I'm a bit surprised that you were surprised at the MIJ quality. It's been no secret that, even going back to the CIJ days, these instruments are extraordinary.
As a lifelong Fender fan and player, I can confidently say that this Strat is the first Fender I've ever seen with an opaque grey finish on it. I kinda like it!
I've a friend with a Journeyman Series in faded sonic blue, it is gray like this guitar! Only from certain angles and in just the right light you can tell there is blue in the finish, however 90% of the time its just gray. It looks great, really different!
I just picked up a 2013 MIJ Fender ltd edition 1 of 25 apparently, 62 vintage "dragon" strat. Believe me when I say I have had them all from American standards to deluxe to the custom shop Eric Clapton strat for 4500 bucks as well as Mexican made ones galore! I have never played a better guitar ever and that includes all the Gibson vintage originals or reissues or custom shop versions I've had too. The fit and finish and the neck shape on this beautiful strat is stunning! And the sound of these pickups are the nicest I've heard on anything! I play fingerstyle guitar including all styles like jazz, Chet Atkins, Classical, fusion, blues and rock and whatever else is out there, and the clarity of each note on every string on any fret is indescribable! The separation of each note is so distinctive especially when I play complicated quick tunes like Classical Gas, for example...yes I know....ON A STRAT ...your asking? Yes, even on this strat the clarity of each note is just exceptional! I just can't say enough about these MIJ Fenders. This one will never leave me!!! If you are thinking about picking an MIJ up, don't hesitate! You will never regret it.
I think the reissue CuNiFe magnet pickups Fender now has are superior to anything I've heard in ages. Hope Fender keeps making the magnets. Maybe someday I can afford them. The clarity of tone on them across the whole range is to my ears phenomenal. I'd say the most usable position 3 sound I've ever heard. Anderton's did an interview with Tim Shaw if I remember correctly. With playing demos of the various new (2020-21) pickups.
I have one of these in Modena red and a rosewood board. Really love the colour and how it sounds. Its my first time using narrow tall frets so it was a bit jarring playing with it at first, but you'll get used to it eventually
Absolutely love locking tuners like this! As if straight from my youth... It is difficult on average to explain to the overnext generation that there is no urgent need to unbalance the head with additional bolts to lock the strings.
@@hkguitar1984 I sold my Reverend 12-string for a Danelectro 12-string because having 12 thumb-wheel style locking tuners on an otherwise lightweight semi-hollow was neck dive galore! It’s not that bad on the Jetstream though. My pretty much partscaster ‘93 SG Special I put these type lockers on, but I also put a Bigsby on it too, balances out nicely. 😂
@@joermnyc Agreed, and of course it all depends on the guitar and its use. Sometimes heavier isn't as big a concern (as long as you have multiple guitars).
The Gotoh locking vintage tuners are not that good. Swapped them out for the non locking ones although the Fender original locking tuners are seriously good enough but more work to redrill the holes to line them up.
@@landonbailey Excellent. One of these days I want to check out in person either the sonic blue or surf green translucent finishes Fender's offering. The gold hardware on the translucent blond is as classic as Gibson's Gold Top.
The Japanese Fender's realy are superb and this is a beauty. At first glance they register as Mexican but i think that's because of the black Truss rod plug. Maybe Fujigen Gaki can look into a Truss rod plug that makes them unique to Japanese built Fenders. It sure is pretty.
Austin, your finger picking sounded great. The more you practice finger picking the more you'll start to notice the different bridge string spacing(s) between Fender's different country of origin(s).
Well I'm not a strat fan but I've bought my son a couple of Japanese strats and I think they are better than American strats for less money but I'm a Gibson player but this one looks pretty nice
That’s a beauty! They’ve really set up the heights of the pickups perfectly. As to USA vs Japan, I actually think Japanese Fenders are at LEAST as well-made as their USA-made cousins.
So if I've done the conversion right (pre import tax, shipping etc) these are only around £650. Has the yen gone down recently? I always remember with Japanese guitars moving the comma to the right one place and making it a decimal to get the conversion price
@@samuelkb2964 1988 American Std. Telecaster in sunburst 1990 MIJ ST62 Stratocaster in sunburst 1992 MIJ ST57 Precision Bass in sunburst 2015 MIJ Classic 60s Stratocaster in surf green
I saw one of these in a store today, in vintage natural and I'm totally smitten. It just looks beautiful. Even with a tortoise shell pick guard which I usually don't like. I'm watching this to see if it's as good as it looks.
Man, this is rreeaallyy nice! I love the look of it. Kind of a dark "egg shell" vibe happening. And...it certainly looked easy to play...you are tearing it up in this video!! I rewinded a couple of times just to listen again. Thanks for this.
