Cool Z ZST-1M Strat style, fiesta red, made in Japan 2007. Now friends, we all know that vintage Japanese guitars are awesome. But, there's a whole world out there of modern Japanese guitars, which are also brilliantly made, quirky and fun, and generally only sold to the domestic Japan market. Cool Z is a house brand for major Japanese instrument chain Shimamura, who have stores all over Japan. They're made at the legendary Fujigen Gakki plant, the very same factory that made all those famous Fender Japan guitars from 1982-96 as well as producing Ibanez Prestige and other tasty biscuits to this day. So, needless to say, this is a beautifully made instrument. The neck is a modern C profile, similar in shape to most American Standard Strats, but with the handy 'easy access' neck joint the nerds among us may recognise from the Fender Japan 'Pro Feel' series of the late 80s. It feels great, the satin finish is super slick and it's a very friendly shape. The alder body and slightly overwound 50s style pickups dole out a beefy, satisfying take on the classic Strat-spank; there's a nice chime and clarity on the top end and a reassuring plonky bass to keep it all together. The finish is a Heinz-esque fiesta red, vibrant and summery; it looks classically cool. This punches well past it's pricetag, plus the headstock (kindly badly) says it all: 'Makes You Creative!' 

Model: Cool Z ZST-1M
Made: Japan, 2007, Fujigen plant, (serial J070541)
Finish: fiesta red, 1-ply white guard
Body: alder
Neck: maple one piece, 9.5" radius, 25.5" scale, modern C shape
Weight: 3.405kg
Mods: none
Pickups: Fujigen STD-FAT single coil x3
Case: basic gig bag

Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. Headstock has some minor marks on the end and bottom edge. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, light scuffs from play only. The back has a handful of light scuffs around the body, no major marks. The sides are nice and tidy, just some dimples near the jack. The front is also very clean, just some standard play wear on the guard and horns. Overall: excellent condition (9/10).

Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electrics tested and working properly. Frets have very little wear, 9/10 for life left. Wearing fresh 10/46 Moonshiners strings.