Fender Mexican Standard Stratocaster Maple Neck review

The Mexican Standard Maple neck - 2018 example

The Mexican Standard Maple neck rear - 2016 example

The Mexican Standard Maple neck peghead - 2018 example

The Mexican Standard Maple neck was retooled at the end of 2014 and the profile was improved and made easier to play, I noticed this on a 2015 Sunburst Standard that I swapped for a 50's Mexican Stratocaster. It was much easier to play than a 2013 standard.

Gloss face on the fretboard and peghead

The Mexican Standard as above is styled on the 1980 'Smith' style Stratocaster redesign necks. These were part of the Stratocaster 'back to basics' type of design that occurred when the infamous '3 bolt neck' guitars were discontinued in 1981. 

The old '3 bolters' suffered from a cost conscious compartmentalised CBS Fender, the 3 bolt guitar quality reputation led many to rediscover the old Pre-CBS guitars or the new impersonators - guitars made in the style of the early Pre-CBS instruments by Tokai, Fernandes, Columbus and many others.

The problem was that the impersonators were making great guitars! Fender CBS wasn't which is why it almost died as a company. The guitars had heavy bodies, U shaped necks, and the contours were not cut deeply, plus the Poly paint was trowelled on thickly.

But in the last glow of fire in the Fender ashes, Dan Smith revamped the guitars to go back to what Fender CBS should have been producing and the so-called 'Smith era' guitars were produced, but it was too late in the day to save Fender CBS.

 Staggered height locking tuners eliminate the need for a string tree

 The 'Smith' style of neck has largely remained in production since, that being a one piece maple neck with skunk stripe and with the small headstock, (bigger CBS type logo in recent years) and truss rod adjuster at the nut end. Essentially the evolutionary next step of the old pre-CBS 1958 neck.

The 'vintage' one piece neck is still made for the 50's vintage and Custom Shop guitars. The vintage is a shallow v and is a nice easy player, not far from the feel of a C shape.

The 'modern' Smith style neck is a shallow C shaped neck, nice to the feel and finished in satin poly lacquer on the back with a gloss finish to the front and the headstock face, the best of both worlds.

The frets are medium jumbo for easier fretting and the radius is a 9.5" somewhere between the vintage 7 1/4" and the modern 12". I find the 9.5" radius an easy to play neck, it is the neck that should have been made from 1973 rather than switch to the U shape, Bullet truss rod style of neck.

 Staggered height locking tuners rear view

I really find no fault with the new Mexican Standard neck, for my recent project guitar I'm using one on I purchased some locking tuners made by Fender and they fitted perfectly, as you can see above.

The price of the Fender neck was high when compared to other Fender lookalike necks on the market, but at least the Fender decal is genuinely applied by Fender and it has other Fender parts that fit without any modification.  

I have found the 2015 Mexican guitars whether Standard or Vintage reissues, of high quality and the feel and playability is excellent. Whether you are a serious part-time player or earn money from your playing, you'd have to go someway to beat these guitars and I've played pre-CBS instruments too. 

If you're looking to build a custom Stratocaster, then these necks are well worth using, the vintage counterparts being made in Mexico likewise if you seek that style for your project. 

Fender Japan MIJ 50's '57 reissue' in Fiesta Red

Fender Japan 50's '57 reissue' c. 2005

2005 Fender 50's reissue in Fiesta Red

There's nothing I like more than Fiesta red Stratocasters, the red and white is straight off the side of a 1950's Corvette and suits the guitar so well! Up for review here is a 50's reissue Stratocaster usually referred to as the 57 reissue in Japan.

As you can see from the photos, the red varies according to the light, but is more of a 'red' than the 'salmon pink' or 'coral pink' colour of some guitars listed as Fiesta Red.

I picked this one up off Ebay and it was in very nice condition and sounded good out of the box, a quick string change and set up it plays very nicely.

The classic headstock, machines & spaghetti logo

The 57 reissue to use its Fender Japan model name is one of a limited run of guitars made by Fuji-Gen in Japan and not for export. However this gem, has made its way from the Tokyo shores to the UK and it is a nice guitar to behold.

The neck has the 'Crafted in Japan' legend and serial number under the clear coat

The guitar is as most of you will need no introduction to if you've owned a Mexican 50's vintage style guitar. These guitars are based loosely on the Pre-CBS guitars made from 1954-65 as a generalisation, the Japan made guitars are very well made and finished.

Looks great from any angle

This guitar has the vintage style of single coil pickup, a 5 way selector switch as standard and the usual hardware you'd find on the Mexican 50's reissue, including the big block trem block.

The neck is slightly more 'full' on this example from 2005. It is more of a D shape than a C but is nice to play, I use it for single not playing in the style of the Shadows instrumental music so it is fine for that.

The sound is very good and set up it plays nicely. I put  a set of D'addario 10's on it as I do with most of my guitars and they work very well.

With a Mexican 50's ST in the foreground

So all in all a collectible guitar which plays very nicely. These are quite a rare guitar in the West as they were made for the Japan market only.