Fresher MIJ strat copy

[leonard d rock]

hello,
a used goods store here is selling a couple of fresher strat copies which are reportedly all made in japan. they look good, sound well and are well built. any owners, users comments about this guitar?

ldr

[PennyCentury]

"Fresher Straighter?" Does it have the built-in effects?
Pics please if you got 'em!

[tuuur]

I remember I saw quite a few Freshers in the 90s. God knows where those all went...

[unzari]

Freshers are pretty nifty guitars, esp the ones w all the different effects and such, but the one you saw is a straight-up strat copy?

You try out the guitar yourself? How'd it play? What's the price? From what little I know, Freshers were MIJ.

[czech-one-2]

JAMES BROWNS guitarist used a fresher straighter!

[Steinar G]

Originally Posted by czech-one-2

JAMES BROWNS guitarist used a fresher straighter!

Yep, I've seen a photo of Jimmy Nolen with a Fresher, but couldn't find it when I goggled for it now. I had one of those in the early 80s, didn't really know what to think of it since it wasn't a "proper" Fender Strat and the guys I played with called it a toy because of the effects, but then I saw that photo of Nolen and everything was cool...

[leonard d rock]

just a plain strat copy, no effects. when i googled fresher, most of it was about the one with built in efx. i'll try to ask the owner if i can take pics. the neck felt nice and the sound of the pups was sweet tho not loud, just like probably a vintage strat it was designed to copy.

[sneakyjapan]

one of the books I have in the Japan Vintage series has an extensive article with many pics of the Freshers...they went through at least 6 different logo changes if I remember so pics of the headstock will help I.D. approximately where it fits. First year listed was 1973, the built in effects cam mid `70s according to the book. They made a lot of crap but from the pics I see they also made some pretty high end stuff as well, neck throughs and one model that came with headphones to plug into the guitar. The Fresher Starighter FS-606 looks really nice. They are listed as being made from `73 to `85. I watched an old Genesis video and it looked to me like Mike Rutherford was playing a model with the built in effects model...in fact quite a few `80s bands played MIJ guitars, guess they knew then what many overseas players only caught onto a few short years ago, `cause I uesd to be able to buy fabulous MIJs for next to nothing but now with so many guys after em prices have gone mad, and I`m talking only 10 or so years ago. For those of youse who didn`t buy when you had the chance...too bad `cause now you `re gonna need a gold card to get many models.
But if you can get a pic of the logo I`ll see if I can figure out when it was made.

[tomorrowstars]

I love those Fresher guitar names. Their precision bass copy was called the "Personal Bass"

[leonard d rock]

sorry guys
went back to the store today with the intent to buy if i really liked it, but both were already sold. there was a new batch of used guitars there but nothing were outstanding, all were the starter pack types and had funny names. this store mainly sells used things from japan, sometimes there are good guitars, sometimes dogs

ldr

[sneakyjapan]

yeah these days with so many people after just about any older MIJs even waiting one day is too late...I learned that lesson already...and thats why I keep my credit card at zero just in case I see something and I don`t have the cash on hand.