Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

[CsaRvoX]

Hi everyone...I intend to buy a strat but I'm confused between the two...
First one is a USA Fender standard strat with maple neck & fingerboard priced at 900$ including hardcase...
Second one is a Japan Fender standard strat but with special Texas pickups having maple neck & rosewood fingerboard priced at 1000$ including hardcase...
well both seems great quality...I haven't tried them yet personally but maybe you guys could help me...which one gives me the best classic strat sounds?I also think that Japan models are the same quality as the USA models is that true??

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

Your gonna have to play them, That's the only way to know. I own a few
jap strats, Their hit or miss as far as Quailty Goes. I not a big fan of the
Texas Special PuPs they tend to sound a little dark to my ears( not your
classic strat sound) Good luck

 

[TattooedCarrot]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

What model is that $900 American strat? New American series standard strats only cost $779 right now with $50 Fender rebate on top of that.

 

[Dangerine49]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

In general, MIJ/CIJ Strats are very well made and are close to MIA in quality, but it all depends on the models you are comparing. Usually, the Japanese Fenders are less expensive than MIA's making them a good bang for your buck. But in your case, the MIA is significantly less expensive. Sight unseen I would lean toward the MIA, but if you can play them both then you'll have to decide for yourself.

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

Try and get a US Highway 1 strat - they are better and you may have to change the pups in them but the necks are quite good. Should also be cheaper?

 

[Davey]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

i didnt like the highway strat i played at the shop that much.. wasnt comfortable with it.. dunno what it was, it just felt diferent, whereas the usa strat was just great to play. very smoth maple neck w/maple fretboard

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

Also...Alot of the MIJ guitars have bodies made from Basswood(Also called Japanese alder)...The Basswood is not a bad sounding wood,but it tends to be lighter,has a tighter grain structure and the wood itself is softer in that it indents pretty easy....If you are opting for ash or alder,make sure the MIJ strat is one of the 2..I Like basswood and it's ok but it can be darker in tone and sometimes I feel like basswood is just a step down from alder,but that's just me....We've all left out the MIJ varieties of wood...You can get MIJ axes in alder and ash,but you really have to know what you're getting...Ash and alder has a wider grain pattern,but alder doesn't always..Basswood has almost no pattern at all and is used mostly on sunburst finishes because it doesn't take as easily to finish...Hope this helps?

John

 

[midnite_man]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

I have a MIJ 60's Reissue Strat that I'll never get rid of. It plays great, and is built well. It stays in tune great since day-1 that I've had it, and I bought it used. Japanese Strats are excellent guitars IMO. But American made models are also great guitars in their own right, and I love my Standard MIA Strat just as much especially with Seymour Duncan replacement pickups now in it.
There are good and bad guitars in any line, and if you're going to be mail ordering one I'd probably go with either an American Standard, a U.S. Highway 1, or possibly try to find a reissue MIJ Strat....in that order.

 

[Pandemonium]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

My guitar teacher owned many USA Strats. He always kept bringing them back to the shop and always chose a new one that had better neck, tone etc. At the end he found an extremely heavy and quite old Japanese Squier Standard Strat. He's been playing it for more than a year now and claims it plays and sounds much better than any of the USA Strats he tried.

I don't doubt that one bit, every Japanese Strat I've seen has been excellent. The other guitar player in our band has one that's a killer, I like it better than any Strat I've ever played. It's the one with the stock bridge humbucker, "Fat Strat" I think?

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

I own an alder-bodied MIJ 57ri strat, and it's fantastic. I'd choose mine over an american standard.

The main difference between american standards and MIJ strats is that most MIJ strats are vintage reissues of some sort. The American standard will have 22 frets, a modern neck shape, med jumbo frets, and a newer bridge and electronics.

