1984-87 Fender Boxer Stratocaster ST-456 Tobacco Sunburst (MIJ Fujigen)

1984-87 Fender Boxer Stratocaster ST-456 Tobacco Sunburst (MIJ Fujigen)

Representing Fender Japan’s distinctly player-focused approach to the Stratocaster during the mid-1980s, the Boxer ST-456 combines traditional Fender construction with the fast feel and streamlined specifications that defined the era. Built by Fujigen in Japan between 1984 and 1987, this tobacco sunburst example has developed an incredible naturally relic’d appearance through decades of genuine use. Heavy finish checking, chips, edge wear and extensively aged hardware give the guitar the sort of broken-in character normally associated with a heavily relic’d Custom Shop Fender, with every mark having been earned honestly over close to four decades of playing.

The well-played maple neck and rosewood fingerboard retain the familiar feel of a vintage Fender, with a traditional 25.5" scale length, slim C profile, 7.25" fingerboard radius and 21 medium nickel silver frets. The slender neck carve gives the instrument an effortless, played-in feel, while the gloss polyester finish has naturally aged alongside the rest of the guitar to further enhance its unmistakably vintage character. Fret life is solid here at around 75% with signs of pitting and playwear, but with plenty of meat left on the bone.

Electronics consist of three Fender Alnico single-coil pickups, measuring 5.5kOhms in both the neck and middle positions and 5.7kOhms at the bridge. The neck pickup delivers warm, rounded Stratocaster tones with excellent clarity and definition, while the middle provides the open chime and articulate response synonymous with a good vintage-style Strat. The slightly hotter bridge pickup adds bite and presence without sacrificing definition, responding particularly well to driven amplifier tones. Across the pickup positions there is plenty of familiar Strat versatility, ranging from glassy cleans and hollow intermediate sounds through to punchier blues and rock tones.

Cosmetically, the sunburst finish is extensively checked and chipped throughout, with areas of exposed timber, edge wear and countless smaller marks creating an authentic relic appearance that simply cannot be replicated convincingly overnight. The hardware is similarly worn and aged, tying the entire instrument together with a cohesive patina rather than the isolated wear often seen on artificially aged guitars. Importantly, underneath its heavily played exterior the guitar retains solid bones and the excellent construction for which Fujigen-built Fender Japan instruments of this period have become so well regarded.

Presenting in all-original condition aside from a new Switchcraft jack socket and replaced Gotoh saddles, the sunburst finish is extensively checked throughout, with areas of exposed timber, edge wear and countless smaller marks creating an authentic relic appearance that simply cannot be replicated convincingly overnight. The hardware is similarly worn and aged, giving the entire instrument a cohesive patina and all the character of a guitar that has spent decades being played rather than sitting untouched in a case. Importantly, beneath its heavily worn exterior the guitar retains solid bones and the excellent construction for which Fujigen-built Fender Japan instruments of this period have become so well regarded. It has been professionally setup with D’Addario 10-46s and plays beautifully with comfortable low action, excellent intonation and stable tuning throughout. An increasingly uncommon early Fender Japan Boxer with genuine road-worn character, lightweight 3.3kg alder construction and a fast slim-profile neck, this is a superb example with all the look and feel of a heavily relic’d Custom Shop-style Strat, with nothing artificial about its ageing.

Specifications:

Make: Fender

Model: Boxer Stratocaster ST-456

Origin: Fujigen, Japan, 1984-87

Body: Alder

Neck: One-Piece Maple

Fingerboard: Rosewood w/ White Dot Inlays

Pickups: 3 x Fender Alnico Single Coils, Neck: 5.5kOhms, Middle: 5.5kOhms, Bridge: 5.7kOhms

Neck Profile: 25.5" Scale, Slim C Profile, Gloss Polyester Finish, 7.25" Radius, 42mm Nut Width (Bone)

Frets: 21 Medium Nickel Silver Frets

Finish: Tobacco Sunburst

Weight: 3.3kg

Shipping & Returns:

Domestic AU Shipping (Insured) - $Free

International Shipping (Insured) - $199.99

Local Pickup/Click & Collect - 135 New Canterbury Road, Lewisham 2049

The item is sold as is - if it is broken or damaged on arrival, we will offer you a return/refund. We cannot accept returns for change of mind or offer any warranty on used/vintage items.