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It looks like I'm going to pick up a JV sometime soon (probably Xmas or the week after).

I'd just like to know something about the neck: I've heard it's a great playing/feeling neck. What's the neck profile like?

On mine, the neck is a soft V from frets 1-5 (about), tapering to a C as it goes up. Nice and hefty, not so big you'd call it chunky, but it's not thin either.
I'm doing mine up as a Voodoocaster except I'm keeping this neck, that's how much I like it!

They are all like that...soft V from the nut to the 5th (or so) fret then they mellow out to a fat C shape, 1 11/16 nut width...in fact they feel a lot like the EJ Strat that everyone is wetting themselves over! Best Fender strat neck hands down...on top of the killer shape and slightly wider nut they are satin finished, have a 9.5 inch radius and MJ Frets! Not LP Fat but not skinny either.

Great guitars...even the Tex Mex pickups are decent. I think the JV Strat is one of the best values around. And new pickups will usually make it the equal tone-wise of pretty much any $1000 - 2000 Strat around, IMO. Lew

Just to clarify things. There are 2 different model JV Strats Fender released.
1st one being the 82' to 84' JV meaing (Japanese Vintage) and having JVxxx
serial #. 2nd Would be the Jimmie Vaughan model. Sorry for the rant, I just get confused.


Originally Posted by kmcguitarsJust to clarify things. There are 2 different model JV Strats Fender released.
1st one being the 82' to 84' JV meaing (Japanese Vintage) and having JVxxx
serial #. 2nd Would be the Jimmie Vaughan model. Sorry for the rant, I just get confused.

I assumed we were talking about the Jimmie Vaughn model here...

Indeed, I meant the Jimmie Vaughan. Lew, you say that with some aftermarket p'ups (and a nice setup) I can get this thing to sound like a $1000-$2000 Strat.

The only thing that's stopping me from believing that is the non-nitro finish. How's the finish? Is it really thick? I know that poly finishes can sound great (as the tone comes from the thin-ness of the finish), so what I'm getting at is: Is this guitar resonant? How's the sustain?

On the resonance and sustain...you gotta try a bunch to get the one yoy want..they are still made of wood, and that is a highly variable factor.


Originally Posted by OciferIndeed, I meant the Jimmie Vaughan. Lew, you say that with some aftermarket p'ups (and a nice setup) I can get this thing to sound like a $1000-$2000 Strat.

The only thing that's stopping me from believing that is the non-nitro finish. How's the finish? Is it really thick? I know that poly finishes can sound great (as the tone comes from the thin-ness of the finish), so what I'm getting at is: Is this guitar resonant? How's the sustain?

I don't find the finish to thick...especially not on the neck. Seems pretty nice to me. One of my favorite guitars I own is my '88 MIJ Squire Strat that I paid about $180 for and then put Antiquitys in. It has a very thick finish on the body and fairly thick finish on the neck...and it sounds as nice as my original '63 Strat. Better actually. I'm not so sure the finish thickness matters so much on solid body electric guitars as it does on acoustics. And as long as the guitar sounds great, who cares? Also, the finish on some old Fenders from the 60's is pretty darn thick too...even if it is nitro. That finish can chip and look like glass sometimes. Lew

FWIW...CS Fenders with a nitro finish have a poly base coat, but even past that i think that most people stress about the finish too much...I have seen very thin poly finishes as well as very thick nitro finishes. My JV Strat has a set of CS Duncans in it and I prefer it to every other Strat I own and play...I would put it up against any other Fender Strat going right now and IMO, it will stack up just fine...after all, I picked it over a Fender Custom Shop 57 reissue that was at the same shop...I played lots of Strats, it came down to the JV and the CS57...I left with the JV and quite a bit of extra money...still think I got the better guitar!


Originally Posted by RidOn the resonance and sustain...you gotta try a bunch to get the one yoy want..they are still made of wood, and that is a highly variable factor.

That's yet another factor. None of the big stores in my area have one in, so I'd have to ask them to order one in. Of course, I plan to buy one so that's not a problem, but I don't know how willing they'll be to order another one in if the first one is a dud.

Got a Kramer with an indestructive thick white flipflop finish...it smokes all my other guitars in fatness and resonance, plus it has a floating floyd
Anyways they are probally very consistantly nice those Jimmie V's.


Originally Posted by OciferThat's yet another factor. None of the big stores in my area have one in, so I'd have to ask them to order one in. Of course, I plan to buy one so that's not a problem, but I don't know how willing they'll be to order another one in if the first one is a dud.I'll tell ya brother...while shoppping for Strats I played every JV in every shop I went into...they all kicked ass! Some of the older ones are poplar and IMO those do suffer a bit but if you get a new one (from about 03 until now0 it will be alder and it will kick ass!

I like the JV strats! I have been thinking of buying one for ages..

How would I know if the JV I'll be buying is Poplar or Alder? Serial no.?

I might be off, but if TGWIF said that it's after '03, a guitar with a serial number that begins with Z3, Z4 or Z5 should be good. The 'z' stands for zero, thus you can figure it out from there (Z3='03).

Thanks for that info. I'll just ask for the serial number at the store when I play it.

They all were alder at first then Fender tried to cheep out and make some from poplar...if you buy a new one it will be alder if it's used try and narrow down the age and take a good guess...if all else fails find another Strat you know to be alder (CS 57 reissue is a good point as is an Eric Johnson) and compare...a poplar body will be lacking overall punch and bottom end.


Originally Posted by OciferThanks for that info. I'll just ask for the serial number at the store when I play it.

It'll be on the back of the headstock. And the Z thing is right, as I just looked at my Tele, which I know to be an '05, and the serial begins with Z5.

Cool, thanks for the tips guys.