MIJ Strat

[TDavis]

I have an opportunity to buy a dang-near mint 1995 Fender MIJ Stratocaster for a pretty amazing price...but unfortunately, distance precludes me from playing before I pay.

I'm not too familiar with the Japanese Fender guitars. Was that (90's) a good era for them? What are the general differences between a MIJ & a MIM Stratocaster...pros & cons?

[guitararmy]

I can't comment on the MIM strats, but I have two MIJ strats, one from the 90's and the other more recent.
Both are well made, no issues. Mine have pretty hot pickups which I like.

[Chickee]

Any pictures? And possibly a description of what is it about this particular Stratocaster, aside from the MIJ build and price, that make it so attractive to buy sight unseen/unplayed?

I like Stratocasters a lot. I’m really interested what makes this one special.
Thanks,
frank d.

[FrankHudson]

I have two MIJ Fender Telecasters. One from the Nineties and one from the early 21st century. The 90s model is a 50's style and the turn of the century one a "Fat Thinline Nashville" model (semi-hollow, one f-hole, 3 pickups, neck humbucker."

The 50s style one had its bridge PU replaced before I bought it used. The other I put a Nocaster bridge PU in because I like those.

One thing I've heard is that the MIJ Fenders don't have as good electronics as the US ones (or even the current MIM line). I'm OK with fixing issues there if they come up, but neither has given me issues there. While I haven't measured things, both feel like they have slightly smaller necks than US Teles I've owned. While I like, even prefer, a somewhat beefy neck, I'm pretty flexible with electrics in that regard, and some would of course prefer that.

[joeappel]

MIJ Fenders are very well regarded. They have a reputation as being consistently high-quality instruments that in some cases were better than the concurrent USA models.

Personally speaking, I'd be more concerned about condition than build quality/tone. So if you can't see it in person the next best thing is to ask for a bunch of detail photos and maybe a video showing that everything works.

Good luck!

[fpuhan]

I have a MIJ Fender Stratocaster XII (12-string) which was a Japan-only re-issue of the early 12 that Fender produced, and it's an excellent guitar. Great fit and finish, intonation, and of course, plays like a 12-string!

(Here with my USA-made Eric Clapton Artist Signature Strat)

[rmp]

I don't know about the 95s, but I had an 90 MIJ Strat that I still regret selling

it had the sweetest sound and a perfect neck.

but alas I sold it. what a DumbDumb!

[J Patrick]

…nicest strat I ever had was a MIJ 89 ST 54…..stupid me I let it go…

[Steve DeRosa]

I have an Olympic White/RW MIJ '86 Fender/Squier Strat - the ones that kept the name alive while the company reorganized after the CBS debacle - that served as one of my two main gigging guitars for nearly 25 years...

Plays better than anything I've handled that came out of Fullerton after 1966 or so, and feels more like an early-60's American instrument than the Mexi-Strats...

Decked the bridge, added the two missing trem springs, and had flatwound 12's on it - the way Leo shipped them in 1954 - since day one, and it gets "that sound" you hear on every classic Strat recording through the mid-60's, when everyone started going over to ultra-light strings...

I started electric as a Gretsch player in 1964, and in my latter years I've returned to my first love - there's just a natural symbiosis when I plug in and crank it up...

That said, the Strat's not going anywhere during my - or my wife's (her favorite of our electrics BTW) - lifetime...

[Chickee]

Here’s a link to a copy of the 1995 Fender Japan Catalogue.
There are about five or six levels of Stratocaster available from Japan in this buyers guide. Some I would think very valuable today, and some not so much.
So my original question to the OP still stands-what Stratocaster is it that you are looking at that’s so special you would buy it sight unseen? But this OP is MIA it seems.

By 1995, Fenders’ off shore builds were no longer being done at the renowned FugiGen manufacturing plant that had begun in 1983. That era ended circa 91/92 according to Fenders history. FugiGen guitars are stamped Made In Japan and the Fender Japan plant guitars are stamped Crafted In Japan. Some feel the quality of the MIJ products improved after the move into Fenders own manufacturing facilities in Japan. Speculation? We may never know for sure.

Below is the catalogue, and Y291yen was just about a buck in American green!

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...ZZw3GvIneSDQiR

Frank d.

[Chickee]

And just for giggles-
The Malmsteen Strat was the most expensive at Y140,000yen
And a double neck Strat was listed at Y230,000yen
I don’t know why Yngwie’s face is blurred out? Your guess is as good as mine! Bahahaha😂

C1CD2931-2C88-4359-AF5A-59D039465B1C.jpg

[rmp]

Originally Posted by Chickee

And just for giggles-
The Malmsteen Strat was the most expensive at Y140,000yen
And a double neck Strat was listed at Y230,000yen
I don’t know why Yngwie’s face is blurred out? Your guess is as good as mine! Bahahaha😂

Attachment 88144

LOL!

I have a few ideas why, but, I'll leave it at that.

[rockabilly69]

I've had a few MIJ fenders and they've all been good. The only one I have left is my MIJ 2016 Classic 60's Jazzmaster, but the only thing left from stock on that guitar is the body, neck. and tuners. I changed everything else to things I prefer, but it sounded good before the changes.

[rokdog49]

I had a 90’s something with noiseless pups.
Best sounding Strat I owned.

[fpuhan]

If the OP is still around and reading this, I'd like to add two points. The first is that just this evening I came across a MIJ Fender Stratocaster that meets my needs about 98% (I'm not so sure the neck profile is for me). I'm dithering over I want to spring for it or not.

The other is something that was a Big Deal™ about 30 years ago: TQM and the Deming Prize. TQM is short for Total Quality Management, and the Deming Prize is awarded to those firms who follow TQM's principles of constant quality improvement. The sheer irony of the Deming Prize is that the man it is named after, W. Edwards Deming, was instrumental in improving Japan's manufacturing techniques following WWII. It was only later that his principles garnered attention in the U. S. The prize named after him is one of the longest-running and one of the highest awards on TQM in the world today.

The Japanese have a term that doesn't translate easily, monozukuri. In short, it refers to "pride in manufacturing work." That doesn't convey the word's subtleties (a good article on it can be read here), but I think the posts in response to the OP have all suggested that Japanese Fenders are NOT cheap knock-offs. Rather, they might even be considered "limited runs" nearly on the level of Fender's Custom Shop.

The guitar I'm looking at is elevated in my estimation because of its Japanese origin, not diminished by it.