1983 Fender Squier Stratocaster SQ Series---Tokai Killer, 1st year, MIJ RARE! 70s Strat

This 83' MIJ Squier SQ Series Strat will make you rethink everything
For starters, you don't Fender history if you don't know the history of late 70s/80s Fender and the transition from CBS to the modern ownership.  In the late 70s, Fender USA was getting blitzed by high quality reproductions (aka 'lawsuits') of their most famous models (pre-CBS strats/teles) by Japanese manufactures such as Ibanez, Tokai, and Fernandez.  These guitars were outselling Fender's new offerings for a period so they had to respond.
Fender in response established Fender Japan in 1982 and began using the very factory that was making some of the best of the lawsuit guitars to make their own Reissues.  This factory was also the basis for Ibanez and in a lot of ways they were unspoken sister companies.  Besides official Fender Japan guitars, Fender revived and reestablished the Squier brand to offer 'budget' models to compete against the vaunted Tokai Springy Sound and Silver Star in the European and Japanese markets.  Originally there were the JV series in 82' which are highly regarded pre-copies and they were followed up by the SQ series in 1983 (Squier's USA market debut.)  
Contrary to what another NYC guitar shop claims, this is not a Hendrix tribute strat (lol.)  The SQ series was essentially a 70s reissue that was too close to the 70s to be called a 70s reissue.  It was considered a 'budget' guitar by Fender because it had the 70s features that players didn't like at the time (three-bolt neck, bullet truss-rod, CBS headstock,) but not in terms of quality.  The Japanese did a deceptively good job on these to the point where it frightened Fender USA executives because the quality exceeded many of the 70s Fender Strat's these were somewhat based on.  

Instead of using an Ash body like 70s Fender, the Japanese used a now cost-prohibitive tone wood called "Sen Ash" to make the bodies.  Even though this wood is referred to as "Ash," it's not Ash and is actually more similar to Alder in tonal properties.  Gone was the thin sound that typified the late 70s strat.  The Squire had a starkly more fat and resonant tone in comparison and players took notice.  It is also significantly lighter than 70s strat!

Another amazing feature of these guitar is the largely one-piece maple neck with a rumored Brazilian Rosewood fretboard.  The word is at the time the Japanese didn't have the same production and export restrictions.  The necks on these are particularly legendary in terms of their playability.  Famous blues guitarist Jeff Healey was known to have built his favorite Strat out of JV and SQ Squier parts with Evans pickups.  
The hardware and electronics on this are rock solid early Fender Japan.  Most Fenders from 83-86' were comprised of a mixture of USA and Japanese parts due to the limbo Fender was in with the renovations to the Fullerton factory and the eventual sale of Fender/opening of the Corona factory.  The tuners, bridge, etc are all Fender Japan and were the same parts on the higher end Fender RI's of the time.  The stock pickups on this guitar sing, jangle and funk it up with the best of them.  

The physical condition of this guitar is pretty great for what it is.  There is some slight buckle on the back and a coupe of very small dings, but nothing that goes through the finish.  The front face is CLEAN.  
These guitars are becoming exceedingly rare, don't let it slip away.  I love them so much that after trying the all-maple modded version we have in stock, I got one of my own.   This is by far the cleanest one for sale online.   :-)
$950 or best offer.

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