Based on the 1962 pre-CBS model this Japanese gem has a maple neck, rosewood fretboard, Modern C slim and round neck profile with truss rod adjustment at the body end of the neck, Three single coil pickups + piezo, 11 screw 3-ply white/black/white scratchplate, Bridge has been modified and changed to a Fishman Powerbridge VMV.
A pre-1964 style 'spaghetti' Fender logo on the headstock. Generous body contouring with plenty of arm and chest relief, and usually, relatively light weight. Kluson-style vintage machine heads, 3-Tone Sunburst finish. E-serial guitar made in 1984-1987 in Fujigen, Japan.
It was recognised pretty much immediately (even internally at Fender) that the initial Japanese Fenders were far better value than their USA-made counterparts. Depending on which early ‘80s American Strat you were looking at, the Japanese newbies were normally either of similar quality, or even better
Fender MIJ '62 reissues were produced by FujiGen Gakki - the same manufacturer who produced the renowned JV series guitars which preceded them. They can be thought of as a slowly evolving continuation of the JV series export reissues, although they had 'E'-, rather than 'JV'-prefixed serial numbers, and Fender logos rather than Squier. Other than that, there was very little difference between the last Squier JV '62 Strat Reissues, and the first of these Fender MIJs.
The MIJ ‘62 Strats were typically light in weight (due in part to the generous countouring, but they normally used lightish wood anyway) and very springy and lively in their tone. Weight of this guitar is: 3.2kg
The electronics are modified as follows:
All pots in down position, pickup selector positions: 1 - Bridge , 2 - Mid+Bridge , 3 - Mid+Bridge , 4 - Neck + Mid + Bridge , 5 - Neck + Bridge
Vol pot up - Piezo active and tone pot will adjust volume of piezo.
This guitar is in good/ very good condition for its age, with a fair amount of bumps and bruises you would expect from a 40 year old guitar. See photos for cosmetical condition. There is some strong sticker glue residue behind headstock and a paint chip missing near backplate. Frets are 90% (likely changed not too many years ago).
Comes with tremolo bar and (non original) white backplate.
NB! Case is in quite bad condition, but good for protection in shipping the instrument securely.
