The main differences are:
MIM- cheap pieces of Mexican crap that are best used for firewood or if you want to smash a guitar on stage.
MIA- awesome guitars that rock people's faces and make chicks want to screw you.

had a mim strat that was really nice, i couldn't tell the difference. gave this one to my son. play a few of both and make the decision for yourself. now using a mia strat but wouldn't hesitate to go back to the mim.

first off how old are you? 16 maybe.
cheap pieces of mexican crap? i
suggest you grow up and at least
know what your taking about befor
you say anything because what you just posted
here is simply not true and not even belevable.
and i would also watch how you say things it could
get you banned.

Wow strat2004, go put in a new tampon. Just trying to spice up a topic that has come up 354,867 times in the last year by throwing a little gas on the fire.

thats the problem with this site its loading up
with idiots. i see brad in the near future shutting this
down.

I doubt it alwaysstrat,
brad is probably way too bored with the same five topics coming up every day that he stopped monitoring the threads months ago. What are you, a Mormon? Sorry, I thought this was a forum for guitar players/ musicians. By the way, which is better, MIM or MIA?

looks like some people need to be playing more, this sounds like my non-musical neighbors now. remember once, just as the police arrived i switched my korg to the b3 sound and they told my wonderful neighbors they couldn't do anything about someone playing the organ. i digress.

....what a "nasty" person......
anyhow.... I realize this is subjective, but there's my 2 1/2 cents worth:

I owned a great MIM for about 8 years. Set up perfectly, had great tone, and I knew I had the only guitar I would need. For years I avoided playing the MIA's because I was afraid of what could happen. I finally gave in and played the MIA, using the rationale of "...how much better can it be?" Within days I had that Sienna Burst/Maple at my home. I always tell people this: I had a great Strat in my MIM...now I have the PERFECT Strat! There is no comparison in my mind in the feel and tone. That being said, We all know there is a huge difference in price. To that end, I offer this questions: How much do you need to spend upgrading your MIM to bring it to the level of the MIA? Electronics, Tuners, Nuts....neck...the hand-rolled fingerboards are fantastic! And can it really be done at all? For me, there was an easy answer.

you dont have to spend much to upgrade the MIM
and thats the whole point. and always remember
back in the 50's 60's 70' 80' 90's there was no S-1 switch
there was no rolled anything they were just plain old $@! kicking
strats all this bells and whistles mean nothing
to players like myself and theres alot of us out there.

Good point, well said......Play what you feel and feel what you play!

Not another one of these

Apart from what the others have said keep in mind that American Fenders really hold their value nicely. I see used MIM's going for cheap locally all the time.

well thats not true the MIM's just went up
in value and i have a moddified 2006 MIM
standard strat that i have been offord $1,000
to sell it and the answer is and all ways will be no.

Std MIA hold their value? Buy both Std MIM and Std MIA and trade/sell them in the month time an you will see that you will get 60% of your purchase price assuming that you have hang tags/receipts. You guys are comparing mass production guitars. The better one (for you) will come to you after you play them. After that you will see if you can aford it.

Can we ask the thread moderator Brad to put a big note on the thread that says "Please NO MORE MIA vs MIM questions"?

01.7353682 latitude
001.254013 longitude

yes this issue is beaten to death BUT!
the facts remain. the 2006 to present MIM
standard strats are simply fantasticly built.
i would choose a MIM just as fast as a MIA.
i do see the 2006 MIM Fender Standard Strat
becoming a collectable some were down the road.