It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:15 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
Post subject: Re: I think I'm done with MIA guitars!
Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 11:50 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:52 am
Posts: 3840
Location: Colorado Springs
bradleyjp25 wrote:
I know the MIA's are better made with better materials but $600 worth?

In the MIM vs MIA debates, you have posed the fundamental question. But when you consider the primary MIA advantages (pickups, trem, details in the neck, fantastic HSC, and possibly the finish), one can make a very good argument for where that $600 went. That $600 is well spent in my opinion. However -- a nice MIM standard with some new pickups and an HSC can rival almost any MIA standard (and is even sometimes the better playing guitar).

_________________
Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2008 7:31 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:27 pm
Posts: 1151
Location: In.
For me it is more the feel of the neck with the rolled edges on the MIA that make the difference. I also think the pickups sound slightly better, and not as harsh as the MIM. I also had better luck with the MIA's staying in tune. It is not that the MIM's are bad guitars, but I think the MIA's are worth the extra. However if prices continue to increase, I may have to rethink that.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:06 am
Offline
Amateur
Amateur

Joined: Thu Jun 26, 2008 5:43 am
Posts: 158
Location: Tampa Bay
The words "Made in U.S.A." are worth it...


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 9:16 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2008 10:08 am
Posts: 9034
Location: Louisiana
Ceri wrote:
Hi Bradley. A while ago I bought a Korean Lite Ash Tele. I like the timber very much, and it definitely weighs less than a regular one.

I fancy myself as someone who knows a nice neck when he plays one, and in the shop that Tele felt good to me: well set up, decently finished frets, etc etc. And I have a great time playing it: I really enjoy it's no nonsense feel.

But when I switch over to a MIA Strat the difference is so enormous it can't be ignored. The relief and action is actually slightly higher on the Strat, and yet it feels so smooth and comfortable to play. I hate to use corny phrases such as "it plays like butter", but...

I've spent time trying to analyze what the differences are (beyond the obvious generic differences between a Strat and a Tele, of course). The frets are subtly but distinctly better finished on the MIA, more highly polished, the nut is better cut, and I really, really like the rolled fingerboard edges too. And I do think the Tex-Mex pickups sound better as well.

It is very hard to point to anything that is wrong with the MIK, it is just that in a multitude of tiny ways the MIA scores over it. Worth the extra money.

Of course, that Tele is not Mexican, and I don't own a MIM. But from playing them I think most of the issues are similar. Small but vital differences in quality.

You gets what you pays for!

Cheers - C

As usual Ceri you are correct again. I agree whole heartily with your statements! :!: :wink:


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:21 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2008 12:02 pm
Posts: 47
I have a MIM Deluxe Players strat in 3-tone sunburst, maple fretboard with the Vintage Noiseless pickups and it sounded better than just about every MIA strat I tried at GC. It's also beautiful which doesn't hurt its credibility. :o

That's not to say that MIA strats aren't "worth it", in fact I'm considering building a Project-Strat with MIA parts, but for me the $600 MIM Deluxe players strat was the best bang for my buck.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2008 10:56 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:32 pm
Posts: 1384
Location: uɐʇsıʞɔnuɐɔ 'puɐlʇɐlɟ
Yup, I had a 600$ MiM that played and looked fine,
Then added 300$ pups and grapthec saddles, and had started order a new trem and locking tuners,.

Then I added up what I had spent on the MiM and was about to spend on it.
Had an eye opener, sold it, and picked up a American Deluxe for not much more than what I sold the MiM for plus was about to spend on it.

No desire to alter the American Deluxe it plays and sounds just fine as is, and in maybe 25 years it could be a classic :) HA I should live so long. :)
The chopped up MiM will probably still be just a chopped up MiM.

Here's a pic of the old chopped up MiM I disposed off.
Actually still miss it a bit,as it was my first real Strat. :)

Image

_________________
Keep on Truckin, Going full speed ahead down the highway to hades.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 6:44 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2007 1:10 pm
Posts: 3
Truth is if you buy a used > 2006 MIM ( 2006+ is when the MIM parts were upgraded), that you make sure plays well without any issues and you add CS69s and redo the bridge/trem/block with a callaham - it is quite a strat for the money. in player's comparative tests, it can rival other strat. I have one ( got bill lawrence keystones rather than the cs69s and saved > $100) and have had pro players a/b against a MIA deluxe / standards of the rack and most of them like my guitar better (the BL pickups are great but less warm than the deluxe SCN - so if you like you pus less hot - go for used cs69s).

I do agree however by the time you finish your upgrading -- you're close to the the price of a new 2008 MIA standard. And unlike having or modding a MIA - you will not be able to recoup your investment with a very modded MIM.

I think modding imported PRSs works better, price-performance wise (mainly because the MIA standard strat is a good value), I bought a used PRS Santana SE II, and upgraded the nut, put in the pro Dragon II pickups - and man that guitar is very close to the >$2000 models in sound and playability for 1/4 the price. The push/pull coil tab sound is very good too. The Santana are cheap used compared to other SEs and are a great slap of mahogany.

It is always a choice for each person but for me, the "used import then modding" route gave me two excellent guitars of different flavors I wanted, for the price of one. And for the buying/tweeking obsessed like me it give endless hour to research/buy/tweek my Frankenstein ideas.

-steved


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:46 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jun 30, 2008 2:52 am
Posts: 3840
Location: Colorado Springs
steved wrote:
... by the time you finish your upgrading -- you're close to the the price of a new 2008 MIA standard ...

That's really not accurate. Look at mine...

