Up for sale, a 1982 Fender Stratocaster ‘62 vintage reissue model ST62-85 in excellent, 100% original condition and in perfect working order. Produced in the first year of Fender Japan instrument production, this "Japanese Vintage" (JV) series guitar is an uncommon higher-tiered model, boasting the same pickups and steel vibrato block used on the Fender USA Fullerton factory reissues from the same year. This JV series Strat is also notable for having a very faithful and fast-feeling '60s-style neck carve, with a bit more roundness than the Fullerton factory necks produced in the same year.

Extremely accurate to vintage spec and sold only within Japan and to select international territories, tonewoods include an alder body, maple neck, and slab rosewood fretboard. The USA-made Fullerton-era pickups deliver an array of vital tonalities, representing a transition from the last gray bobbin examples to the first black bobbins, featuring a 1982-dated gray bobbin pickup in the neck position, and black bobbin examples in the bridge/middle, all with untouched solder.

The bridge pickup has ample sparkle and clear note attack, with classic Strat quack at the “in-between” positions on the 3-way pickup selector switch, while the neck pickup is girthy and full, with a bell-like quality and a gutsy cut. This JV-era Stratocaster ST62-85 weighs 7lbs 11oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike’s Guitar Bar with 9-42 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Slender C, measuring .815” 1st fret, .930” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood slab, 7 1/4” vintage-spec radius
-Frets: Slender, hint of wear beneath the G and B strings on frets 5-9
-Scale Length: 25 1/2"
-Nut: 1 5/8“, bone
-Tuners: Kluson-style, Gotoh
-Serialization: Small “Made in Japan” text on headstock face, JV-prefix serial on neck plate
-Factory Markings: Neck heel pencil dated 9-17-82, “B” stamp in pocket indicates 85,000 yen price point and model tier

Body Specs:

-Wood: Alder
-Pickups: Fullerton gray bobbin pickup x1 (1981 date stamp), black bobbin x2
-Harness: Untouched solder, full-size Japanese pots date to July, 1982
-Hardware: Six-point vibrato, steel block
-Plastics: Three-ply white pickguard, white knobs/pickup covers

The gloss Olympic White finish exhibits subtle checking, and this thin gloss finish is purportedly nitro lacquer according to the Fender factory literature for this model tier. There are some minor dings along the lower bout perimeter, and just a couple small nicks and finish scratches on the top and back. The neck profile retains its smooth ambered gloss, with a few shallow marks along the bass-side shoulder.

The original form-fit Fender-branded gigbag is included.