Whitstable Guitars
A selection of good quality, used guitars and specialising in imports from Japan since 2008
1999-2002 Fender Japan ST-57US Reissue Stratocaster. Surf Green (Mod) & new hard case
£829.00 + shipping
Whitstable guitars will be closed for business from Friday 6th until Saturday 27th February 2026. All guitars will go into storage and I will be unable to handle any sales. Should you see a "must have" guitar on my website, please send me an email and I will be in touch on a "first come, first served" basis on my return to the UK.
Thanks for your understanding. Rob
JAPAN IMPORT
This is something a little unusual. It is a non-catalogue colour of Fender Japan's classic model that reproduces the 1957-style Stratocaster. This guitar features the rare Surf Green colour. It actually suits the guitar very well & would be very collectible. Equipped with USA-made vintage-type single-coil pickups, it faithfully reproduces the classic '50s Stratocaster sound, from clear clean tones to solid, driven tones. The excellent response of the maple neck and the light, easy-to-play feel are also unique charms of this model.
There are traces of a wiring repair.
Regarding the “wiring modification traces” mentioned in the product description,
Please see gallery photos. The wiring appears to have been done very neatly, most likely by a professional. The selector switch is a 3-way, and while this is a Fender Japan model, the potentiometers appear to be CTS-type pots. The guitar sounds very bright, and the overall playability is excellent.
n.b. Although a traditional 3 way switch has been fitted, it is very easy to set the lever in between positions 1 & 2 and 2 & 3 for the funky stuff, like they used to in the olden days!!
There is some tiny paint chipping near the neck joint. (see gallery pic) There are also some minor scratches and dents, and it shows signs of use. Noticeable marks are highlighted in the gallery photos
There are no noticeable abnormalities with the neck, and it is in good playing condition.
Product Specifications
Product rank B+: There are some scratches, but no problems for normal use
serial number P096676
Year of manufacture 1999-2002
Country of manufacture Japan
case Genuine soft case
accessories arm
weight 3.47kg It also has a Maple fretboard & like most vintage Fenders, a 7.25" (184mm) fretboard radius and an 8 hole single ply scratchplate. All in all a good example of a '57 reissue.
There are a few scratches & chips on the guitar. However, these are all age related and do not affect playability in any way. I've never seen one in this colour before & yes, the finish is original. It's a collectible guitar
Truss Rod: No problem, rod is fine, checked up to 60 degrees to the left and right.Fret Remaining: No problem, there is enough fret height
Cleaning, string replacement, rod adjustment, octave adjustment, string height adjustment, fret adjustment
There are no indents on the frets which have probably 70% of their life left.
Specifications:
Fender Japan ST-57US Stratocaster Surf Green
Specifications
BODY
Body Material Basswood Body
Finish Polyester
Body Shape Stratocaster®
Weight 3.47 kg
NECK
Neck Material Maple
Neck Finish Aged polyester gloss
Neck Shape Slim "C" Shape
Scale Length 25.5 "(648 mm)
Fingerboard Material Maple
Fingerboard Radius 7.25 "(184.1 mm)
Nut width: 42.5mm
Neck thickness near 1st fret: 21.7mm
Neck thickness near 12th fret: 24.3mm
Number of Frets twenty one
Fret Size Vintage Style
Nut Material Synthetic Bone
Nut Width 1.650 "(42 mm)
Position Inlays Black Dots
ELECTRONICS
Bridge pickup: Fender USA Vintage
Middle pickup: Fender USA Vintage
Neck Pickup: Fender USA Vintage
Controls Master Volume, Tone 1. (Neck Pickup), Tone 2. (Middle Pickup)
Switching (Modified) 3-Position Blade: Position 1. Bridge Pickup, Position 2. Middle Pickup, Position 3. Neck Pickup Configuration SSS
HARDWARE
Bridge 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo
Hardware Finish Chrome
Tuning Machines: MHG-SD91
Pickguard Single Ply White
Control Knobs Aged White Plastic
Switch Tip White
Neck Plate 4-Bolt Chrome
Comes with Gear4Music/Thomann Black Hard Case
Hard Case Policy
As said many times, all my guitars come shipped in a new black hard case which is included in the price. I find this is the safest way to avoid damage in transit. Alternatively, if you are collecting the guitar and, like some buyers have cases coming out of their ears, that's no problem, I'll adjust the price (usually around a £50 discount) and I can usually find you an old gigbag to take the guitar away in. The only hard and fast rule I have is that I won't ship a guitar in a gigbag.
If you are further interested in this guitar, you can either email me with any queries & I'll do my best to get back to you within 24 hours.
Or, you can buy quickly and safely using the PayPal "buy now" button and I will ship to most UK addresses the next working day. Highlands and Islands can be slightly dearer but I'll keep the cost as low as I can.
I can accept credit card payments by phone and will also offer a small discount to purchasers using bank transfer payments.
Overseas customers are very welcome but please email me first for shipping quotes.