![]()
Someone suggested that the Korean saddles came from America, but, apart from the contradiction implicit in this statement given that the FMIC wanted to lower the costs of MIKs, "Fender" engravings on the American saddles had reverse directions. Also the black roller string trees, used in the Young Chang and Sung-Eum factories, and the bridge, whose saddles showed the double-sided "Fender" unidirectional engraving, seemed to be the same ones employed in the early periods of the Japanese reissues. #Fender serial number lookup made in korea seriesHowever, the tuning machines of the first "E" series MIK Stratocasters were the Fender/Gotoh "G", like those used in Japan, while those of the series “S” were unbranded or the more economic Jin Ho hexagonal covered. This "trick" was cleverly hidden by veneering the body and using thick polyester paints, all of which cut costs considerably. And, indeed, the differences between the MIK Squiers and the MIJ ones were considerable: the electronics, the hardware and the pickups of the Korean guitars were of inferior quality (Japanese ceramic pickups were better and had a trapezoidal shape, the potentiometers of the first Korean Squier were smaller), but above all the bodies were in plywood, built through the overlapping of several layers of wood. In reality, Fender guitars continued to be fabricated in Japan, so there was no surplus stock to send in Korea. In addition, it must be considered that sometimes the serial number of the Korean guitars consisted only of numbers, without letters, and that some rare Stratocasters from Young Chang in the first years of production exhibited the serial number E7 or E9 (and their body probably was not plywood but "solid" wood)! Actually a great confusion!Īccording to a legend, the components of the first MIK Squiers came from the FujiGen Gakki Japanese factory. #Fender serial number lookup made in korea serial numbersHowever, it was possible to distinguish them because the serial numbers "E1" and "E2" of the '80s were stamped on the headstock with a very light silver decal, while those of the '90s used a black decal. In 19 they used as first number "1", in 1989 "2", while only since 1990 they began to follow the classic numeration based on the year of production, and so, after the 1990 "E0" serial number, they repeated "E1" (1991) and "E2" (1992). However, in the '80s, the first number didn’t express the solar year but the Korean production period. Young Chang and Sung-Eum factories instead adopted the serial number "Exxxxxx". It is interesting to note that the serial number of the '80s guitars from the Samick factory was "Sxxxxxx", the first number usually indicating the year of production. The available finishes were Black, Razz Berry, Frost White, Flash Pink.īoth were replaced in 1992 by the second series of the Korean Squiers, available exclusively with the maple fretboard. ![]() At first Korean Standard Stratocasters were fabricated in Black, Red and White finishes, followed by those Black, Midnight Wine, Arctic White and Electric Blue.īesides these, between 19 the Squier Contemporary Stratocaster were made in the HSS configuration, without a pickguard and with side jack socket, rosewood fretboard, Schaller Floyd Rose Licensed bridge with locking nut. Japan kept on producing Stratocasters, but in 1988 the MIJs were “upgraded” to Fender. Consequently, for market logic, the Squier brand had become exclusively Korean since 1988. The Squier Standard Stratocaster, with the plywood body, had a very competitive price, unlike previous Fenders. The new guitars made in Korea were first built in the Samick, Young Chang e Sung-Eum factories. ![]() Fender, in order to compete with these copies, decided in 1987 to start producing new cheap guitars in Korea, at the beginning, for a very short period under the Fender brand, and immediately after under the Squier brand, which until now had only been used in Japan. Towards the end of the 1980s, the market was invaded by a large quantity of Korean guitars, even cheaper than those made in Japan, such as the Merlin Sidewinder.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |