I'll agree that my MIA strat has astronomically higher quality materials and "feel" BUT the volume pot on my MIM strat is better than my MIA. I didn't need the cap and resistor mod on my MIM like I did on my MIA.

And I don't feel as intimidated modding my $500 MIM strat as I do the $1500 MIA strat.

As a side note - does anyone out there still have a MIJ strat?

Shane~

In spite of the opinions of others, my favorite color is still sunburst.

What is the emoticon for sarcasm?

currently considering a sunburst. I always disliked them but now im coming round.

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Yes, I have a 85 MIJ that I would not sell !!! I'm not going to compare it to another model(don't want to start it up again) but it's a wonderful playing guitar! I don't know but I've been told by a knowledgeable tech. that it has a 57 neck on it. RI I'm sure!

I have wondered many times why there is not more praise of the MIJ's and CIJ's. Any light on that, because those are for the most part truly great guitars.

"And I don't feel as intimidated modding my $500 MIM strat as I do the $1500 MIA strat. "

One is only a grand more than the other and neither is intimidating to mod.
Young guys spend 500 a night on a weekend in a bar with friends. What's the big deal with 1500? Know what you want to shoot for? Finding a Strat that you DON'T ever want to mod! That's your target. You don't understand that yet, but someday you might

Couldnt agree more. For the most part though i found that realization only happens when you actually find the elusive no mod needed guitar. Alot of modification happens over time with the way a guitar naturaly wears to suit your playing. So being able to judge to some degree what a guitar will be like in 10 years is a skill worth chasing. I'm not there yet i still buy the odd duffer, but i'm getting better.

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No no and no

Ok, let me 'splain ... no time to 'splain - let me sum up.

I guess I should have said "modding my $500 MIM strat Myself.

And, yes; I remember [25 years ago] spending insane amounts of money on a weekend. I'd probably have my "no mod needed" Strat by now.

Until then, we all search for "The Tone"

Shane~

Shane i doubt you will find many people that advocate modding guitars than i do. My statement was merely until you find the elusive 'THAT' guitar your going to mod away in a constant quest for tonal satisfaction. I did and still do on some guitars. One doesnt need any mods, the other I think has reached its limit (a £200 guitar with £500 of parts on it).

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No no and no

I don't think good guitars are that elusive. I think guys are cheap, uneducated, or uncaring and don't want to spend the dollars it takes to find good ones or even great ones. Then they brag about " good deals" and mod their tails off, and wonder what the meaning of life is.

Tell you a quick story. I usually had a 1962 original Strat standing in the repair room, or in it's case for one reason. It was a fabulous reference point for doing set ups on 60's and 60's RI guitars. So this young guy comes in and he doens't know road apples from meatballs, but he's got an Am Standard that plays horrible, but he thinks it's the pillar of perfection. He will NOT shut up about it. So we adjust it, set it up, and then he REALLY goes nuts. " MY gawd, this is the best guitar out there, this is best one in the whole State, no kidding , nothing I've ever even seen has been nicer than this for tone, and feel...and blah blah blah..." just stupid.

So me and this other guy educated him! We told him to wear a towel as a blindfold. We plugged his guitar into a 1963 Tremolux amp, he played it and it sounded like a million bucks to him. The we got the old '62 out of her case, plugged that into the same amp, and let him have at it! I will say this about htis young man. He could play. No clue about tone, no clue about reference points, yardsticks or measuring good/better/best. But he could play like crazy, great little player.

Before he even takes the towel off, he says " Guys, this guitar ( the old '62) is crazy, man! What the hell is it? I want this one...mine ain't NUTHIN" I still am trying to figure how you go from " Greatest" to " nuthin" in less than 2 minutes, but I know one thing :

Everything is relative.