So, the MIJ strat is more likely to sound and feel like a classic strat. Texas specials are a little overwound to be considered true vintage reissue pickups, though. Fender Japan puts them in because japanese pickups have a poor reputation. It's a similar idea to pioneer selling it's hifi gear with wharfedale speakers.

To learn more about current new MIJ models, go here (these guys ship worldwide, too):

http://www.ishibashi-music.com/fenderjp/index.htm

Fender USA also makes vintage reissues that are more accurate than the MIJ ones. The usually cost a decent amount more than the american standards.


Also remember that a rosewood board strat will sound darker than a mpale board strat.

Picka according to your taste, and most importantly, play the guitars if you have a chance. The world is covered with players who have chosen less expensive strats over MIA models. I have no idea why the MIJ costs more than the MIA for you, though.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

I own an alder-bodied MIJ 57ri strat, and it's fantastic. I'd choose mine over an american standard.

The main difference between american standards and MIJ strats is that most MIJ strats are vintage reissues of some sort. The American standard will have 22 frets, a modern neck shape, med jumbo frets, and a newer bridge and electronics.

So, the MIJ strat is more likely to sound and feel like a classic strat. Texas specials are a little overwound to be considered true vintage reissue pickups, though. Fender Japan puts them in because japanese pickups have a poor reputation. It's a similar idea to pioneer selling it's hifi gear with wharfedale speakers.

To learn more about current new MIJ models, go here (these guys ship worldwide, too):

http://www.ishibashi-music.com/fenderjp/index.htm

Fender USA also makes vintage reissues that are more accurate than the MIJ ones. The usually cost a decent amount more than the american standards.


Also remember that a rosewood board strat will sound darker than a mpale board strat.

Picka according to your taste, and most importantly, play the guitars if you have a chance. The world is covered with players who have chosen less expensive strats over MIA models. I have no idea why the MIJ costs more than the MIA for you, though.

I own 2 MIJ Fender labeled guitars and they are phenomenal instruments! Better electronics and pickups and WOW!

 

[CsaRvoX]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

thanks you all guys...Saturday I'll go and try the guitars...I have a basswood body Ibanez RG570 modded with a push/pull tone to switch between single/humbucker coils...I'd compare it to the strats and if I find significant difference in the tones I'd get one of the strats...I've moded my RG570 to get close to a strat tone to switch single neck & bridge coil...and I love the 4th position in it...do you think it would make a huge difference cause I'm thinking about selling RG570 nowadays I don't use heavy distortion so I'll compare them and get the one which suits me the best...

 

[DBentley]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

I love Japanese Fenders.
I prefer the early 90s Jap Fender Strat my friend has to any of the topline US models I've tried.
And my Jazzmaster is Japanese too.

They've got more character to me.
Maybe I'm talking out of my arse.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

I dunno. My opinion is that Fender mades SO many models with SO many options that it boils down to one's that "have it" moreso than where they were made. I always go for American Strats because I'm convinced that they sound and feel more solid than any from Japan or Mexico. But, I can't use that as a blanket statement. We're talking about instruments made from wood. The guitars with the best combination of wood and construction usually wins, no matter where it's from. My favorite thing to do with strats, is to get fresh new necks by buying and selling them. If you have a body and pickups you like, just keep buying and selling strats till you find a neck that is amazing, then swap'em. It's far cheaper than buying aftermarket necks with no logo.

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

FWIW the early MIJ Fender strats (that is the '82 -84 era) has the JV (Japan Vintage neckpate) and are considered to be very rare and sought after. These guitars were made primarily for the Japanase market although some came into Europe and also the US. Some of these were made from MIA parts and others were made from MIJ parts. What is undoubtable is that they were are very good guitars and came at a time when Fender were having severe problems with putting out decent guitars. At the time Fender could well have folded.

