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previous: JohnC Thanks goodness!I thought a... -- 8/1/1999 11:40 PM

Re: Japanese Strat question

8/2/1999 11:10 PM
Steve M.	Re: Japanese Strat question John, I have to agree with Steve A.'s answer, always play the guitar unplugged first to see how well it sounds acoustically. Then plug it in. Although I've owned only the Japanese strat knock-offs, I have a played a few of the MIJ guitars, and all were excellent guitars. Some were equal to or better than the current American Standard Strats, and at about half the cost too. I can't verify, but I've heard that the MIJ Fenders were made in one of the factories that made the competitor's guitars. I tend to doubt this as the first wave of strat copies to come out of Japan in the early 80s were identical to vintage strats, so much so that Fender seized them at the docks and sawed the headstocks off, which was the only part that Fende still had a trademark on. If the price is right and the guitar plays and sounds good acoustically, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. YMMV, Steve

8/2/1999 11:10 PM

Steve M.

Re: Japanese Strat question

John,

I have to agree with Steve A.'s answer, always play the guitar unplugged first to see how well it sounds acoustically. Then plug it in.

Although I've owned only the Japanese strat knock-offs, I have a played a few of the MIJ guitars, and all were excellent guitars. Some were equal to or better than the current American Standard Strats, and at about half the cost too.

I can't verify, but I've *heard* that the MIJ Fenders were made in one of the factories that made the competitor's guitars. I tend to doubt this as the first wave of strat copies to come out of Japan in the early 80s were *identical* to vintage strats, so much so that Fender seized them at the docks and sawed the headstocks off, which was the only part that Fende still had a trademark on.

If the price is right and the guitar plays and sounds good acoustically, I wouldn't hesitate to buy one.

YMMV,

Steve