Fender Japan ST72 Stratocaster | Part Two

◀ Part One

In the previous post, I highlighted the main external features of this stunning Fender Japan ST72 Stratocaster. Now, I've dismantled everything because it's going to be thoroughly serviced, cleaned and polished.

Hardware wise, everything was in good shape except for the bridge. Rust had begun to take root, especially on the stamped bent-steel saddles. It took lots of Autosol, steel wool, various lubes, and a Dremel polishing attachment to get things up to snuff. 

On to the body, then. As expected, there's no shielding, save for some aluminum foil under the pickguard where the controls are. I really like the "worm route" in the bridge pickup cavity, it's a nice vintage touch. 

Now, the electronics. This ST72 features three ceramic single-coil pickups, a Hosco VLX53 five-way lever pickup selector switch, Gotoh A250K mini-pots, 0047uF (473) tone cap; and generic output jack. I was kind of disappointed seeing mini-pots instead of full-sized ones, I must say. I mean, they could put in a Hosco switch, but not full-sized pots? Guess Fender Japan had to save a little money somehow.

The wiring had been tampered with, as I spotted splicing and heat-shrink tubing on the black and white wires to the output jack; and the totally gnarly solder connections on the output jack tabs. Well, as the volume pot was stuck, I'd have to remove a couple components; and might as well do some rewiring while I was at it. The stuck pot was turning again after some spray lube and lots of coaxing with a set of pliers; thank goodness. A spritz of contact cleaner; a few quick rotations both ways; and this pot was back in the saddle.

I replaced the spliced wires with a length of shielded coaxial cable, and added a lock washer to the output jack socket to prevent it turning by itself and coming loose. You'd be surprised at how many manufacturers try to save a few bucks by not using a proper lock washer. Instead, they'll simply add another hex nut on the inside; making it doubly-difficult to remove the jack from the jack plate for servicing. Nope, you won't find this shortcoming on Switchcraft #11 jack sockets.

Once the electronics and hardware had been serviced, this ST72 was reassembled and set up with Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys (010-046). I was secretly pleased that Shaifful requested 10s and not 9s like most players. He has found that 10s give him a much beefier tone than 9s; you see. Way to go, Shaifful! Last but not least, tonewise, this ST72 oozes a totally righteous Strat vibe; I do declare. Don't believe me? Well, give this YouTube Video a listen and tell me I'm wrong.

Fender Japan ST72 Stratocaster | Part One

Part Two ▶

Here's a gorgeous Fender Japan ST72 Stratocaster belonging to Shaifful SENI. Shaifful politely requested that his pride and joy be thoroughly cleaned, polished, serviced and set up; and I was only too happy to oblige. You see, Shaifful is the son of the late Che'gu Ahmad Kisai; a dear acquaintance of mine from the '80s. And that makes him family in my book.

Now, there are lots of MIJ (Made in Japan) Stratocasters around, including many versions of the ST72. As such, I was unable to obtain specific information on this particular model. I believe the experts out would do better than me, based on the serial number and pictures I've uploaded. So, whatever specs stated in this post are from my own observations. As to what it sounds like, here's a short YouTube Video I uploaded that highlights all five pickup positions.

As you can obviously see, the finish is a three-tone-sunburst. The body wood looks like alder to me; but I can't be certain. What I can tell you, though; is that it's definitely not basswood. The neck is one-piece maple, so there's no separate fretboard. The headstock is the big '70s style, and sports Gotoh tuners, two string trees with nylon spacers; and a "bullet" style truss rod adjustment nut.

The maple fretboard features a 7.25" radius and 25.5" scale. The nut appears to be bone, based on visible file marks and nature of the nut slots. The 21 frets are of the small, vintage variety; while the fretboard markers are black dots. I must point out that the fret ends have been meticulously shaped; testimony to the quality of Japanese craftsmanship.

"Made in Japan" and the serial number have been silkscreened onto the neck heel, while the neck plate bears an engraved "F" logo. Now, let me see if I've left anything out. Ah, yes; one very interesting feature of this ST72 is the larger-than-usual tremolo block. I reckon it's almost as large as the "big blocks" found on some US Strats. Nice touch, methinks.

That's about it for this post, then. In Part Two, I'll be taking everything apart so we can have a good look at what's inside this Japanese beauty. Till then, stay home, stay safe; and God bless us all.

