Well, I've had time to set up and noodle around some with the Japanese Ash Strat now, and here's my initial impressions... The guitar is very playable, cosmetics are flawless, and the only thing that bothered me was the tone. These pickups have the strangest, thin, over-the-top high end tone I have ever heard from an electric guitar. At first I didn't like the sound at all, but am really getting use to it, and enjoying it now. I have owned other Strats before, and most have the same basic tonal character in common. This example is like 1/3 less bottom end, and twice the high end using the bridge selection. Between phase positions, it's VERY bright. I had thought about "dressing it up" with some Texas Specials or Vintage Noiseless, but really want to leave it all original now. I have a regular American Standard to bastardize, so why mess with the Tokai? All in all, it's a beauty, plays clean, (Maybe out-Fenders the Fender...), and is a whale of a deal at under $400 US. Just my opinion....