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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

Move along... Nothing to see here...

Yes, if the MIA was relic'ed with a disc sander and thrown in the dumpster to "rust it value up a few grand...."

i did not think you were that sick CV.

This post is just like beating a dead ???. Someone can say something is superior over and over and over and they may even believe it but until I hear specific reasons why its all moot because I have my opinion to. I do try to give reasons for my opinion from time to time using what I have learned through the years of not just playing but doing repairs not just for myself but others and $$$$ But I do try to be specific instead of just saying something is better made. Tell why or what or how. Thats the things that people want to hear. So this post should just R.I.P. unless there is something new to add that has not been said. These are three quotes of the samething over and over and theres more as well. Like I said just beating a dead ???? Why bother with no facts or reasoning.
Peace my Friend

Quote=MIM strats because of the fantastic craftmanship of the body/neck.

Quote=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

Quote=the craftmanship on the MIM strats are fantastic.
from 2006 to present the body and neck constrution

_________________
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

american strats (micortilt neckplate, detailed fret work, better wood, 2 point trem that is very usable and stays in tune excellent.) "hint" go too home depot and look at all the diifferent wood glues and prices, look @ hammers and see the difference between a quality tool and a cheap piece of you know what. get my drift? i could go on and on but not too knock the mexe but american is the best .

i stand behind everything i say CV. i'm sorry but i find most your opinions nothing more than just opinions and useless. mine are back up with facts.
you need to visit other sites other than this one and see what other guitarist/musicians are saying about the MIM and highway one strats.
hope you feel better.

I have not heard you state one fact on this whole post just they are superior in craftsmanship well tell me why. Do you even no. You have not stated a fact that you even have to back up. Throw one out there? And I dont need to go to other sites to see what others say. I am sitting in an office now with 9 guitars behind me one on the bench that I have been checking with the Fluke meter I dont need to read what others say to no these things. Tomorrow I am going to pick up two guits from the local shop one to put a neck on and one to replace the pots just taking some overflow work passed my way so most of my opinions come from what I pickup in the real world. So like said unless you want to tell all your facts that you can back up it best left alone sir Highwayoneplayer woops sorry I meen Alwaysstrat. Best let this rest in peace my Friend.

_________________
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 bought my Deluxe Players Strat about eight months ago as my second guitar. I had it a few days and had to bring it into the shop for neck issues. At that point, I could have told them to keep it and get something else... but I liked it.

There are many of these MIA vs. MIM threads, and they are becoming tiresome, aren't they? Perhaps not as tiresome as the PC vs. MAC threads on various other forums. They do have one thing in common, though. One is priced reasonably, and one is expensive.

Yes... one can say, "You get what you pay for..." But, not everyone can pay that price. Besides, once you get it home and start running the axe through all your effects pedals, is there a sound difference? Really?... There's a difference of feel, but nothing you can't get used to.

For me, the question is when I'm out playing in bars which guitar would I miss the most? A guitar I paid $1200 - $3000 for or one I paid $699 for? The answer is neither, but in the real world where it's very possible to lose your axe, I know what my answer is.

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"...The final truth is, there is no truth..." - (from "Nice n' Neat" by the Boomtown Rats)

My MIM HSS w/ PING Floyd Rose (which has a large solid brass block and sustains like crazy) has micro tilt.

I believe that the MIAs have more detailed fret work, particularly along the edges of the fretboard.

I have no doubt that the American craftsmen take great pride in their products, and they know very well that they must justify the higher prices for MIAs besides labor costs alone.

And if the Mexican factory is cranking out more affordable products at higher speeds and with less attention to finish and detail it is because that is exactly what Fender wants, not because the artisans lack "the gift".

Fender has done all guitarists, pros and novices alike a great service by offering the choices to fit our budgets. And, no matter which instruments we choose they'll all perform up to pro standards. Even my Squier Strat plays better than most guitars I've owned, and it sounds fine for recording. (No, I don't play SRV or tube distortion blues with it)

I can certainly understand why some of you MIA owners are VERY proud of your axes. You probably drive a fancier car than me, too.

