In the late-'70s, Fender was facing competition from lower-priced Japanese-made copies, so in 1982, they launched a joint venture with Kanda Shokai and Yamano Gakki to produce Fender-branded instruments in Japan. With quality that rivals their American-made counterparts, MIJ and CIJ Fender guitars are often intriguing designs that bring about new levels of inspiration and expression.
The STB-67EX2 is essentially a Japanese-made reissue of the 1967 Stratocaster. It features an Ash body and a Maple-cap neck with the appropriate CBS-era headstock and logo. At the time they were made, this model was considered the top-of-the-line from Fender Japan. In many ways, it's an impressive recreation of an American classic, and like many CIJ reissues, it captures its own vibe, too.
This CIJ '67 Reissue Strat was made in 1998, and it found us in nice cosmetic shape. At some point along the way, the original three-ply white pickguard was substituted in favor of a black pickguard from All Parts. It still sports the original Japanese pickups (which have staggered poles like the '67 originals), but it has US-made CTS pots that date to 2007 and a US-made 5-way switch. These electronic upgrades might not seem like much, but they make this guitar so much more usable in every application. This guitar does the Strat thing exactly as you want it to.
All around, this '67 Reissue is a hard-working Stratocaster. The body is nice and clean cosmetically, but it does of course show some superficial play wear (see photos). There are a few scuffs around the edges of the headstock, and the nut has been replaced. The frets are in excellent shape, and the setup is low and inviting. Over the years, the tremolo has been lost. This 1998 STB-67EX2 includes a gator hardshell case