https://www.fender.com/en-US/electric-g ... 02385.html
I had seen a couple of these popping up on eBay while I was looking for one of the 2023 MIJ Jazzmasters. Most of them were being sold by people in America who had bought them in Japan and then were jacking the price up to $2000+. There were a couple from Japanese sellers, but I wasn't really in the market, so I filed it away and kind of forgot about it.
This morning while looking at the newly-announced Mike McCready Strat, I saw that Fender had the MIJ Internationals on their US page, with a not-at-all terrible price.
I have to say, this model is speaking to me. I have always liked the late CBS aesthetic, even if the actual guitars left a lot to be desired. I love that they have recreated the late '70s style decal with the serial number on the face of the headstock and "Made in Japan" subbed in for "Made in U.S.A.".
I had a 1979 Antigua Strat for a few years that I wanted to love, but it kept fighting me with a myriad of neck-related issues. I finally let it go early this year. I now have a Strat-sized hole in my life and one of these may just be the thing to fill it. I really liked the idea of the AVII '73 Strat that came out earlier this year, but that price is kind of hard to swallow.
Anyone else have any opinions on this reissue?
. I briefly had a '77 boat anchor with a terrible neck pocket and the aforementioned '79 Antigua. I don't have it in me to take another chance without playing one in-person and they don't come up often in my market.