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Posted: Fri Mar 07, 2008 2:54 pm
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As with anything you can get a lemon in any batch. I've seen US made Fenders and even Custom Shop basser/guitars with crappy craftmanship which is unfathomable for a Custom Shop $2500 + bass/guitar. Was QC sleeping?? Sure as a general rule the US made Fenders should be better quality and based on the workmanship and hardware/electronics, finishes, lacquers e.g. nitrocellulose they use. If you are on a budget and/or starting out on bass and not sure you'll continue, buying a Fender Mexican or even the lower end Squire line will get you buy and makes sense from an initial investment. For their price range, the Fender Mexicans are a good quality and sounding basses and same thing for the Fender Japan and Korea basses which are step up IMO in terms of overall craftmanship and better hardware/electronics and finishes, and at times I feel have better consitent quality even vs the US made stuff. If you are a gigging/working bassist, quite frankly you could get away with using a Mex made Fender as long as you have a good quality bass rig and not be paranoid of dinging it up or getting stolen. Some improvements to a Mex bass are to change the pickups e.g Seymour Duncan, Nordstrands, Fralins etc... and it would still be cheaper than a US made Fender and really improve the sound. The biggest factor for me when I buy any musical equip (I also drum and started guitar) is to buy the best you can afford and to buy stuff that will appreciate in value, so at the very least when you trade it in or sell it you can get as much of your original investment back. This is where an American made Fender will always beat an import made Fender though to some the Japanese made Fenders have lately been holding their value albeit not to the extent of US made Fenders. If this isn't a concern for you, then by all means buy a Mex made Fender since yes you will save at least half and with about $1-200 in upgades you can make it really sound great.


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Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 9:34 am
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Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 6:48 am
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Location: Tampa FL
Not a Jazz bass, but my wife has a White MIM Strat that beats the crap out of my friend's 2 year old USA strat. I think you get great, good and bad ones no matter where they're from. I once had a MIM j bas from 95 the was way way way better than my 1983 us j bass. I did change the pups though. Feel and finish was great on it, btw.


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Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 2:47 pm
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Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2007 5:10 pm
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I got my mim jazz on e bay for 300 $ .brand new in a silver blue color. I love it .I have 8 MIMJ fenders and there's not a bad one in the bunch. :D


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Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 6:40 am
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Joined: Wed Jul 25, 2007 10:14 am
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Location: Alaska
Here's my input. I have and play a MIA jazz. Two weeks ago I helped a friend pick out a bass, we both tried many, all fender, and the MIM's are all just as good as the MIA's. My friend decided on a MIM P-bass, he loves it. Playability right out of the box was superb. Many times you need to have the instrument "set up" out of the box. The only adjustment made was tunning, that's all it needed. The MIM's are very well made indeed.


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Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:49 pm
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Location: NoHo in SoCal
I had an MIM 4 string for about 3 years - construction quality and playability were good. I have a 5 string MIM right now and again, I see no problems at all with it. Fretwork is good, construction and finish are more than acceptable and I was able to play it as bought.

I found the construction on a comparable made in US 5 string to be slightly better but no difference in playability that I could detect. In terms of sound, the MIM is great, but then I think the pups are US made. The big difference was a major savings in cost while giving up only a slight quality difference.

I've also owned an MIM Strat which was nicely made. So all in all, I'd say that MIM is a terrific bargain for the price. I've yet to find any significant quality issues in any I've owned or tried.


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Post subject: 1992 MEXICAN JAZZ
Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:38 pm
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hI,

I bought a Mexican jazz bass in 1992. Excellent build quality but did not sound as good as the old USA one that I used to own. Also tended to squeal when the volume was cranked up. Post mortem of the pickups revealed that they were made with a ceramic bar magnet on the bottom and then pole pieces stuck on top then the coil wound on a plastic former slipped over the top. Hence a very microphonic pickup. I ditched the pickups and replaced them with ones handwound onto alnico v magnets. Result no more squealing and sounds like it should. Now a brilliant bass with tone to die for when played through a 1968 tube amp.


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Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 9:19 pm
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i have a mexican jazz bass and its no different than an american other than the fact that its made in mexicopersonaly i dont care where its made if it plays good it plays good


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Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:48 am
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I went to buy an American Jazz, but came away with a MIM. The neck just felt better to me personally. It is VERY heavy however and I changed the pickups to SD Hots as the standard pups are mediocre.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 1:15 pm
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pickles wrote:
i have a mexican jazz bass and its no different than an american other than the fact that its made in mexicopersonaly i dont care where its made if it plays good it plays good


It is different.


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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 9:59 am
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Location: Green Bay, WI
I don't think there are anything wrong with the MIMs, except, QC are not as strict - maybe a phalacy(sp?) - but some MIM I've played with are great some are shoddy. As for the MIA I've played with, most are great, some aren't so good, QC people on Friday ready to end the week :) ? In general, nothing wrong with the MIMs out there.

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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Nov 22, 2008 8:10 am
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Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 9:20 pm
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MIA-US made
MIM-made in Mexico

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z86lQGiP6Wc

I played MIA’s and MIA’s are quality guitars and I think they’re the best but nothing beats MIM’s when it comes to value and quality 100%, the best price minus the US labor price! By the way MIM necks are still made in the USA and shipped to Mexico. They are still in a very rough condition. They will need to be finished sanded and sprayed in the Mexico factory.
So about the “YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR” are you paying MORE money for quality??? We are talking about hundreds of dollars more!!! Think about the labor here in the US compared to the labor in Mexico. By the way I just found this site “The Fender Mexico Factory Tour”

http://reviews.photoweborama.com/allthi ... index.html


Last edited by markbass4444 on Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:35 am, edited 7 times in total.

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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Nov 24, 2008 3:53 pm
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Location: North of Pittsburgh
Thanks for the post, it was interesting to see the facility.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 5:02 pm
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Mine is great I dont care what the drama queens need. My wife is colombian and my bass is mexican. Bet I am happier than you on both accounts :mrgreen:


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