Fender Japan Stratocaster ST-50 (1994–1995, FujiGen) - Candy Apple Red Metallic - Upgraded with EMG Pickups

This is a beautiful mid-90s Fender Japan Stratocaster ST-50, made at the FujiGen factory, finished in a stunning Candy Apple Red Metallic that really pops in person. The guitar is in excellent condition for its age, with only minimal signs of use (please see photos). The frets are in great shape - smooth, even, with virtually no wear or divots, just very light signs of play. The only cosmetic note is a tiny dot mark on the 8th fret of the fingerboard, which is hardly noticeable.

The pickups have been upgraded to a full EMG active single-coil set, giving the guitar a powerful, tight, and completely noiseless tone. The wiring is solderless, making the system very clean and easy to service (see photos). The tuners were also upgraded to modern Fender side-locking tuners; the original mounting holes remain underneath, so if you ever want to return it to stock vintage-style tuners, they’ll drop right back in with no new drilling required.

Overall, this guitar plays and sounds fantastic, the EMGs deliver a strong, articulate response that suits everything from clean tones to high-gain, while the comfortable maple neck with vintage-style profile feels smooth and fast. Cosmetically, the rich red metallic finish looks incredible under the light and gives this Strat a premium, eye-catching presence.

If you’re looking for a Stratocaster that’s a little different, unique upgrades, pro-level playability, and classic Fender Japan craftsmanship, but without spending a fortune, this is a seriously cool and worthy option.

The following work has been done: full cleaning, fret polishing and string height setup (2.3 mm at the 12th fret on the low E string), pickup height adjusted for balance and clarity, and a fresh set of D'Addario XL 10/46 strings installed.

Epic Axes is a musician-driven showroom in Los Angeles. Each guitar is personally selected, inspected, and tested to ensure top performance - only instruments we would play ourselves become part of our collection.

Body
• Shape: Stratocaster (’50s style reissue, ST-50)
• Body Wood: Likely Basswood (common for ST-50 series of this era)
• Finish: Gloss Candy Apple Red Metallic (polyester)
• Pickguard: 3-ply Black
• Control Layout: 1 Volume, 2 Tone, 5-way blade switch

Neck
• Neck Material: Maple (1-piece, skunk stripe)
• Neck Profile: Slim C (comfortable mid-90s profile)
• Fingerboard: Maple (integrated, one-piece neck)
• Radius: 7.25" (184 mm) – vintage spec
• Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
• Frets: 21 vintage-style, excellent condition with minimal wear
• Nut Width: 1.65" (42 mm)
• Nut: Factory bone/plastic nut (original)
• Truss Rod: Headstock-adjust
• Neck Joint: Bolt-on, 4-bolt plate
• Headstock: Small ’50s style
• Serial: S072285 (FujiGen, 1994–1995)

Electronics
• Pickups: Upgraded EMG Active Single Coil Set (solderless system, noiseless)
• Controls: 1 Master Volume, 2 Tone
• Switch: 5-way selector
• Functionality: Fully working, stable and noise-free

Hardware
• Bridge: Fender vintage-style 6-screw tremolo
• Saddles: Fender vintage-style stamped saddles
• Tremolo Arm: Not included (standard Strat-style arm, ~$10 replacement)
• Tuners: Upgraded Fender locking side tuners (original mounting holes preserved, reversible to stock)
• Output Jack: Standard Strat style, chrome
• Strap Buttons: Standard Fender chrome

Other
• Weight: approx. 7.7-7.9 lbs
• Condition: Excellent for its age, minimal wear, frets clean, one tiny mark on 8th fretboard position, back of headstock shows old tuner holes (hidden under current tuners)
• Case: Standard gig bag