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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Feb 2, 2020 5:15:01 GMT -7
I remember playing a late 1980's Strat at a music store that really impressed me. It was candy red with a maple neck and tremolo. I wish I had had the cash to buy it but I was really poor then. It was a bad time in my life, but I'll never forget that guitar.
Anyone know how many years the MIJ guitars were made, and what they're worth on the market today?
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Post by heynewguy (Ol’ Bill) on Feb 2, 2020 5:47:36 GMT -7
I love the MIJ and CIJ Fender guitars! More true to the models that USA Fender was putting out. I’m talking about the 50’s and 60’s reissue’s. I have two Statocasters. The MIJ is a three color sunburst with a rosewood neck. I put Custom 54 pickups in it and blender control. The CIJ is Fiesta red with a rosewood neck. It came stock with Texas special pickups. I put a blender knob in this strat too. I’m not sure what years they were distributed. I’m guessing they are going somewhere in the 800 to 1200 range. Good luck on your quest Dave!
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Post by Russell B on Feb 2, 2020 6:44:44 GMT -7
All I know about them is that the MIJ models we’re supposed to at the top during that time. I played one around 20 years ago and I though it was a really well-built guitar.
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Post by heynewguy (Ol’ Bill) on Feb 2, 2020 7:15:44 GMT -7
All I know about them is that the MIJ models we’re supposed to at the top during that time. I played one around 20 years ago and I though it was a really well-built guitar. Yeah Brother Mayne! They were made in the Fuji-Jen factory where all the high end Ibanez models were made.
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Post by jimiata on Feb 2, 2020 9:52:05 GMT -7
I picked up an "86 MIJ Squier Strat in 1993. It was well reliced naturally. The previous owner carved out a space for a bridge humbucker;I put a set of...GFS Vintage single coils. This guitar plays extremely well even with a 7 1/2 radius. It sounds like.a Strat, quacks like a Stat and with a blender control it sounds very Teleish. The maple neck is straight and the three bolt neck hasnever caused a problem. It was my go-to guitar through the '90's. It weighs 7lbs and the white finish has aged to a nice cream. It's going nowhere.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Feb 2, 2020 18:08:10 GMT -7
How were they branded? Were the good ones branded Squires or Fender? For the life of me I can't recall. What's CIJ mean? Crafted in Japan?
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on Feb 2, 2020 18:20:15 GMT -7
I also have a "crafted" in Japan Fuji-jen Tele. The headstock should say Squire on it rather than Fender. The serial numbers will begin with SQ. Mine was given to me by a friend that was told by the guy he got it from that he had taken off the Fender name off the headstock after they refused to give him a artist deal on the guitar. In reality, it never said Fender - it said Squire and he didn't want anyone to know. It sounds great! It has a neck humbucker in it with a tele pick-up in the bridge.
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Post by Buzz Fretwear (Ignatius) on Feb 3, 2020 4:22:49 GMT -7
I've had a '94 MIJ 54 Reissue Strat since about 1997. I've had another Strat or two come and go but this one stays. I've since replaced the pickups, pots, and I'm running an Allparts neck on it right now because the original vintage frets wore down and there wasn't enough left to level and crown. That original neck is an amazing feeling V shape, and I never found the 7.25 radius to be problematic. I've often thought about getting that neck refretted, but it may not be cost effective or even possible due to the poly finish on the fingerboard. Anyway, I've played American Strats that don't measure up to this one. Maybe it's just because I've had this one for so long and I've been through many gigs with it.
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Post by John on Feb 3, 2020 5:24:36 GMT -7
In 1984 bought one of the first Squire strats. Over the years, I've heard they were just MIJ/CIJ guitars. (not like the Chinese or Indonesian models of today) I still have the guitar. Even my luthier said "That's actually a really nice guitar."
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Feb 3, 2020 18:12:42 GMT -7
I'm going to go check it out tomorrow. The price is $700 and it looks really nice. I'll let you all know what I think after I see and play it. If it's as good as the one I played back in the '80's it's mine.
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Post by doctorice on Feb 4, 2020 10:11:43 GMT -7
I have a MIJ Strat tucked away. Time permitting, I'll pull it out and see if there's any additional info to add to this thread.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Feb 4, 2020 18:00:48 GMT -7
I got home from picking it up at about 3:30, and I just finished taking it apart and doing a string change and setup. Very cool guitar, I'm not disappointed. I like the pickups (It looks to be an all original 1989 model. It's a Made in Japan, s/n E944897. The weight is 7lbs 8oz. Rosewood neck, nice Red color. The pickup and control wiring looks all original, never touched. So I believe everything is original, and the back story from the seller confirms it.
