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Post subject: Why i like mexican strats.
Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 2:15 pm
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Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:26 pm
Posts: 58
Like most strat rats; I would love to buy only American strats (I own an American Deluxe). Sadly, like many, I also don't have that type of cash and even if i did there are always little things that I want that I can never find all in one guitar i.e. combinations of color, body wood, hardware, and pickups. While you could change these on an american strat; who would want to cannibalize such an expensive and beautiful peice of Americana! When seeking to avoid this dilemma, MIM strats (especially the newer models) are the bees knees. Recently I found a MIM FSR Strat HSS in Sienna Sunburst w/ an Ash Body and rosewood finger board. The finish is suprisingly every bit as beautiful as an MIA save the yellow tint of the neck which isnt horrible (just not to my taste).
The changes that that I have in in the works include:
*Fender Fat 50s pickups & tortoise pickguard
*Schaller Locking tuners
*Strap locks
*Neckplate ingraved with "Ruby Lynn" (naming my guitar... cliche I know)
*tele style knurled chrome knobs
*KTS titanium bridge saddles.

I know someone is doing the math in their head and realizing that this is nearly $350 in upgrades on top of the original cost of $450 and for another 3 or 4 hundred dollars I could have had an MIA Strat. This is true but I am a utilitarian musician for the most part. I could buy a MIA Strat for more and mutilate it but it wouldnt exactly be the way I want it unless i spent way more money. Its sort of like the difference in buying stripped down Cadillac Escalade or a loaded Chevy Suburban. The chevy isnt a cadillac but it is still pretty sweet and gets the job done for a bit less. Anyway just my opinion. Whats yours. :D


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Post subject:
Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 2:31 pm
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Joined: Sat Nov 22, 2008 4:50 pm
Posts: 68
i agree. I have had my american (first real guitar) for a little over a year now. I still love it, and don't regret it, but i'm looking to get a backup mexi strat soon simply because I can trash it/mod it without being completely stupid in my actions. My american made poly finish has taken a beating with lots of chips taken off, i now find myself thinking i could have used a mexican to take out my agression and it wouldn't cost as much


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Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2008 2:35 pm
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Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:29 pm
Posts: 1162
Location: Lee, MA
I agree, my Amer. Deluxe was the best electric I ever owned, and quality, fit finish and tone was miles ahead of MIM's. But if I want to do some invasive mod's, I would definitely do it to a mexican. The bodies are really good on them. My biggest problem is the necks on mexican, I think it would be the first thing I'd replace on it. But it is a really good platform to do modifications, allot better than Squires and so on, and I would never want to cut any wood an an American. Besides maybe pickup and wiring changes, I wouldnt want to modify it at all. I find when I play someone's MIM, and I don't like the playability on it, more often than not, it's because they never bothered to have it professional setup, as opposed to the guitar itself. Its probably because when you spend $1000 on up for an instrument, you more likely to know that it needs to be addressed. Plus american series more often than not, only need slight tweaking in set up. Whereas in a mexican, you may have to have the frets dressed, and may need to have the nut filed, but once thats done, you have a great quality instrument. Allot better than other manufacturers mid level guitars.


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Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 2:03 pm
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Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2008 3:29 pm
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Location: Lee, MA
the only thing I've really come across playing them, and this may be on the ones I tried, were the volume and tone pots. I didn't find them as responsive, this is a cheap enough fix. I know these can all vary wildly, the Americans Series can as well (which shouldn't be the case, but when your dealing with things made out of wood, are going to happen)


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 4:00 pm
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Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 1:35 pm
Posts: 2303
Location: DC
I agree with you about the mods... I have almost all my guitars modded.... :)


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