Fender Japan ST-54 83DCM

Can anyone tell me about these guitars? They are listed on Ishibashi's website, but the Fender Japan webpage doesn't have them listed. I can't make too much sense of the product description on the Ishibashi site. Is it a steel trem block? Laquer or poly? Etc.

Best,

Martin

Fender Japan is kinda funny in that they have what is basically their "standard" line of guitars which are usually listed on their site, but they also make a LOT of different "unique" non-standard models as well. Ishibashi usually just has the "standard" guitars listed on their site so it could be a new model which just hasn't been added to Fender Japan's website yet. Judging by the "DCM" on the end it probably is equipped with DiMarzio pickups. However I don't know if the trem block is steel or not so your best bet would probably be to contact someone at Ishibashi and ask. I'm going to take a guess and say "no" to the steel trem block. The reason I say this is that Fender Japan also makes a model called the ST54-110DCM which is listed as having a steel trem block, but otherwise it appears to have similar specs. So that it would make sense that it would retail for more (110,000Y compared to 83,000Y) if it had upgraded hardware such as the vintage trem with the steel block. You can see one of those about 1/4 way down the page in the right column:

http://www.ikebe-gakki.com/shopping_20.php?cate=1&s_cate=1&brand=70&state=1&img_flg=1&page_cnt=48&order=1&state2=&start_index=96

Hope this was some help...

It was just recently the ST54-75DMC, but Fender Japan's prices went up today (Sept. 1).

Anyway, it's a poly finish - as near as I can tell, it's just like the ST54-80AM, but with DiMarzio pickups rather than Fender "American 50s" (which I suspect are CS54s).

In the ST54-80AM, the block is milled steel and the finish is poly.

The ST54-110DMC (now the ST54-120DMC ?) has a nitro finish, but is otherwise the same.

the top end DiMarzios have 2 piece bodies, lacquer finish, US electronics and of course those p`ups...better components than the average production FJ.

Looking at that catalogue...I want the Yngwie strat :-?
The Strat with the reversed neck looks way cool too.