singemonkey
Yeah, but he's saying this:
"By the way, some vendors have, oddly, started to describe basswood as Japanese alder. It isn't. Basswood and Japanese alder are two distinctly different types of wood as a quick search on Google will reveal. There is nothing wrong with basswood but it certainly isn't Japanese alder. "
It's one thing if a shop describes basswood as Japanese Alder, but it would be Fender's ass if they did they same thing. Also, a priori, since Fender Japan makes the distinction between basswood and alder, you assume that they're talking about two different woods.
I suppose the difference here is that if I bought an MIJ or CIJ strat, I'd get it from Japan. It sounds like the made-for export ones don't really include the really good Japanese Strats.
On a Marxist note, just like the DVD "regions" this kind of thing shows just how much corporations really believe in their "free" market. "Because you just happen to live in the wrong place, you can have these guitars, but not these other ones."
ZarK
All this strat quaking etc. (I don't get it btw -don't speak Fender yet, I suppose...) has gotten my tastebuds going for a Strat again. I've always wanted a heavy metallic rich blue coloured one with rosewood neck. Saw such an example in a shop in the early 90's that has never left my imagination... Unfortunately didn't see one of those on the Fender site, but the Jeff Beck white strat also looks appealing... Thanks guys for adding to my wishlist. Now to get hold of the dough... Eish! >☹
