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Signature Models |
| Most Signature models, i.e. instruments
endorsed by or celebrating a noted guitarist, are produced in the USA, but
Fender Japan has been responsible for some noteworthy examples of the
genre: |
| John Jorgenson Limited Edition
Hellecaster |
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These guitars were made in 1997 in a limited edition of, we
think, 500. The guitar illustrated is no.018. It has a black sparkle
finish on its heavy "rock" maple body. The flamed maple neck with
large reversed headstock is finished in a high gloss vintage tint. The 22 fret rosewood
fingerboard has gold sparkle dot inlays and a 'Hellecasters' logo at the 12th
fret.
It has Schaller locking tuners, a floating two pivot point
tremelo and 'Wilkaloid' self-lubricating nut. All hardware is gold plated. The
pickups are Specially designed ( only for this guitar ) Seymour Duncan
split hum-cancelling pickups, with each pair having a normal coil on the bass
side and a reverse wound/reversed polarity coil on the treble side. The volume
knob, has an added capacitor to maintain consistent tone at all volume levels. One
tone knob has bass boost / bass cut, the other is of the push pull type.
Together with the 5 way switch there are a possible 7 pickup combinations. |
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Ritchie Blackmore |
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Aside
from the two Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders (the middle pickup is a
dummy!), three-way switch and graphite
nut, the most notable difference between this model and other MIJ 70's
reissues are that the Ritchie Blackmore Signature Model (model no.
025-8400) has a
scalloped fingerboard. Unlike other scalloped guitars (e.g. Malmsteen
Signature), this guitar has a progressive scalloping that increases in
depth higher up the neck. Low down, where most chording is done, it is
barely noticeable. But up in the 'solo' area of the neck, the scalloping
is pronounced. The woodwork also differs in that the scallops are
placed right up by the fret, where your finger actually plays, instead of symmetrically
between the frets.
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Hank Marvin |
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The
UK's first guitar hero....lead guitar with The Shadows and now a solo
performer...every guitar came with a pair of black horn rim
glasses. I made that up. Hank's first MIJ signature model emerged in
1992 under the Squier banner at the request of UK & Europe
Distributors. I understand it was a run of around 1,500. Later in
the decade another Hank Marvin Signature was produced in two runs of 500
and this time under the Fender banner and based on the 50's Reissue and
featuring Kluson type vintage tuners, a single-ply pickguard and 'soft
v' section maple neck. |
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The Ventures |
| I always think
of The Ventures as a pale, US version of The Shadows. A very unfair
assessment, and they are (or were?) very big in Japan. Big enough for
Fender Japan to produce a tribute range of instruments in 1996. And very unusual they were too as you can see from the photos
below. |
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| a) The Ventures
series |
b)
& c)The Stratocaster (model no. 025-8100) featured a two-piece swamp ash body with charcoal
burst finish, gold plated metal work, block inlays and a bound 'c' profile
neck. Another oddity is that this particular instrument's serial number,
10256, gives no obvious clue as to year of manufacture. |
d)
Note the battery compartment for the active mid boost. |
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Are you looking to buy a
used Fender Japan guitar? Confused by what you see on Ebay and elsewhere?
Read
my 'buying
tips' before commiting yourself.
| ..and
after doing that go to |
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for the
best selection of used non-export Fender Japan
instruments you
will find this side of Tokyo |
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