case (I'll buy one), I'm excited about the trade.

Thanks, everyone, for your good advice. I told the Squier guy to pound sand, incidentally.

I would like a JV strat. I never played one, but a guy on youtube makes me want one.
I'm at work so I can't post a link, but look up videos by JVStratocasters, he has one video where he has like 20 JV strats. And his cover of Voodoo Child is awesome.

And most of those Squiers that are selling in that range are the later E series, A series, and SQ series MIJs. Totally different guitars with much lower specs. There hasn't been a real JV on Ebay in a while, but when the economy was better I would routinely see them sell from 1-2,000 grand depending on the condition, and whether it was an Export or domestic model. I have played the older guitars enough to know that some of them are really special instruments, even the SQs and E series were pretty decent guitars and they didn't have the Cloth wiring, USA pickups, Alder or Ash bodies, USA hardware etc. The first issue JVs pretty much used all American Hardware and pickups and were just built in Japan by the same factory that had been turning out Tokais and Grecos that were eating into Fender sales. No doubt about it, if this is actually a JV serial strat and not an SQ or E series, then it is worth a lot more than his overseas Gretsch.

How "classic" is an imported Gretsch?? I mean really, does it have the same cache as a MIA Gretsch? It is basically an imported guitar with a Gretsch name on it. Don't get me wrong, I love Gretsch axes. Just saw Jakob Dylan the other night sporting the most beautiful black and gold Gretsch that made me drool!!
I buy, sell and trade guitars all the time, and it is more important to me if the guitar has a sound and feel that I am looking for, or I just really like. I try not to be a snob about where it was made. I also look for guitars that are hard to find, and relatively rare. I will trade a guitar that is readily available for one I want that is hard to find if the money is equal.
Also, the 1980s MIJ Fenders and Squiers are very nice guitars. I own 3, and find them to be great guitars for the money. That being said, I would not trade a nice Gretsch for a Squier Strat.

A korean one is not a classic... I agree...



Most of the high end Gretsch guitars are still being made in Japan.. A few custom shop guitars are being made in Corona (USA).