MIA!

Ah-ha. That's the first time I've heard about rolled fingerboard edges on the new MIM. That is an excellent improvement.

Not wild for ceramic pickups, but that's purely a matter of taste. To me the difference in hardware is fairly noticeable - but I'm sure a modern MIM has a better bridge and tuners than anything Hendrix and Clapton ever got their hands on, back in the day.

Cheers - C

This question is a bit silly to me. It is like asking "Which is better? A Porsche 911 or a Porsche Cayman?"
Of course, the 911 is better. However the Cayman is still amazing in its own right, and the Cayman (depending on how it comes equipped and is eventually upgraded) can certainly rival a 911 in many areas.

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

I totally agree. Other than a very defensive MIM owner, who is REALLY going to think an MIM is better than a MIA?

It might be a better OPTION for some (new player, someone on a budget, etc), but if you had the money for either, you'd be a dope to pick to lesser of those.

But again, that doesn't mean "MIM's suck" because and MIA is better. It is - what is it: a cheaper version of the MIA with some corners cut to keep the price down. And I still believe it to be one of the best guitars for the value. Though not everyone wants the best "value", some just want the best guitar.

Agree with what Dgonz and 01GT eibach say.

But there's also another view that improvements trickle down the catalog, much as new features first appear on top end cars and later migrate down the price scale.

By that analogy the MIM in many ways represents the MIA of past years. Six screw bridge, older model tuners, and until this new one, non-rolled fingerboard edges.

So, given that some prefer American Strats of earlier periods, the MIM is a place to look for some of those features.

Cheers - C

I really like the mexican for the price.