 

1981 Ibanez Blazer BL-400: Part One

Quick Links:    Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four

Preamble
Here's a lovely red MIJ Ibanez Blazer Series BL-400. According to Guitar Insite, this guitar was manufactured in June 1981 at the Dyna Gakki factory in Nagano. I don't believe the body sports the original finish; as red is not one of the finish options listed in the 1981 Ibanez Electric Guitars Catalog. The only available finishes at the time were BK (Black), BS (Brown Sunburst); and TV (Traditional Violin).

Specifications
Body: Solid Ash
Neck: One Piece Rock Maple
Tuners: Smooth Tuner II
Fretboard: 25.5" Scale/9.5" Radius/21 Frets
Pickups: Super 6
Controls: Master Volume/Master Tone/Five-Way Pickup Selector/Phase Switch
Bridge: Accu-Cast
Control Knobs: Solid Brass
Hardware: Nichrome

This BL-400 was refretted about three years ago, and I assume that was the last time it received a proper set up. Oh yes, the stock nut has been upgraded to one of bone. The nut's a little short of the fretboard edge on the high E-string side; and the strings are sitting way too deep in their slots. On the whole, this instrument has not been properly cared for nor maintained adequately. As such, it's caked in dust, grime, crud and rust; and hardly makes a sound when plugged into an amp. Yes folks, it's time for an overhaul!

Late 70s S8 Series Fender Jazz Bass

Hmmmm .... there's nothing like a vintage instrument to kick my salivary glands into overdrive. This late 70s sunburst Fender Jazz bass is no exception. It's been the main squeeze of Kuantan-based multi-instrumentalist/slapmeister Achoy for as long as anyone can remember, and a legend in its own right.

Checking the serial number at Fender's U.S. Instruments Product Dating website got me a little confused. According to Fender, an "S8 + 5 digits" serial number denotes an instrument manufactured between 1977 and 1978. But what about an "S8 + 6 digits" serial number? Further research on the web revealed that I was not the only one facing this dilemma, and no one seemed to have an answer.

As a last resort, I emailed Fender Consumer Relations with a couple of pics of the bass, and was relieved to be told that "CBS typically used 5 or 6 digits after the prefix, so it's completely normal to see 6." They also confirmed the authenticity of the instrument. So, folks, the Jazz Bass dates to between 1977 and 1978.

Years of sweaty and smoky gigs had taken their toll on this bass. Both the bridge components and bullet truss rod adjustment nut were immobile, metal fused to metal by layers of hardened crud and rust. Additionally, the neck had way too much relief, and the G string was noting out at the upper reaches of the fretboard. Not good, as Achoy loves to solo way up high.

Some people might find the condition of the bass a tad off-putting, especially the gnarly back of the neck. But this is exactly what Achoy loves --- "loads and loads of mojo," says he.

The electronics were working fine, so a few squirts of contact cleaner was all that was needed. I was surprised to find that the control cavity was shielded with carbon paint, complete with a grounding tab. The condition of the tab told me that it had been in there for at least as long as the CTS pots had. The plastic output jack is another story, however. I assume it was a replacement for the original Switchcraft jack.

The 7.25" radius bound fingerboard sports 20 well-worn frets, and looks more like ebony than rosewood. Nice and smooth, I tell you. Yes, I did mention that the frets are "well worn." Does Achoy want a fret dress? No, he says, coz he likes it the way it is. When the frets eventually get totally worn down, he'll send the bass in for a full refret. That's what he says, and I'm fine with that.

Meanwhile, the body looks like it's solid ash. Talk about heavy! The fretboard also sports block inlays which could either be abalone or mother of pearl. I've included a collage of these gorgeous inlays, hope you find them as droolicious as I do.

The maple neck has a nice, meaty profile, much like a slimmed-down baseball bat. It's bolted on to the body in typical 70s triple-screw fashion, complete with the "micro-neck" (micro-tilt) adjustment mechanism.

The dreaded rust/crud bond plaguing the bridge and bullet nut was eventually broken via various methods involving chemicals, heat and cold. Then came a thorough cleaning with a metal "toothbrush," and final coating of blue grease. Put them back together and they were good to go.

With the truss rod and bridge back in working condition, I was able to straighten the neck, slap on a new set of strings; and adjust the bridge saddles for optimum playability. Achoy says that this new setup suits him to a T, and I am very thankful that he appreciates my efforts. Nuff said, let's look at some pics.