Up for sale, a 1983 Squier by Fender JV '62 Stratocaster model SST-45 in excellent, 100% original condition and perfect working order. Crafted in the second year of Fender Japan production, when quality between the Squier and Fender brands was virtually indistinguishable, this rare model was part of the "Japanese Vintage" (JV) line which only lasted from 1982-84.
Built at the FujiGen Gakki factory in Japan, this guitar was one of Fender's earliest attempts at an affordable Strat under the Squier brand name, easily exceeding the quality of later Squier iterations. Tonewoods include a basswood body, maple neck, and thick slab rosewood fretboard. The guitar retains the original trio of black fiber bobbin alnico magnet single coil pickups, and via the five-way pickup selector switch the guitar offers an array of traditional Strat tonalities. The bridge pickup delivers plenty of sparkle and bite, while the neck pickup has a smooth, bell-like response. The guitar weighs 7lbs 1oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action, and accurate intonation.
The maple neck has a moderately slender C-shaped profile carve with lightly rolled fretboard edges and round shoulders, measuring .825" deep at the 1st fret and .915" at the 12th. The thick slab rosewood fretboard has a 7 1/4" vintage-spec radius with dot inlay and stock slender fretwire that has its full factory height and well-rounded crowns, showing only a hint of wear beneath the plain strings on the crowns of frets 1-3. The guitar plays well up the 25 1/2" scale with a straight neck and responsive, optimally adjusted truss rod. The nut measures 42.5mm in width (1.675"), and the headstock features the original Kluson-style Gotoh tuners that turn smoothly and hold pitch well. The microscopic "Made in Japan" text is present on the headstock face, and the JV-prefix serial number is embossed on the four-bolt neck plate. The neck heel is pencil dated 7-18-83.
All of the electronics function as intended, with untouched solder joints, the original single coil pickup trio, and full-size pots that date to July of 1983. The chrome hardware has bright, clean plating, and all of the original plastic parts are present, with uniformly yellowed pickup covers and a three-ply white pickguard that shows some requisite pick scuffing on the treble side. The gloss Black finish exhibits some dings, small finish chips and light scuffs in the gloss on the body, largely relegated to the back and body perimeter. The ambered gloss finish on the neck profile is flawless.
A Fender-branded gigbag is included.