MIM Standard - $400
Fender Am Dlx saddles - $25
Fender Tex Mex pups - $85
Fender OEM HSC - $50
Fender 06+ Tremblock - $12 (off eBay)

Total: $572 -- That is much cheaper than an MIA Std, even if you add in another $120 for even better pickups (yes, I know my Tex Mex don't get much love, but I love 'em ... they are very good true-Alnico pups)

That all being said, I do think the MIAs are worth the extra money.

_________________
Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:34 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:23 pm
Posts: 77
The Strat is such a simple guitar is kind of hard to F it up. Part of the reason for the lower cost of the MIM has to be the difference in wages the workers make vs the US workers. A lot of the tone opinions here are subjective and I've never heard anybody prove 100% that any certain part makes a Strat better or worse. Having said that I do prefer the way certain pups sound and obviously string choice and setup and then the biggie what amp your playing it through. I'm selling all my foreign made Strats at the moment and only keeping my MIM 72 Tele Deluxe which I will eventually hot rod. I just picked up a custom shop 60 and I'm in heaven. With the money I make of the CIJ's I'm selling I'm buying another custom shop 56.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:41 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:44 am
Posts: 7282
Location: Washington
peterp wrote:
Yup, I had a 600$ MiM that played and looked fine,
Then added 300$ pups and grapthec saddles, and had started order a new trem and locking tuners.


Some people might consider all of those additions to a MIM as "putting lipstick on a pig."

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:51 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Lucy Brown wrote:
..Part of the reason for the lower cost of the MIM has to be the difference in wages the workers make vs the US workers. A lot of the tone opinions here are subjective and I've never heard anybody prove 100% that any certain part makes a Strat better or worse...


Agreed. Other than cosmetics and detail I am still waiting to see/hear definitive proof that the woods and workmanship in the post 2006 MIMs are inferior to the MIA stuff. Apparently, this is yet more, "infallible web dogma" which is exempt from definitive proof and 'shall not be questioned'.

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:57 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 12:23 pm
Posts: 77
One thing you have to consider is that how a certain guitar makes you feel. If you think it's better it can and will help you play better. I know its psychological but it does work. If you think MIM sucks your not going to be happy playing it so whats the point. I always say buy what you like and what makes you happy. If you have the money go for it. Some people refuse to buy generic drugs because psycoholgically they dont think the drug will work as good as the name brand. Kinda like a placebo effect. I have it in my head the Korean Fenders are garbage so I would never even pick one up. Maybe I'm missing out.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:47 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
Lucy Brown wrote:
One thing you have to consider is that how a certain guitar makes you feel. If you think it's better it can and will help you play better. I know its psychological but it does work. If you think MIM sucks your not going to be happy playing it so whats the point. I always say buy what you like and what makes you happy. If you have the money go for it. Some people refuse to buy generic drugs because psycoholgically they dont think the drug will work as good as the name brand. Kinda like a placebo effect. I have it in my head the Korean Fenders are garbage so I would never even pick one up. Maybe I'm missing out.


Actually, I feel that the MIMs have way more of a traditional feel to that of the older Stratocasters whereas the current MIA stuff has more of a Gibson/Ibanez feel.

I'll keep beating the drum: I've yet to see/hear any conclusive evidence of inferior woods/workmanship being used in the post 2006 MIMs. Consequently (and reinforcing your point), I'm elated that I can buy "my" Stratocasters for $400 and change even though I can afford MIAs. Like someone said in another post, which America are we talking about: North, Central or South?

As to the Korean stuff, I played a few of them and IMO, they play like current day Epiphones.

Of course, my disclaimer: The above is merely my opinion, others' mileage may vary.

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:04 pm
Offline
Amateur
Amateur
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 12:06 pm
Posts: 117
Location: LA, CA, USA
I've never played a MIM, Chinese, or Indonesian guitar that didn't feel and sound cheap to me and that didn't have serious quality issues, including uncorrectable intonation, tuning, fret, rattle and deadspot issues. I've had slightly better luck with some Korean made guitars. I can afford American and Japanese guitars and definitely feel and hear the superior quality. Along with vastly superior craftsmanship, the MIA and MIJ guitars usually reserve the best woods and components to include tuners, wiring, switches, bridges, etc.

I've found that I can purchase MIA and MIJ guitars for not that much more than it costs to purchase an MIM and then go to the trouble and expense to replace not only pickups but bridges and tuners. The retail cost of replacement parts are rather high. And, of course, the MIAs and MIJs hold their value. You can replace pups and components in an MIM, but it's not going to hold its value much better after doing so.

_________________
♫- '08 Fender Vintage Hot Rod '57 Strat
♫- '07 Dean Soltero SL
♫- '09 Kustom The Defender combo amp
♫- '09 Fender Super Champ Vintage Modified XD
♫- '07 Roland Cube 20X
♫- Digitech RP1000 pedal


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 1:48 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 01, 2008 9:12 pm
Posts: 671
Location: Western Spiral Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy
excess wrote:
you just cant beat a strat so i had to have one and it is one with my soul now.


i agree. Do you mean you can't beat the quality or just beat up the guitar?

if the answer is the latter, then:

Image

lol

Read my twin reverb story on the general forums, talks about some kid buying a hwy 1

-The Screamin' J

_________________
CURRENT RIG:
2008 Squier bullet stratocaster modified with Rumpelstiltskin pickups -> Dunlop GCB-95 Original Crybaby -> Fender Vibro Champ XD

"Could you take the stain from this pair of pants, and put in on this pair of pants?"


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: stratele52 and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: