Need help identifying a MIJ Stratocaster

[CoilSplit]

I recently purchased a MIJ Fender Stratocaster from guitar center. The guitar is in near mint condition, with a virtually flawless finish and very minimal fret wear. The serial number is T042457 but this only tells me that the guitar was a “Made In Japan” during 1994 - 1995. Apparently there are a number of models that were made in Japan during this period and they range in value. It isn't super obvious in the pictures but it has the truss rod adjustment at the neck. The tuners appear to be Gotoh, engraved with “Fender Japan”. The logo is a transition period style as far as I can tell. The pickups look to be originally white but the neck and middle have aged more severely than the bridge. I am not a wood grain expert but it is a sunburst finish so I took a closeup of the grain. I hope these details and the pictures help some Fender history fan identify which model I have. I know I could figure out what model it is by removing the neck. I am not willing to do this however because I am debating about returning the guitar. I purchased the guitar for just under $550 after taxes. It was a bit of an impulse purchase because I don't see Japanese Stratocasters in a guitar center often and the employee I called said it was mint. I am worried that I have a ST-362 and I am a little unimpressed with the sound. Once I know what model I have and what it is worth; I will make my decision if it is worth keeping. Thanks for help identifying the guitar and I welcome people's opinion on its value.

[Silence Kid]

Re: Need help identifying a MIJ Stratocaster

I'll try my best to spare you on my (somewhat negative) opinions of '90s MIJ Fenders. Instead let me ask you to search your local Craigslist/GC used online listings, as well as eBay and Reverb; $550 is VERY close to what you can get a US Fender for nowadays. I'd be surprised if you didn't prefer a US Standard by far.

Anyway, because it's burst it's at least not basswood. I *think* some lower level Japan Strats got ceramic pickups; in general there's not a huge value hit to these for removing stock pickups and wiring which wasn't that good initially. I don't know what specific MIJ Strat had a headstock adjust but I sort of thought only "Contemporary" Strats got that.

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Need help identifying a MIJ Stratocaster

The body looks like it's probably alder, but it has an almost ash-like appearance. $550 does seem a little high for that.

[Bumu]

Re: Need help identifying a MIJ Stratocaster

@ Silence Kid: Is your opinion of Japanese Fender a negative one in general, or is it just '90s models? And if so, what is the reason for that? In my experience, the Fender Japan guitars are really good but I only do have experience with older series, especially the JV's.

@Coil Split: If you do not like the sound, why should you keep it? It seems like you're viewing that guitar from the angle of increasing value but at the moment the JV's are the only series thats actually really looked after


Hello there by the way, I am new to the Forum

[Silence Kid]

Re: Need help identifying a MIJ Stratocaster

@ Silence Kid: Is your opinion of Japanese Fender a negative one in general, or is it just '90s models? And if so, what is the reason for that? In my experience, the Fender Japan guitars are really good but I only do have experience with older series, especially the JV's.

@Coil Split: If you do not like the sound, why should you keep it? It seems like you're viewing that guitar from the angle of increasing value but at the moment the JV's are the only series thats actually really looked after


Hello there by the way, I am new to the Forum

Take this with a grain of salt, there's a thread further down on the board where my somewhat disparaging opinion of them was shot down by some people who like them. In order, here's what I dislike: Cheap metal hardware, cheap electronics/pickups, cheap feeling finishes, subtle inaccuracies in design, poor quality fretwire (wears quickly,) and poor quality necks in general. Some these issues can be solved by throwing cash at them, others are less feasible to rectify. (Really I think after the initial batch of Japanese Squiers they got worse, esp. late-90s era.)

Here's a photo demonstration (not by me) of one of my least favorite Fender Japan aspects; a very open grained, rough fretboard:

Mexican left, Japan right. 90% of rosewood boards on MIJ guitars seem to look like that. Not in this picture, but I've also experienced errors in dot/inlay placement on MIJ necks (not set even with the surface wood, crooked placement.)