Important
The catalogued models are the ones made by Fender for the domestic market some of which were exported but they also made
guitars solely for export and except for the 1990s Collectable series most of these weren't catalogued and specs can vary some
will be the equivalent of the high end models and some the lower end ones but may not be an exact match.
Fender Japan other 60s style Stratocasters
Fender Japan Stratocasters designated ST65 ST66 ST67 and ST68
ST67-85 ST67-770 ST67-95
There are 3 models of ST67 the ST67-85 which appeared in 1989* to be replaced in 1990 by the ST67-770 again only
lasted a year then reappeared as the ST67-95 in 1995 again only for about a year. The models all have identical
specs except that the 770 has a lacquer finish.
Specifications
Body Alder Lacquer finish on the 770 only
Neck Maple Oval shape 324mm scale
Fretboard Maple 21 vintage frets 184mm radius
Headstock 60s style 60s gold transition logo 2 butterfly string trees truss rod adjustment at body end
Tuners Gotoh Diecast vintage style
Pickups 3 USA made vintage style
Controls 1 volume 2 tone 5 way switch All white
Nut 42mms synthetic bone
Hardware Chrome
Bridge Vintage style Steel block
Pickguard 11 hole white 3 ply
Colours Vintage White only*
* Update August 2020
Following correspondence with Sam Malone I have done some more investigation and the ST67-85 actually appears in the
1986 catalogue still in Vintage white only, however I have also seen examples of early ST67s in Sunburst but none in the
catalogues.
The ST67-95 with headstock detail
Update 28th February 2019
I have had an email from Tom who lives in Texas and has bought an ST67-95, his however is natural rather
than vintage white. The guitar looks 100% genuine and I am sure it is. Showing once again that no information
on MIJ guitars can ever be thought of as 100% complete. Thanks for the email and pictures Tom.
But see collectables below
Tom's Guitar from the sale advert.
ST68-85TX ST68-92TX ST68TX
Identical models in all ways except the ST68 had additional colours. Originally released in
1996 as the 85TX became the 92TX around 2006 and the ST68TX in 2008 continued until at least 2013.
They are part of the craft premium range.
Specifications
Body Alder
Neck Maple Oval shape 324mm scale
Fretboard Maple 21 vintage frets 184mm radius
Headstock 60s style CBS logo 1 butterfly string tree truss rod adjustment at body end
Tuners Schaller F Key
Pickups 3 USA made Texas Specials
Controls 1 volume 2 tone 5 way switch All white
Nut 40mms synthetic bone
Hardware Chrome
Bridge Vintage style Steel block
Pickguard 11 hole white 3 ply
Colours Vintage White only on all but the ST68TX which had 3 Tone Sunburst and Black as options
As might be expected the ST68-85TX was released at 85,000 yen and by 2013 the ST68TX
was just short of 100,000 yen
The ST68TX with headstock detail
The ST66G-88 TX (also ST66G-90TX and ST66G-TX) and The ST65B-88TX
These two models appeared in the 2005/6 catalogue and lasted a little over a year. There had been a
STG-88TX earlier and later after 2008 there was an ST66G-TX. All these STG66 guitars were the same guitar, just
different designations.
The G is for gold and the B is for binding. They are very rarely seen in the west.
ST66G-90TX etc
Specifications
Body Alder
Neck Maple Oval shape 324mm scale
Fretboard Rosewood 21 vintage frets 184mm radius
Headstock 60s style Transition Logo 1 butterfly string tree truss rod adjustment at body end
Tuners Vintage Grover style Gold
Pickups 3 USA made Texas Specials
Controls 1 volume 2 tone 5 way switch All white
Hardware Gold
Bridge Vintage style Steel block
Pickguard 11 hole white 3 ply
Colours Black, Candy Apple Red, and Lake Placid Blue
ST65B-88TX
Specifications
Body Alder
Neck Maple Ivory Binding Oval shape 324mm scale
Fretboard Rosewood 21 vintage frets 184mm radius
Headstock 60s style Transition Logo 1 butterfly string tree truss rod adjustment at body end
Tuners Vintage Grover style
Pickups 3 USA made Texas Specials
Controls 1 volume 2 tone 5 way switch All white
Hardware Chrome
Bridge Vintage style diecast block
Pickguard 11 hole white 3 ply
Colours Black, Candy Apple Red, 3 Tone Sunburst, Vintage White and Lake Placid Blue
This small picture of the 65B and the catalogue Scan are the only pictures I can find of these. The guitar is Ocean Turquoise metallic which was an FSR
Update August 2023
A guitar said to be a 66G-TX is for sale on Ebay USA for a ludicrous amount but has provided a picture.