(Listen to Robert Renman play his MIMs-It's obvious that the affordable instruments ain't holding him back!)

http://www.dolphinstreet.com/about_robert/

I want to inspire young folks from humble beginnings (like me) who look at me and say, "Hey, that kat can smoke and he's playing a Mex Strat!' I couldn't care less about those who say, "My Father is a banker and my diamond crusted guitar is better than yours!"

If that's the only thing they have to make themselves feel better, then I sure wouldn't trade places with them.

Would you?

When I was about 14 I had a Gretsch 6120 CHET ATKINS COUNTRY GENTLEMAN, ($1,000) then a Rickenbacker 370. ($550) By the age of 19 I had a gold plated Fender concert tone banjo ($2800 list) that I used for two songs in our floor show and a limited edition Gibson Flying V.

No amount of gold plating made me play any better, so, I don't bother with that cosmetic detail anymore.

And, it's ironic that many of the "too proud" MIA owners still aren't happy, and they'll pay extra for an instrument that appears to be a well worn original. It seems odd that they'd trumpet the quality of American axes then pay a premium for axes that are beat if not actually damaged.

Well, the paint job on my 3 color sunburst Strat is flawless, and the finish was perfect. I had to do a little work to quiet the hum and tighten some hardware, but I wanted a Floyd Rose Strat so I bought what was available and I'm very pleased with it. If Fender had a MIA w/ FR in production instead of my MIM I'd have bought that.

The quality of my axe is every bit as good as the original 50's and 60's Fenders I've owned, and I'm very pleased with the stock pups, too.

So, you young fellers out there who are thinking about buying MIMs, just go for it! If you practice really hard you won't have to sweat the snobs. While they are at home playing SMOKE ON THE WATER (or playing on their jet skis, snowmobiles, motorcycles, etc., being poor/working class/ a starving student can be a blessing if you practice while the sons of privilege are engaging in "conspicuous consumption") you'll be on stage or in the studio "dewin it with the katz and committing crimes in the name of rock & roll!"

^^ lets not profile people. All MIA owners are not snobs and not all MIM owners are aspiring guitar virtuosos. everyone here knows that if we were offered either one of them we'd take it without a blink. People are taking this post a little too personally and focusing a little bit to little on the question at hand

Last two posts say it all!

As a Mac user, I've been asked what is so "superior" about them, ad nauseam...

Answer: When I started using computers (in 1987) the Mac was the only computer that could handle sound and graphics. What I needed/wanted. Sure it cost more, but that's the price I had to pay. I have ALWAYS been happy with any new Mac I've purchased, so I've stayed with them (I actually have some Windows machines now also.)

Bottom line? They both do the same things now, just as an MIA and MIM does. Just leave it alone! Get a damn axe, and PLAY! or, to quote FZ:

"Shut up and play yer guitar!"

CV seems to forget i own both MIAS and MIM stats.
i own the new american std and the 2007 highway ones
i also own a few real classics not reissues. and i have been
playing guitar since the age of 15 i'm now 47. i have played
in very susccesful bands thats why i dont have to work today.
i have many guitarist/musician friends. so with all this and much
more MR. CV i'm pretty qualified when it comes to judging guitars.
oh lets not forget that i have been playing strats since the age 15.

this is the personal thing i was talking about......he's not saying your not qualified, he's saying your support for your argument is subjective in that you are using the fact that you're a pro musician and you've played strats for 30 years....... which is fine, no one is saying you don't know your stuff or that you're not entitled to your opinion, but the question I believe was looking for an objective answer...."these are the pups they use, these are the other electronics compared to........". And then somewhere in the middle here it just turned into another Alamo battle. Take a step back, the original poster hasn't made many posts so maybe he/she is a new member and was looking for a little information on making a purchase, maybe a first time purchase. This could also be an incorrect assumption but for the sake of this post , they may have been looking on advice one what to buy and after reading this thread decided he/she doesn't wanna be like any of us and thus chased a person away from the forum. Everyone relax and take some time from this thread and go play for the afternoon and come back refreshed...thats what im doin

hamms how are you my friend/
and great advice i'm hooking up now