Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

Lewguitar said:
Stay away from Tremolos that look like this. They are real tone suckers and sound thin and twangy. Unfortunately they cannot be easily replaced. So I've gotta say: don't buy a MIJ Strat if it has this tremolo.

View attachment 52220
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I have an '85 MIJ Strat that came with that bridge. I bought it used for $175 at Lentine's Guitar Shop in Akron, OH around '86 or '87. One of the best things I ever did was giving it to Trevor Wilkinson who replaced the locking monstrosity with a rarely seen VS-100 Convertible vibrato. He also removed the locking nut and added a set of Sperzels. It's an awesome guitar, seen on a stand near the drum kit--with the original bridge--in this pic from the '80s.

376_1059400439857_2033_n.jpg
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

Evan Skopp said:
I have an '85 MIJ Strat that came with that bridge. I bought it used for $175 at Lentine's Guitar Shop in Akron, OH around '86 or '87. One of the best things I ever did was giving it to Trevor Wilkinson who replaced the locking monstrosity with a rarely seen VS-100 Convertible vibrato. He also removed the locking nut and added a set of Sperzels. It's an awesome guitar, seen on a stand near the drum kit--with the original bridge--in this pic from the '80s.

View attachment 52370
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So, Evan,

Is that you with the Ovation?
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

orangecountycarl said:
YES....somebody else has noticed this. I could never find a replacement block that fit. Others are too wide. But, I'm actually more interested in replacing the bridge with another (I performed some work on the original and messed it up).


Do you know which exact replacement bridge will fit? There are so many and I need one with the narrow block. I don't care if it's zinc or not.
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Yes I do. Gotoh used to make one and may still. It would be the GE101TS C Model. It's a perfect fit and the block is steel.
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

I had a couple of the CIJ 72 Tele Customs that, basswood or not, we're great guitars. I just never really liked the new "wide range" buckers in the neck. I did always wish they had that pretty ash grain.
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

Just looked on Ebay and there's several there and StewMac also sells them new. Around $65. GE 101 TS is the model.
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

http://www.guitarfetish.com/Upgrade-Steel-and-Brass-Tremolo-Blocks_c_219.html
THese will fit right on the MIJ bridges, as long as you get the "import" size block. Well, the MIM block will attatch to your saddle plate, but the hole for the arm won't be in the right place. Which won't matter if you never use the arm like I do... ANd these blocks cost WAY less than other "name" brands, a friend got a Callaham one and his guitar doesn't sound any different than mine. Plus these come in brass or steel.
My first electric was gonna be one of these Squiers, in 83 or 84. I saved up all my $, got my Dad to drive me all the way to Milwaukee to the nearest guitar store that had them. (~2hr drive) I tried out all of the ones they had, picked out a red one, and when the counter guy was talking about how much better the Japanese ones were than the American ones (at 1/4th the price, even) my Dad got all huffy, loudly announced "WE AIN'T BUYIN' NO JAP CRAP, WE'RE OUTTA HERE!" and that was the end of it. That was a fun car ride home... (and later at Xmas to make up for it, he bought me a plywood Hondo bolt-neck LP copy. Made in Korea. :headache: )
 
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Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

I had a MIJ Contemporary Tele with that bridge and a string clamp. I think they were called System 1 trems. There was also a System III that was even clunkier and instead of locking nuts it had string clamps locked by using a lever. Excellent quality guitar tho, and my old bass player told me a few months back that he thought my tone was best when I used that guitar! Not sure if that's a good thing, or an idication of my bass player's tone perception! ;)
I used to have a CIJ 50's Strat too. 2 guitars I should have never sold. :(
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

I've thought on and off about pulling the trigger on an 80s Squier to have a proper Strat in the arsenal...

Didn't the early ones come with proper Alnico pups?
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

Ashurbanipal said:
I've thought on and off about pulling the trigger on an 80s Squier to have a proper Strat in the arsenal...

Didn't the early ones come with proper Alnico pups?
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None that I've owned or worked on had anything other than ceramic magnet pickups.

Although they sound good. A little bright and crisp but good.

It's funny: the 80's Squier 50's Strat reissues are so good that it's like they had to search for things to make different about them in order to distinguish them from from the regular made in Japan Fender Strats.

So they put a Squier decal on the peghead.

They left the FENDER name off of the the individual bridge saddles.

But really, with a pickup change a nice 80's Squier 50's reissue Strat reissue is a top quality professional guitar with mucho mojo!
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

Lewguitar said:
None that I've owned or worked on had anything other than ceramic magnet pickups.

Although they sound good. A little bright and crisp but good.

It's funny: the 80's Squier 50's Strat reissues are so good that it's like they had to search for things to make different about them in order to distinguish them from from the regular made in Japan Fender Strats.

So they put a Squier decal on the peghead.

They left the FENDER name off of the the individual bridge saddles.

But really, with a pickup change a nice 80's Squier 50's reissue Strat reissue is a top quality professional guitar with mucho mojo!
Click to expand...

Hmm, I thought some of the early JVs had Alnico pups. But yes, I've seen many with the flat pole pups and a ceramic bar stuck on the underside.

Nevertheless, the seem like good axes by all accounts; I notice that some fetch a pretty penny!
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

image.jpg
image.jpg

Probably the wrong forum for this- so I apologize in advance...but I've been searching for info on the guitar above for a few hours and came across this tread.
I'm going to be selling this guitar and know nothing of its value other than what I'm finding online - and the comps I'm seeing vary greatly in price/ value. If you gentlemen could possibly give me your educated and experienced opinion, I would greatly appreciate the guidance.
I have several additional pictures- uploaded only 2 for brevity.
Thanks in advance for any assistance!
 
Re: Made in Japan Fender Squier Strats from the 1980's....

^^ Nice piece, mid-80s. Appears to be missing the last two frets?

You're right about the variability - some are as high as $800! Though most seem to float in the $300-500 range. For yours, I'd say about $300 because of the missing frets, though the rest of it seems to be in good nick.
 
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