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Post subject: Question. What to expect from a MIM Strat out of the box????
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:18 am
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Noobie to the forums with a question here.

A couple of buddies and myself all bought some higher end MIM Strats recently. We all wanted the same model, but we didn't want floor models that had been played, so we got ones that were still in the box. When we got home and compared, they were all set up slightly different, and each seems to have it's own issue. One has much higher action than the others, (although none of them have the same string height) all of them have issues with the wound strings buzzing, one had a tuning peg that's tweaked, the pickups are all different heights, and my buddy said his guitar's tremolo bar got cross threaded when he tried to screw it in...

Are these kinds of things normal for a guitar from Mexico?

Should the same model guitar be set up differently from the plant, or should they be exactly the same?

Should I expect the guitar to play perfectly right out of the box, or do they require some additional setup to be right?

Just wondering what to expect or what not to expect. My guitar only has the string buzzing issue. What's the easiest way to fix that? Oh, and it only buzzes when I'm fretting, not when the string is open.


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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:48 am
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Ive never bought a single guitar that played perfectly when brand new. They all requre setting to your personal preferences, whether they be a squire or a customshop.

I'd expect to
adjust the neck relief, nut slot depth, string height, intonation, pickup height and in most cases of cheaper guitars the neck pitch too.

your mate threaded the trem bar 1st time he put it in, he really should be more carefull. Its not like puting the wheel nuts on a car. :D

Various people sell tapping kits to re-thread the tremblock. I think stewmac is the most popular seller of them.

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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:16 am
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When I bought my Fender MIM Std it definitely needed some tweaks out of the box. The action was not right, and the intonation was a little off here and there. That was a new 2004 model. Nothing major, though ... but it was definitely not ready to go right out of the box. It eventually did get a pro setup later on when I changed pickups and added springs to remove the float.

When I bought a Squier Vintage-Modified Thinline just recently, it was set up perfectly. All I needed to do was tune it and stretch the strings. Seriously ... man, I was shocked. I was expecting to have to do alot more than I did with the Fender since it was a Squier (you get what you pay for, right?). Boy, that was a pleasant surprise. BTW, that is an amazing git for the money...

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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:43 am
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I bought a new MIA Strat in the beginning of `08. The whammy bar wouldn`t screw in and in order to fix it the block had to be changed. That was right out of the box and I paid $900 for it. Then I bought a Tele made in China, I paid $170 for it and it was fine out of the box. Not that it was better made then my Strat...just had no issues with it. So its a matter of hit and miss the way I see it. Sometimes you get lucky and other times you have to tweak it to your liking.

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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:05 am
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I recently bought a MIM from the box too-the thread on my isses should be on this or the second page.
It had issues also.
My advice would be to play them for a couple of weeks before doing anything. Mine wouldnt keep tune until it settled in. After the 2 weeks then see what adjustments you need.


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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:10 am
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It's perfectly normal for a new guitar to need a set up right out of the box. It may not need one, but it shouldn't be a big problem if it did. That's what luthiers are for, take care of a guitar if we can't do it ourselves. Same thing with cars, you can change your sparkplugs, great. You need to change a camshaft, you'll probably bring your car to a garage. Brand new cars go through a PDI pre-delivery inspection to give the buyer a flawless car and man does this goes wrong sometimes? If I can build on my 32 years experience as a car mechanic, I like to buy a brand new guitar right out of the box, from an authorized Fender dealer, then after a two or three weeks of acclimatation at my place, I bring it back to the luthier for a total set up. Well until I learn to do it myself. 8)

Claude.


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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:26 am
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Claude,
Most reputable sellers in the Uk offer a free setup within 6 months. Purely because of the reason you stated. If a £60K jag needs to be run in for 500 miles before its expected to perform then what chance does a guitar have.

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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:47 pm
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I bought my MIM off the wall at GC, (for a discount) being it was my first guitar, I have no idea if it is set and adjusted correctly or not. I suspect not, don't all guitars buzz? LOL
I am fresh off the guitar boat, and probably should find a set up guy. I would take it back to the store for a setup, but I have no faith in a teenage kid that calls me Dude. I found the Fender set up page here, and will try to use it.


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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:26 pm
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Hello Stratocoaster,

Firstly welcome to the forum.

All the stores I frequent will do an
initail set up for free and most will
readjust at least once. Take it back to
where you got it and if possible watch
what they do,and learn.

I do my own set ups and it's a great
part of the fun of guitar playing all my
learning is seat of the pants.
I never wrecked anything yet.
Best of luck.

Cheers.


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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:30 pm
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You have to understand something. These guitars are set up at the factory, then they are sent out to the stores. They get banged around a little, the temperatures are different in the back of the truck and the warehouses that receives them.

I never leave a guitar shop without having them set it up for me. Even if it is the last time I have someone else touch that guitar, when I get it home, it is play time, not fiddle and adjust time.

Wanting a guitar right out of the box is great, as long as you understand that there might be some tweaking needing to be done.

Out of the box does not equal to a perfect, unblemished guitar.

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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:50 pm
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My favorite thing on Saturday at my little part time job is to "unbox" the new Strat or Tele plug it into the Peterson strobe tuner tune it up check the intonation, adjust if necessary, polish it and hang it up... Its so suuweet... almost all guitars new out of the box will need some adjustment and tuning whether its a $2500.00 White Falcon or a MIM Strat. Our store gives you a 6 week break in period. you bring it back after 4 or 6 weeks and we will give it a thorough going over at no charge. We check intonation, tighten up any loose hardware, check your action and adjust to the manufacturer's specs or yours within reason. We will change your strings too as long as you pay for the strings.

Long story longer its not unusual to see those diffeences in your new guitars out of the box. If you bought from a reputable dealer he would likely make those adjustments for you..

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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 4:00 pm
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I am so into my guitars that I would not let other person set them up for me ....I don't think a setup guy can get it how you really want it even if you explain to him... even a milimiter in saddle height or any screw make a tiny difference :)


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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 6:35 pm
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See, after sale care.

All the more reason not to buy online.

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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:26 pm
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Thanks for all the input guys. Does anyone know a good person to set up guitars in the Los Angeles area?


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Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2009 12:13 pm
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As with many guitars it could probably use a good set up "right out of the box". Other than that, expect to enjoy playing it. The MIM's are some fine instruments.

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