I love this arugment, so I might as well throw in my 2 cents.

I own a 2007 MIA Strat that I absolutely love. When I go to music stores and play a MIM I tend to dislike the feel of their necks overall, and they don't have that "quack" that mine has. Also, I have yet to see a sunburst MIM that is as pretty as my 3 tone sunburst MIA. Usually the MIM's don't have attractive wood grain visible (because they are poplar instead of alder?).

Otherwise the MIM are awesome instruments for the money, and the squiers aren't bad either. Compare them to the cheap Sears Roebucks that most kids were stuck with when I was a kid that had 1 inch action at the 12th fret. Kid's today are starting out light years ahead of what we had.

I am very happy I bought the MIA. It gives me warm fuzzies just to look at it. If I had more money I would have bought a custom shop model. But I'm not going to try and convince myself and everyone else that my MIA is "just as good" as a custom shop, or even could be with modifications, because it is not. You get what you pay for , plain and simple.

I've had both and recently sold my '08 Mexican Strat (maple neck) to help finance my '08 American Strat (also maple neck). I loved my Mex and that is what led me to desire an American.

The Mex had a great neck, smooth and fast, it felt great in my hands and it sounded great.

Everything on the Mex was improved five or ten-fold on the American. The neck is . . . well it's the best neck I've ever played on, whether Strat or LP, which I also owned at one time. The finish is perfect (3-tone sunburst) and it seems to be built like a tank. Finally, the sound. I can't believe the improvement in sound I get from the American over the Mexican. True Strat bliss.

Having said all of that, the Mexican Strats are fantastic for the market they're made for. An affordable Strat that, to me, is head and shoulders above the entry level Strats (i.e. Squier). However, my experience has been (and it seems a lot of other Strat owners have had this experience as well) that as a Strat lover I at some point or another aspired to purchase the American-made version. Not only for the cachet that it brings but also because, in general, they're made better and they sound better than their Mexican cousins. That doesn't mean that an off-the-rack Mexican will ALWAYS be inferior to an off-the-rack American Strat. In fact, I've test driven several American-made Strats at the big-box stores that I found lacking in comparison to the Mexican-made I once owned.

Enough waffling, go play as many as you can get your hands on and figure out what's best for YOU.

well the mims are mostly ALDER wood bodys and rock maple necks.
since the mim ugrades from 2006 to present they are a work of art.
and i would compare the craftmanship of the mim strat to most craftmanship of the mia strats any day. since 2006 the mim strat is not
in any way a cheap built strat. i like these strats just a much as my MIA strats. my advice to the people who dont like them Dont buy it. personaly i love my 2006 MIM standard strat. and i recomend the mim strat to everyone who plays a strat, PRO and the none PRO player.

Well stated raf66
They are all well made guitars for there target market. We all cannot all afford big moola so it is nice to be able to buy a good guitar at a lower price and get some bang for a buck. But lets face it a guitar sold by the same company for two and three times as much is able to be sold for that price for a reason. If the more expesive one were the one that was a lower quality then no one would buy them and the company would not make them.

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Amen ! To the last 2 post! raff66 and dudemankind that is!!

I agree to all that, but the top-of-the-line Squier Strat line (the "Classic Vibe") is a very respectable nice guitar. They are not incredibly cheap, either, running about $300. Those who have a bias against Squier would be surprised how well they play...

Anyway, I don't own a Squier Strat. I am just throwin' some love towards them...

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

I dont think anyone here is saying that the MIM is some old cheap guitar, but that the American Strat is of superior quality. Even if the craftmanship could rival the American strat,the materials used are better.I would chose stainless steel over chrome plated parts anyday.The tremolo on the American is a better product too.Smoother and more stable.One of the things i like about the american is the delta tone circuitry.That bigger trem block adds so much sustain to the tone and the case it comes with is outstanding.

[quote="hamms30"][i have a mim and an am. deluxe and the american is just much smoother to play. love the pups in the american and i love the neck on it, very smooth. with that said, the mim is still a strat and it still plays like a strat , either way you can't go wrong strats a strat/quote]

Most Mexs strats I've played have a softer feel,but I would still prefer my Am DX for it's higher quality.

I bought an MIM HSS with Floyd Rose, and the PING FR is excellent so I didn't get shorted on that hardware at all.

And, I have to say that I really do like my pups, even though I'm sure they're not the premo Fender offers.

In fact Andreas Kisser of SEPULTURA has three identical guitars and he plays his with the stock pups through a MESA Strategy 500 amp and four cabinets, and no one complains about his monster sound!

And, at the risk of repeating myself (from a previous post) let's not overlook the fact that Henry Garza (Los Lonely Boys) plays both MIM and MIA Strats. (as will I if I win the grand prize for posting!)

So, I'll take my guitar anywhere and play it proudly because after all, I spent years wood shedding so I'd know what I'm doing when I play. If I do my part this iconic Strat will hold up its end just fine.

BY THE WAY IT'S ONLY 7:05PM here in the East!

Very smooth! I actually heard Henry play with Los Lonely Boys two summers ago when he was on tour with Carlos Santana. He sounded great! If as a professional touring & recording artist, he's not shy on playing a MIM Strat, why should I worry about it? I have a MIM Strat and loved the chrome red finish over those found on the MIA's hanging right next to them.

Keep in mind Mexico is in North America so if you want to split hairs you can say that the MIM's are north American made. Someone said it right I think: "MIM's are made by Mexicans living in Mexico. MIA's are made by Mexicans living in the U.S." I still think there is going to be a major quality difference between these and Fenders made in Indonesia though. If the hardware and pickups are not to one's standards on the MIM's, they can be upgraded. I can't see that as enough of a reason to pass over a MIM I really liked playing. Oh, I posted the Fender 2009 Kickoff Contest at my BLOG linked below. Hope I win something for being so generous!

_________________
The New Eclectic Sound Experience
www.mariejmiczak.blogspot.com

hey doc great post. a lot of people dont realize how many
PRO players play the MIM standard and other MIM model strats.
a few years ago i read were david gilmoure of pink floyd has a few
MIM standard strats that he has modd in hid strat colection he enjoys
playing them.

in all fairness i believe the question was relating to a stock MIM and stock MIA...so its kinda moot to compare a MIM with upgrades to a stock MIA....I am doing upgrades to my MIM and i consider it 50% mexican now and 50% my own handy work..which is why it prolly isn't worth as much anymore ..btw..this post was without prejudice to anyone person in particular...just something i noted about switching pups and other stuff

as far as the MIM strats craftmanship and body/neck qaulity
i stated before from 2006 to present the MIM strats match
very well with most MIA strats. thats why guitarist buy the
MIM strats because of the fantastic craftmanship of the body/neck.
and very easy to modd also.

So if you won your choice of a American Standard Strat or a MIM Standard Strat. you would pick the MIM

_________________
The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

i'll choose what ever i'm pleased with. MIM OR MIA.
you see i can care less were the guitar is made. i do
prefer certain MIM strats over certain MIA strats. and
certain MIA strats over certain MIM strats. i also prefer
the MIK Fender special edition lite ash strat over the Fender
MIA ash strat. were its made doesnt matter what matters
is how it sounds/feel/playability.