Hey guys. I am going to post my opinion on the matter of MIA vs MIM. As a person who's pretty new at playing the guitar, I can't really relate to people playing the guitar, but I'd like to shine a different perspective on the matter.

American factory
http://www.vintagerocker.com/fender/factory2/index.html

Mexican factory
http://reviews.photoweborama.com/allthi ... rbody.html

The above links show pictures of the two factories. Of course, 100% of people in the Mexican factories are mexicans. But how about the American factory? I'd venture to guess that most of them are Mexicans as well (not saying anything bad about Mexican workers).

For those that think quality control in the American factory is better than the Mexican factory, I'd like to ask how? Each guitar MIM is checked just as the MIAs...how's that any different? There's a huge probability that MIAs are checked by a Mexican as well...so what's the difference? Unless you've personally worked at both QC areas, you cannot make that distinction.

The electronics might be different (some say better), but that's how Fender chooses to do it. They intentionally use DIFFERENT pickups for the MIAs and MIMs to give us the impression that the MIAs are better. If Fender decided to use the same PUPS for the MIAs, would you stillhave the same opinion? MIAs may give you the impression of sounding better, but that's because of a DIFFERENT PUP, NOT BETTER PUP.

For those that "feel" the different between the two, I'd venture to guess that that's due to the years of stereotype that MIMs have received. You may psychologically think that an MIA feels or plays better, but that's only because your mind is telling you that. And your brain is telling you that because you've already convinced yourself that an MIA is "better" (when you decided to pay hundreds more for it--it's called reassuring yourself that you made the right choice).

So to say that an MIM is inferior to an MIA, that tells me that you have a problem with Mexican workers and think that they somehow don't take their jobs seriously. In fact, sometimes I think it's the other way around. Mexicans are paid a good amount (when compared to their economy) to work in the Mexican factory so they pride in that. SOME Americans actually feel underpaid--so SOME actually don't take pride in their work. Who do you want making your guitar?

I'd like to see if there is anybody in here that has worked at both factories because, frankly, he/she is the only person that we could truly trust on this issue. Why? Because we all have biases.

Fender decided to make guitars in Mexico because it makes economic sense--that's it. It's cheaper to make the guitars there, but that doesn't make them inferior. Guitars (MIA and MIM) are made a little bit different from each other to give us the sense that MIAs are better--if we think MIAs are better, we'll buy MIAs (putting more money in their pockets). MIMs Strats were made to gain a substantial amount of the market share. The more Strats are out there, the better it is for the company.

However, MIAs have the history on its side. Strats were originally made in the US so a Strat made in the US is more (in a historical sense) a Strat. MIMs, although they are Fender Strats as well, don't have history on their side. Strats weren't originally made in Mexico; therefore MIMs will always SEEM different. However, that's the only difference.

I kind of agree with what you mention, I also believe the intentionally thing... I think that if in the mexican factory they would do absolutelly the same thing than the american factory ... a mexican strat would be exactly the same as the american factory only cheaper... now ofcourse fender intentionally doesn't do that

So? Buy MIM! Fine by me.

"For those that "feel" the different between the two, I'd venture to guess that that's due to the years of stereotype that MIMs have received. You may psychologically think that an MIA feels or plays better, but that's only because your mind is telling you that. And your brain is telling you that because you've already convinced yourself that an MIA is "better" (when you decided to pay hundreds more for it--it's called reassuring yourself that you made the right choice). "

I will respectfully disagree with you here. I personally could care less where my instrument is made. I based my Strat purchase on feel and playability and I can honestly say that the MIMs I playability and feel did not compare to the MIA I ended up with. I had all intentions of purchasing the more affordable MIM, but the MIA I bought was worth the extra cost IMO.

Ya know what, my take on it is:

We all have to justify our purchases. MIM owners do not want to feel inferior, and MIA owners want to justify the higher costs. That is human nature. I don't think any of the differences are due to the guitar being made in USA vs Mexico or an American building it compared to a Mexican. Fender could build a guitar of MIA quality in Mexico cheaper.

I am a MIA guy, and I have no regrets paying the extra $, but I do not think that my MIA is better than every MIM. However, when looking at the two guitars at the store (MIM Standard vs MIA standard), there are some obvious differences. I used the three tone finish to compare. The finish on the MIA has more luster and appears deeper than the MIM. The wood grain on the MIA is more pronounced. My take is that the wood and finish is of a higher grade on the MIA. On the headstock of the MIA at the truss adjustment, the hole has walnut that matches the skunk stripe. The MIM has a synthetic material. The neck on the MIA appears to have more attention to detail like bigger frets and rolled edges for greater comfort. The MIM certainly looks like a cheaper guitar side by side...sorry

However, none of this means better tone or playability per say. But the MIA does have Alnico pickups vs the Ceremic in the MIM. Me, I am at a point that I don't just want a workhorse guitar, I want a work of art as well, and I feel that is what I received with the MIA three tone. Does it play or sound better than a MIM, I have no idea. But I have a pride in ownership that I would not have had in a MIM.

To me its like a chevy vs cadillac comparison. You can get every option on a chevy that you can on a Caddy for less. But in the end, the caddy will provide some details, beauty and a pride of ownership that the chevy lacks.