ST66 LE
A member of the Strat forum Paulreedsmith (no not him) has pointed out that there was a Limited Edition in 2012
I have managed to find details in an old Ebay sale they are;
Body: Alder
Bridge: Fender Vintage ST
Colour/Finish: Shoreline Gold
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Machine Head: Kluson Style
Neck Joint: 4 x bolt
Neck Material: Maple
Number of Frets: 21
Nut: Plastic White
Scale: 648mm
Radius: 305mm
Truss Rod: 2-Way, Heel Adjustment
TREM System / Block: Fender Vintage / Steel
Pick Ups: Kinman Traditional Mk-III
Electronics: Kinman K9 Harness 1 x Volume 2 x Tone
Pick Guard: White Pearl
Hardware: Chrome
Noteworthy is the unusual radius for a vintage style MIJ. I don't know how many of these were made but they don't
appear in any catalogues so are likely to be for a specific retailer. Paulreedsmith tells me he has seen a couple of these with
22 frets and has provided a picture of one
ST66 LE
with 22 frets
ST-80SPL
The 80 refers to the list price of 80,000 yen. This guitar is a 60s style strat not 80s. They were released
in 2002 and lasted 3 or 4 years, they are recognisable by the gold hardware and very unusual colours.
Specifications
Body Ash
Neck Maple Oval shape 324mm scale
Fretboard Rosewood or Maple 21 frets 184mm radius
Headstock 60s style Gold Spaghetti Logo 1 butterfly string tree truss rod adjustment at body end
Tuners Vintage Kluson style
Pickups 3 USA made Texas Specials
Controls 1 volume 2 tone 5 way switch All white
Hardware Gold
Bridge Vintage style diecast block
Pickguard 11 hole white single ply
Colours Black Blue Velvet (BBV) White Purple or Pearl? Passion (WPP) and White Blue Velvet (WBV)
I have seen this colour referred to as White Purple Passion and White Pearl Passion Personally I don't see any purple
This is the Black Blue Velvet
This is the White Blue Velvet doesn't look at lot different from WPP when you see them in the catalogue
Detail of the headstock
ST68-HO Zebra
Paulreedsmith from the Strat forum who owns a few MIJs recently bought one of these beautiful guitars. It is an unusual
semi-hollow Strat with a Zebra wood top and back giving a very distinctive appearance. Here are the specs
Body Alder with a Zebrawood top and back Hollow no F hole, bound
Neck Maple Maple Medium C 4 bolt bound
Fretboard Rosewood with Block Markers 21 Frets
Headstock 60s style Black Fender Logo no serial number or MIJ No TRA 1 string tree
Tuners Vintage Style MHG-SD91 NI
Pickups USA Texas Specials or Standard Vintage Style*
Controls Standard Strat
Nut
Hardware Chrome
Bridge Hardtail Strat
Pickguard White
Colours Natural
* Different years have different pickups
There is some confusion about these most of the information tells us that these are a limited run of less than 100 from 2002 made
a Tokyo factory called Mitaka Gakki. Paulreedsmith tells me that he found three different eras when he was looking and I have now
found a run in 2005 to 2007 approx and his is 2010/11. It would appear that the 2010/11 and the 2002 range have Texas specials (USA made)
and the others have generic MIJ pickups possibly ceramics.
One I have seen from 2005 is described as an ST68-160 ZW the others as per the heading.
Collectables series
In 1992 there appears in catalogues a section on Reissues later called collectables, spelled that way.
Some of these are in fact MIJ Export models. There is a 68 Stratocaster and a 60s Stratocaster. The first is very similar to
the ST67 and the second similar to an ST66. I now think Tom's ST 67 above may in fact be a 68 collectable model.
These are the Specs given on Launch
| Model | 60s | 68 |
| Body | Basswood | Basswood later Alder |
| Neck | Maple U shaped later C shaped | Maple U Shaped |
| Fretboard | Rosewood 21 Frets 7.5" radius | Maple 21 Frets 7.5" radius |
| Headstock | Small Thin Spag logo | Large Transition logo |
| Tuners | Vintage Style | Vintage Style |
| Trem | Vintage Style | Vintage Style |
| Pickups | 3 Single Coil | 3 Strat Reissue Single Coil* |
| Nut | 41.2mm | 41.2mm |
| Colours | 3 Col Sunburst, Olympic White, Black or Candy Apple Red Left Handed Sunburst only | 3 Colour Sunburst or Vintage White Left Handed no different |
Some changes occurred before these vanished from the catalogues in 1999.
1996 Extra Colours added 60s Shell Pink and Sonic Blue 68 Natural
Appear in the Frontline which describes them as Reissues and describes the pickups on both as just 3 single coils almost certainly Ceramics.
1997 The 60s is described as having aged plastic parts and now having a C shaped neck. The 68 now has an Alder body. The 68
is stated to have a 3 ply BWB pickguard which it always had.
No further changes. Models vanished from Catalogues around 1999.
Here are scans from the catalogue.