The pots are dated '89. The pickups I'm pretty sure are steel rods with a ceramic bar magnet glued to the bottom of the pickup. I'll put up some pictures tomorrow, too tired to do it now. I took a bunch of shots of the inside of the pickguard and pickups, and need to get some shots of the body tomorrow. The neck is nice, very little fret wear. It's got Gotoh tuners and a very nicely done nut. Dual roller string trees for the top four strings. There's a couple of dings on the back of the neck that I want to fill with poly (the body is poly and I'm pretty sure the neck is too). Aside from that and a couple of dings on the body, it's in great shape for it's age. I think I got it for a pretty good deal, $625 including hard shell case and brand new Shaller strap locks. It sounds really, really good! I haven't adjusted the pickup height yet, I'm pretty gassed right now so that'll wait for tomorrow.
I'm going to do all the research I can about this, like what factory it was built in, etc. I was impressed with it when I played one in the late '80's and I'm happy to report that this hasn't disappointed my fond memory of that day in a music store. It's really cool, because I wanted it so bad but I was broke, almost dead from alcohol and drugs, and didn't have a job or a future. Here we are 30+ years later, I'm sober and have the cash money to buy it. Thank you God for sobriety!!!
I'd love to hear your thoughts, Mike. Here's a quick pic.
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Post by heynewguy (Ol’ Bill) on Feb 5, 2020 4:41:11 GMT -7
A beauty for sure Dave! Good luck and have fun!
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Post by runninwiththerevil (Matthew) on Feb 6, 2020 7:24:08 GMT -7
Man that looks great.
My dad was working at Fender in the late 80’s (sales side). During this era the Japan stuff was hot. They were even doing the junky stuff under other names. Hondo was the super low end and they had Squire Bullet too.
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Post by LT on Feb 6, 2020 8:36:13 GMT -7
That's awesome Dave! Congrats.
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Post by Russell B on Feb 6, 2020 8:50:06 GMT -7
It’s really cool Dave!
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Post by Joey Beverages on May 23, 2020 4:51:02 GMT -7
My main player for the past few years is a CIJ 62-style Stratocaster.... similar to the one Bill let me play at Z-Fest 2007. I have owned/played a buncha other guitars in this lifetime .... but the build quality and a set of Lollars has kept me happy far longer than I’d ever imagined possible Currently eye-balling a 57-style sunburst Stratocaster..... but trying to avoid getting the stink-eye for bringing another guitar home Cheers always Joel
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Post by aguynamedben (Ben) on Jun 16, 2020 11:40:38 GMT -7
Nice axe! I want to try one of those out. Be careful with 80s Japanese guitars, they're dangerously good. I find the 80s/90s Japanese guitars tend to have REALLY nice, dark rosewood fretboards. 1981 Tokai LS-50 - rock-n-roll 3 piece top, weights 8.5lbs, probably old growth mahogany, potentially Brazilian fretboard (Tokai for sure used Brazilian on the higher end models like the LS-120, made in the same factory). 1999 Fender Mustang Bass (Crafted in Japan) - the short scale make this the best bass if you play guitar 90% of the time but need bass for recording, etc.
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Post by helmi on Jun 16, 2020 15:54:20 GMT -7
Nice axe! I want to try one of those out. Be careful with 80s Japanese guitars, they're dangerously good. I find the 80s/90s Japanese guitars tend to have REALLY nice, dark rosewood fretboards. 1981 Tokai LS-50 - rock-n-roll 3 piece top, weights 8.5lbs, probably old growth mahogany, potentially Brazilian fretboard (Tokai for sure used Brazilian on the higher end models like the LS-120, made in the same factory). 1999 Fender Mustang Bass (Crafted in Japan) - the short scale make this the best bass if you play guitar 90% of the time but need bass for recording, etc. That's a nice bass,been looking for one for a while.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Jun 16, 2020 16:38:39 GMT -7
I discovered something I wasn't expecting. The neck is finished in Nitro Lacquer. I did a test with rubbing alcohol which poly finishes are impervious to, and it softened the lacquer right up.
So the dings in the back of the neck around the 2nd to 5th frets have now been drop filled with lacquer, and I leveled them off and polished it this afternoon after letting it cure for about 10 days. Looks and feels great.
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Post by meanslide on Jun 17, 2020 16:35:21 GMT -7
I remember playing a late 1980's Strat at a music store that really impressed me. It was candy red with a maple neck and tremolo. I wish I had had the cash to buy it but I was really poor then. It was a bad time in my life, but I'll never forget that guitar.
Anyone know how many years the MIJ guitars were made, and what they're worth on the market today?
I believe 1985 was the first year and they went until '94. I have a CIJ (Crafted In Japan) double bound, slab board Tele Custom (purchased in '93 for $300) that's just killer. Made the same year and month I graduated HS, June of '86. Congrats on the Strat!
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