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

Read the spec sheets for both guitars, you will see there is a difference.
Both great guitars, I don't know if there should be that big a difference in price, but the guitars are NOT the same. Which one is better? I guess that's a matter of opinion. They could close the USA plant, assemble them in Mexico using the MIA components and cut costs.

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1994 Standard Strat, Blue
2000 Standard Strat, Black, with GFS block, and GFS Lil Killer pickup.
2004 Standard Telecaster, Black
1971 Gibson SG
1985 Kramer Baretta
1986 Kramer Vangard
Carvin X60B
Marshall 50 watt 2x12 combo

It's really very simple and common sense. Fender makes various levels of "quality", but when i say quality it does NOT necassaily mean that it is quality that equates to "better" in how they look play or sound. For example, we know that a MIM standard have bodies made from as many as 7 pieces. But while that is not considered as "quality", a 7 piece body can sound as good or even better than a 3 piece. It's just a matter of luck of the draw with wood, and you could well get luck with a 7 piece and not with a 3. in fact, look at it this way....maybe a 7 piece goves you a BETTER chance of a good sounding body because with 7 peieces the chances of a large part of the boddy being a lousy sounding piece of wood is far less likely than with a 7 piece.

So look at it like this...which things are actually better? Well, we know the MIA stuff has better pots, little doubt about that. But from my experience experimenting with strats i have come to the conclusion thats about the only part on a strat that is black and white !! eevn the finish and zinc vs steel block is totally subjective.

so what does all of this mean? Simple...the quality ladder is not arranged how it is with consideration as to which models are better with regards to tone and playability, it's arranged by which cost more or less to make. It's that simple. And that does not in any way determine what is better. granted, a cheaper one may need a setup and/or pickups to match a higher end model, but thats like saying you wish to spend twice as much for a car thats no better than the cheaper one just because the expensive one has great tires. I buy the cheaper car and chuck the tires and get good ones and still save a ton ! like i've said in the past, the MIM reissues series have MIA made bodies and necks and are just assembled and painted in mexico. I happen to prefer poly finishes, so i have a MIM RI with my personal fav pickups and pots and i have what i consider a RI thats every bit as good as a MIA RI, and in fact the grain on both the neck and body plus the joint matching in the 3 piece body is all better than literally (and i am NOT exaggerating) better than almost every MIA RI i have seen.

so what it comes down to is luck of the draw as wood goes, and putting your own stamp on it with a good setup and pickups and then theres very little diff in the level of quality of tone and playability between any strats. It's all about fender's level of profit.

Buy MiM and next you see many who did are off modding it to upgrade its parts.

That what I did with my MiM, I finally sold it when the costs of all the upgrades were passing what an American Standard would have cost.

I had a replacement tremolo block, new grahtec saddles, new locking tuners, new alumitone pups. Was about to have the wiring and shielding redone, and was considering upgrading the nut.

I really lucked out and got a American deluxe for only a couple hundred more than I sold the upgraded MiM for.

The MiM played OK, but always felt something was missing in its sound, maybe another pup upgrade might have fixed that
No desire at all to mod the AM Dlx it just sounds and feels right.


I think you said it all here, you are new to the game and are trying to draw conclusions from chats and web sites stats instead of playing experience

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Keep on Truckin, Going full speed ahead down the highway to hades.

The high end MIM are on pare with the low end MIA. And there prices are about the same.

Why cant we all by mercedez for the price of a mini.

You belittled your whole argument with the
Statement.

Its a simple fact if FMIC cover all price ranges from £15000 to £150 their going to make more sales. To do this FMIC have to cut back on component quality for lower priced guitars. Also i believe it would be good buisiness practice to somewhat lax the QC on lower ranges too. Its simple economics.

Lets all have flamed maple, scatterwound pickups and staggered height tuners on a £350 guitar.
Not going to happen in this reality mate.

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No no and no

The crux of the matter is that MIM Stds are suberbly made guitars, and get only better when they are hotrodded. So much so, that people start questioning how much better the "next tier" is and "is it worth it?".

There used to be a $600 difference between an MIM & MIA std. Now it is $700. So, what do you get for that $700 in the tangible guitar?

1) 22-fret more detailed neck
2) Better 2-point trem
3) Better pups
4) Better finish selection
5) Stellar HSC
6) the not-so-tangibles: better electronics, (maybe) better wood, better string trees, etc.

I think that IS a fair trade and makes the MIA very much worth it. HOWEVER -- if you are not much of a trem user and you upgrade the pups on that MIM std, the only real "differential" from an MIA Std then becomes ... only the neck.

Like I have said before, my modded '04 MIM Std is a perverbial killer of a guitar. But I still think the money is well spent on an MIA Std.

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

Well explained Niki! I don't know why it is so hard for some to understand!

I really don't think buying a MIA puts more money in Fender's pockets. From my own experiance in the retail market I would say Fender most likely has much better profit margins on the MIM.
As far as the quality issue goes, I have a 2007 MIM HSS and a 2008 MIA standard SSS and both are high quality guitars. I would buy either one again regardless of where it was made or the nationality of the worker that made them. As long as the quality and the features I want are there and it feels good to me I'll buy it.

BiNgO!

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Keep on Truckin, Going full speed ahead down the highway to hades.

Stamp out duplicate threads

http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... 3&start=15

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Keep on Truckin, Going full speed ahead down the highway to hades.