Guitar Nerds Anonymous

Hi to all. If anyone is looking to sell any Fender Strat US or Fender Strat Japan, please contact me.
I borrowed a Fender Strat US custom, with Seymour Duncan mini humbucker on the bridge and a some other customisations and I fell in love.
P.S I am also interested to Squier Japanese from mid 80s or mid 90s

It's my experience of Fenders that supposedly identical models can feel and play completely differently. I've played tons of strats and the only two I ever liked were my mate's 80's US one and the 90s Mexican one I bought off a forumenger.
Therefore, don't restrict yourself to a certain era or country of origin - play as many as you can and buy the one you like the most.

Yep. My early 00's mexican tele has one of the best feeling necks I've ever played - other people remark on it too.

Hi. I completely agree with you. This applies for all guitars simply because not every piece of wood is identical with each other, even if it comes from the same tree.
I have played with Squier Strat - Protone series and for my hands and taste they were more enjoyable than the Mexican ones. This doesn't make the Mexican ones worse guitars.
However, the japanese factory has quite a reputation that's why I would be interesting to try them first.
My main goal is to get a quality guitar, without taking into consideration the pickups or the electronics. I want to make a Frankestrat but I want the base (body and neck) to be as good as possible for my budget.

I know nothing about the Japanese models, but the Mexican and US factories are about 20 minutes down the road from each other, and use the same bodies from the same wood. Necks differ though. I think standard Mex necks are 50's style with one less fret and a different profile.
Exchange rate might affect the relative prices. The dollar is weak right now.

Incidentally, seeing as you plan to do your own thing with the electronics, I've got two Squier Jazzbasses, one early Korean model and one newer Indonesian (iirc) one, and in terms of body and neck, both are great. The later one had much better quality hardware as standard, but on the Korean one I ended up replacing pickups with Seymour Duncans, and the switches, electronics and control plate with genuine Fender parts. These are better quality than the Squier ones in either bass.

Well there are plenty of online materials that you can read about the Japanese factory and the quality of their guitars.
Unfortunately the last couple of years, the Japanese Fenders are not sold in EU or US and it makes them more rare and precious for all of us. And the EU regulations have changed recently and some types of wood (which they categorise as exotic wood) is not allowed to be imported in EU.
Carlos Santana has a PRS with Brazilian rosewood fingerboard but he couldn't bring it to EU as this piece of wood is "exotic".
Anyway, all of the above have to do with each individual's taste. I have seen guitarists playing with a £199 Squier and you couldn't believe in your ears..

I had an early 90s mex strat from new as my main guitar for years. Although I loved the way it looked and felt to play, it weighed a ton, had a thick poly finish and the thinnest of thin sounding ceramic pickups. Really gutless.

Because it was my only guitar for so long it took on a significance it didn't really deserve. It took me years to admit this and after dragging it from house to house, having long since stopped playing it I decided to do the the practical thing and flog it. I don't miss it.

I don't really get on with strats anyway. I think I just OD'd on that sound in my teenage years.

I still crave a hollow body electric bass. Maybe a Hofner.

I've got a weird jones for a violin bass at the moment too. I KNOW.

Got a Squier J bass for swaps. Same like this: http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/squier-standard-jazz-bass-walnut-satin-rosewood-936515.jpg

^not my duvet.

or bass

hofner violin basses come with a hefty amount of sir thumbsaloft shaped baggage.

guild starfire or one of these for my money:

Yeah but also...

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fuckit. i really want a zon sonus. so much #gothdildo.

^Well, at least it's not a Warwick.

Apone: Hofner Senator basses do come up sub-£500 on the forums. I know someone with one, but she's convinced it's worth £2k... pff...

Worse, I know someone with a graffittied, fucked, headstock cracked and frankly gorgeous '68 blonde Tele bass and she thinks it's £4k (more like 1500 tops in that nick)...

I know the wrong people.

you know me.

I used to have a Starfire: Looky. Oh and on U75 as well! http://www.urban75.org/offline/images/offline28_20.jpg

Needs some square plates...

Some ruff/in progress things for the soundtrack mentioned on the previous page. Feel free to judge my pompe.

https://soundcloud.com/elvers/nth-man-v4

https://soundcloud.com/elvers/jc-slow-theme-v1

Heh. I was going to get rid of those plates but now I'm determined to find square bowls as well.

Watched the first hour of Alpha Papa again the other day. There's a bit where Alan is bewildered by the trendy new radio station owners putting out snacks on an oblong plate and a square bowl. #getwithitgrandad

I haven't used these for well over 10 years, fired it up today, sounding great, guitar was still in tune too. Gotta love 11's :)

Sweet looking amp.

It needs a new cab, it's all wobbly.

your all...

oh never mind

Still looking to find a Japanese Strat. Good news is that I found a Japanese online store which is quite famous in EU as well.
I found my beauty (which costs around £290 with shipping fees) and I will pay around £75 in duty fees once arrived in the UK.
Does anyone has bought before from Ishibashi? My online reseach and a call to the guys there indicates that they are very good. As well, any tip for making the duty process quicker?

TDPRI.com has lots of info on them. Mostly good reports