Up for sale, a 1993 Fender “ExTrad” Stratocaster ‘62 vintage reissue model ST62-120, complete with a hardshell case. Finished in three-tone Sunburst nitro lacquer and complete with US-made Fender pickups, this ExTrad model represents the absolute top tier of Fender Japan during the golden age of "Made in Japan" production. Exceedingly rare, these instruments were designed to be sold in the Japanese domestic market and are uncommon even within their country of origin.

A true Custom Shop offering, the ExTrad instruments (in later years rebranded as Custom Edition) were made to order one-offs with features that paralleled Fender's USA Custom Shop output. Established by Makoto Sugimoto, who benefitted from a quarter century of experience in R&D, custom guitar building, and engineering at Fujigen, the ExTrad instruments were produced by a small team of expert craftspeople, representing Fender Japan's absolute best. This premium instrument line was first offered in 1986 and was retired in 1994.

This particular ExTrad ‘62 Stratocaster has a few modifications, ostensibly executed by Freedom Custom Guitar Research (given the neck plate), a Tokyo-based group of luthiers who produce their own instruments and modify vintage examples with modern, player-friendly features. This particular ST62-120 now boasts a premium Emerson wiring harness with a PIO tone cap and treble bleed circuit, a refretted and re-radiused slab rosewood fretboard with medium jumbo fretwire, and vintage-correct clay dot inlay.

The trio of pickups are the original Fender USA black bobbin single coils (the same pickups seen in the American Vintage line and early USA Custom Shop Strats) with staggered alnico magnets and cloth-covered leads. Lively, sparkling, and dynamic, the sound is distinct in every position on the five-way selector switch. The bridge pickup has bite and bounce, with a woody, percussive middle pickup, and round, bell-like chime at the neck. The “in-between” settings have a thinned-out snap and scooped spank. This ExTrad Stratocaster ST62-120 weighs 7lbs 15oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 10-46 strings, low action and accurate intonation.

Neck Specs:

-Wood: Maple
-Shape: Medium C, measuring .835” 1st fret, .960” 12th fret
-Fretboard: Rosewood slab, 9 1/2“ radius, clay dot inlay
-Frets: Medium jumbo, refret, no wear
-Scale Length: 25 1/2”
-Nut: 1.650” (42mm), bone
-Tuners: Kluson-style, Gotoh
-Serialization: “Made in Japan”, N-prefix
-Factory Markings: “Fender Custom Edition” logo, ST62-120 model stamps on neck pocket/heel

Body Specs:

-Wood: Alder
-Pickups: Fender American Vintage 57/62 single coil x3
-Harness: Emerson pots, PIO tone cap, treble bleed circuit
-Controls: Volume, Tone x2, Five-way pickup selector
-Hardware: Synchronized Tremolo, jack cup
-Plastics: Three-ply mint green pickguard, cream knobs, aged pickup covers

The gloss three-tone Sunburst nitro lacquer finish exhibits some localized finish loss along the lower bout body edge, stand or strap-related wear into the gloss just south of the neck plate, light buckle wear central to the back and some minor nicks and scuffs consistent with use. The neck profile has been stripped of its gloss between the headstock and heel with a flawless silky smooth satin feel.

A modern black tolex hardshell case is included.