There has also been a great myth/hype built up on these guitars be it MIJ or even CIJ and some of them are good. I know I have got one of the late '82 guitar ('57 re-issue) and I know it's genuine because that was the year that I bought the guitar. There has been a great cottage industry in Japan/Korea or wherever that have suddenly meant a lot more of these guitars have suddenly come out of the wordwork. Probably more than was actually built at the time. So you do have to be very careful about some of the claims for these MIJ guitars that are coming out.

Some of you have seen my '82 JV strat with the Fralin pups that I put in courtesy of Lew and I can quite honestly say that it is a better guitar, the neck is sublime. The original pups were okay but nothing to write home about and frankly I am happy with the Fralins. The reason when I originally posted suggesting a US Highway 1 strat is because having got one recently it is a fantastic buy and whilst I am not enamoured with the pups (you would be spoilt if you had the Fralin vintage hot pups) then it can be easily modded.

 

[CsaRvoX]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

I know that the USA Strat is made in 1999...what about 1999 model strats??what are the main differences in strat manufactures let's say from 1980's to 1990's...should I consider buying a 1988~ strat??Do they give the classic 80's sound better than 1999 strat???

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

I know that the USA Strat is made in 1999...what about 1999 model strats??what are the main differences in strat manufactures let's say from 1980's to 1990's...should I consider buying a 1988~ strat??Do they give the classic 80's sound better than 1999 strat???

If I was buying an american std strat, I'd go for the later one, as they upped their quality control in the 90s, and added a few cool features.

As for a classic 80s strat tone, if you are really after 'classic' 80s strat tone, get yourself a set of EMG SA pickups. There is nothing more '80s' than a strat with emgs. Back in the 80s, you couldn't move for strats and strat copies with EMGs. I still see a lot of them around. To complete the picture, get a boss chorus, a roland JC120 and a couple of police records.

I wouldn't call that setup a 'true' classic strat tone, though. To me, the classic strat tones are the 50s alder and ash bodied maple neck strats, the early/mid 60s alder with rosewood board strats and the late 60s slab board strats. 70s, 80s and 90s strats represent a step down from those, tone-wise, Though a decent reissue from the 80s onward will get you close to the classic sound.

Of course, if you really mean 'classic 80s hard rock/metal' when you say 'classic 80s', then grab whatever strat you like the feel of and dump a humbucker in the bridge position.

 

[beandip]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

I just got back my MIJ squire. Its alder. Heavy as a mofo. You cant find this kind of craftsmenship in a MIA. the vintageness and the moderness clash together in a way 10 times as better as a MIA. Plus, the color is soo kick ass.

 

[CsaRvoX]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

If I was buying an american std strat, I'd go for the later one, as they upped their quality control in the 90s, and added a few cool features.

As for a classic 80s strat tone, if you are really after 'classic' 80s strat tone, get yourself a set of EMG SA pickups. There is nothing more '80s' than a strat with emgs. Back in the 80s, you couldn't move for strats and strat copies with EMGs. I still see a lot of them around. To complete the picture, get a boss chorus, a roland JC120 and a couple of police records.

I wouldn't call that setup a 'true' classic strat tone, though. To me, the classic strat tones are the 50s alder and ash bodied maple neck strats, the early/mid 60s alder with rosewood board strats and the late 60s slab board strats. 70s, 80s and 90s strats represent a step down from those, tone-wise, Though a decent reissue from the 80s onward will get you close to the classic sound.

Of course, if you really mean 'classic 80s hard rock/metal' when you say 'classic 80s', then grab whatever strat you like the feel of and dump a humbucker in the bridge position.

thanks man for the great input...I'm actually not into classic 80s metal...I want the feel of 80s pop,rock,soft rock,nearly every song has that classic strat twang&quack tone...I want that...I also have a boss chorus,fender twin reverb and boss od-1 so I think everything is ready except for the strat

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Japan Strat or USA Strat ???

In that case, an american standard will suit you very well. But try if you can, because strats have a way of surprising you. I tried over fifty strats of all types and prices before settling on one, and even then I've since replaced it with a cheaper model.