I have a ten yr old carbonita tele with the same finish. Mexican made with TV Jones p/u’s in it I upgraded from the fender filtertron style pups. It’s my fav tele. Peace
I have one of these in forest blue, damn nice guitar. They filed down the height adjusters on the bridge, no pokey pokey when palm muting. Nice attention to details. I think i prefer the American Pro II, but these are damn good guitars.
i wanted to love the Am Pro 2, got 6 examples and they all had some issues that my hybrid 2 doesn’t. bridge and vibrato felt better on the mia but necks on all of them had really bad frets, one example even had a whole fret where the finish was chipped lol. i must be unlucky cause everyone on internet loves em haha
The Les Paul guitars will always be my first love, but I have always loved the Stratocaster nearly as much. So I have 3 Les Pauls' and 3 Strats. A life in balance.
I had a MIJ thinline tele Nylon string from the 90s. It did not have bridge pins or a electric pickup. Apparently this is in my imagination. Anyone hear of or ever seen one.
I dig the guitar and the sound. Should check out the Gun Metal Blue colour for the Tele Hybrid ii, I think its a special colour edition but boy its really good. I noticed MIJ metallic colour have this different touch. Love the review.
I have a 2004 CIJ Tele in a similar translucent color, but it’s an ash body. Not sure what they called it back then. It was a musicians friend exclusive I think.
So do you order from the Japan Fender website using a browser translator for and have it shipped to your door? What was the shipping cost and experience like?
I wonder if these pickups are suited for vintage strat sounds? I really like the Hybrid II strat but i want to have the old school strat sounds like SRV, Hendrix etc... anybody knows if this guitar is good for that kind of tone?
It's significantly less expensive than an American Professional ii Strat and is of better quality than the American Performer Strat. Seems like a good deal to me.
I have that style locking tuner on my ‘93 SG, just to help with tuning stability since I also slapped a Vibramate/Bigsby on it. (It’s pretty much a partscaster now, it was players grade when I bought it (back of the neck has a sizable dent, some of the headstock corners aren’t corners anymore, checking (it’s Ebony finish), at least the face of the headstock hasn’t melted like some other ‘90s Gibsons). Plus, some parts that weren’t original already (Pearly Gates neck pickup, roller bridge), so I figured not much value left, may as well make it my own, added in a Duncan Custom-5 in the bridge and one of those 6-way switches for coil-tap (I think the last Jimmy Page signature used one of those?) I think the next thing is will be a fret replacement, it’s not feeling the same after all these years. (It’s a Special, no worries about fret nibs!)
Agreed. Last month I purchased a Tokai custom shop R4 from a Japan Music Store. The guitar was a crazy smoke-in deal. getting it to my house cost about $400 w/Taxes and Shipping. The cost of the guitar was about $2000.
@@hkguitar1984 smoke-in? It's smokin' as in smoking with a bit of slang to it. (Not trying to be rude, just letting you know, apologies if it sounds that way.) Like some people hear "straight and narrow" as "straightened arrow".
@@leviathan_is_me LOL, sharp eyes there Leviathan! I noticed the incorrect spelling before hitting send. Normally I would have corrected the statement, I must be tired! My day job finds me as a Sr. Technical Writer, I should know better. LOL "straightened arrow", I know, many once common cliché are simply lost. I turned 60 last month and just realized how much I miss the 1970s and '80s! Thank You, and be well Leviathan
What is the neck radius? That striped one the other day was a 7.25 radius neck. I really need one. My shoulder and arm grew back crooked. I can’t even play my 12 in radius ones
I think the vintage inspired with modern hardware. The body was shaped very much like an early '50s Stratocaster. The difference in shape and comfort cuts are considerable when comparing a '70s, '80s and modern body to an actual vintage '50s shape. Also, this had a modern 2-Point Tremolo Bridge with vintage saddles. The tuners were vintage looking but included a locking function. Overall a pretty cool guitar.
@@metalmig Same with me. Almost every day. I can easily say I've seen all of his videos. It's been good for sure. Also very pleased to see he and his family are doing well. I just wish he would have kept his old Gibson combo amplifier as well as his Anniversary 1W Marshall amplifier! LOL, I'm knit-picking now................ LOL, the old carpent and his playing demos, they did/do have a certain charm about them! Be Well Miguel, see ya around!
I am finally admitting to myself that for the rest of my life and until the day I die, I will never be able to decide which guitar I would take with me if I were stranded on a desert island - a Stratocaster or a Les Paul. I do know which amp I'd take with me though, but I ain't telling you. 😁
@@sgt.grinch3299 I did have a great day. I was able to relax as well as knock a few items off my honey-do list! I certainly hope all is well with your Family and we can all appreciate this day for its true importance. EDIT; I enjoy fireworks as much as anyone, its our K9 Furry Kids who take issue with them.
@@hkguitar1984 today is my favorite secular holiday. My family has been on this continent since 1725. We participated in every war and the whiskey revolt. I just love blowing up stuff and the smell of gunpowder.
@@sgt.grinch3299 We are truly Blessed to have such patriotic families such as yours. I'm a new kid on the block with my family moving here in the late 1880s.
The only gripe are those locking tuners...hard to use as it wouldn't release the string....it's the only thing I would replace...I would turn and turn and the string just stayed in there...I was worried I had broken it!!
