Yeah, this "controversy" is getting a little tired... I figure if Fender is willing to put their name on the line by moving "MIM" to the back of the headstock, they're endorsing the quality of the MIM guitars. And, I think someone mentioned earlier that the features of the current MIM's are on par with what was in the standard MIA's awhile back... enough already -- buy what you can afford and enjoy!

and lady's and gentelmen heres one of them!!!!

In this jaded opinion, it's pretty much a matter of you get exactly what you pay for. Here, Fender is to be commended by drawing firm lines for their products.

MIM -- a good, playable, quality guitar with limitations and limited resale value

MIA -- a fine quality instrument "worthy" of the name and nameplate, a continuation of the Fender lineage

MIA Am Deluxe -- next best thing to Custom Shop, an outstanding instrument well beyond what is "needed" to play good music. Almost "too nice to be a Fender."

Exactly! Good description.

I really cant see any mexican strat becoming a collectors piece unless mexico end production of the classic player series soon. Simply because so many instruments are produced each week. The last factory tour i seen the quota sheet was visible on the wall. Their quota is around 5000 instruments a week. They were producing between 3500 and 4500 average. Thats nearly as many guitars a week as pre-cbs fender were turning out in a year.
It doesnt detract from the instrument in any way. I do believe that in 60-70 years anything from 2009 with a fender logo on it will command a certain price. Not much more than a vox teardrop from 67 does today though. I dont think they will appreciate at a rate like customshop guitars no matter how long you wait.

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No no and no

Hi Niki! I did not mean to stir this topic up but I could not really believe that statement. Have a good one my friend.

FHop.

All things become collectible 'somewhere down the road'. I went to the local museum with my daughter today. You wouldnt believe the junk from neanderthal times thats priceless now. I was strongly considering half-inch'ing a megladon's tooth for the nut on my tele .
What would you rather hunt food with? A cavemans spear or a sniper rifle?
Not that i'm equating any MIM to a cavemans spear. Just pointing out how things do become collectible over time despite being bettered.

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No no and no

good day nik, i wish i didnt have such
a hang up about sending pictures over the internet.
its jus to dam easy these days to find out were someone
lives. thats why theres no pictures of family or guitars
over the internet. BUT i will be bringing 2 of my strats
with me in october. i'll bring my moddified 2006 MIM standard
when you play this baby you wont want to put it down.

Strat2004

No doubt mate. I love MIM's. Infact last night at rehersall we recorded a rough take on our current setlist for a new bass player to learn to. I only played my MIM the deluxe stayed in the case. Sometimes i want to play one other times a different one. As you know it depends on your mood.

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No no and no

Nothing to do with how good /bad they are, but I don't see em appreciating much. certainly not within the lifespan of anyone here.

There are way too many of them, and they are built way to durably to decrease in number enough to become truly rare. Same with the highway one, or current Am Std's. deluxes, what have you.

Start out with high quantity, and have very few destroyed. maybe if people mod the crap out of them and stock one might become rare, but to us it only seems that mods are common because people who frequent sites like these are more likely to be more into doing stuff like changing pickups, or paint jobs, and we spur each other on. Most people who buy these play em a bit, then they get put in the case and sit unmolested for long periods. or the just get played as is, and replaced later on.

I guess back to the original topic:
As of my last trip to the guitar store to play with Strats. At first glance, it is very hard to tell them apart. Play well, sound great. All the important things that you look for in a strat. It's not until the price starts going up (deluxes, hot rods, etc,) that i really start seeing real differences between em.


Now back when the mexican plant was new, I think you couldn't always make the same claim to consistent quality for MIM Strats. But certainly there have always been fine examples of the MIM Strat.

I also don't think anyone other than a brand new player, who has no one to help him find a guitar should ever have to worry about getting a lemon.
I mean, you really have to do some leg work before buying a guitar. Try it out, look it over, put it through its paces. You need to make sure it is the right guitar, no matter which price range you are looking at.

In fact if I were to go back out on the road, I think I would probably pick up an MIM and/or a Squier (those new classic vibes are freaking nice,) to gig with. They are more than good enough , and cheaper to replace if stolen, or wrecked.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

we will just have to wait and see.
what you think will become a collectible wont.
and what you wont think will be a collectible will

i do beleve the will be a few production strats that will become
collectibles, the highway one strat and the 2006 MIM standard strats.
there will be a few more but not many.

Well, we'll have to leave some instructions in our wills, and get the kids to sort it out.
I honestly don't think we'll see too many current production models becoming giant collectors. Not to say they won't appreciate in value, just I don't think they'll take off like the oldies now. There's a few that could justify it on quality, but they are very numerous. If I were to pick a single production model that has the best chance to become collectible within our lifetimes, I would probably have to go with the Korean Lite Ash models.

I think they are top notch quality, which is important, I think they're relatively rare as far as production runs go. And I think they were largely overlooked because of their country of origin not having the best reputation as far as quality. But I think as time wears on people will figure out how good they actually were, and there will only be so many available to buy. This same reasoning probably applies to the '06 MIM's too, as you are right in saying it was a huge turning point in their manufacturing process, the only thing holding its price down could be the massive quantity of them(although I may be wrong in my understanding of how many there are.And I think they're too well made to have an artificially low number of remaining units-due to damage, over whats left of my lifetime.)

Same with the HW1's. great guitars, but maybe too many, and too well made to become rare. but certainly the landmark year for the changes will have a much better chance to appreciate than those of other years.

One thing with collectibles, is that sometimes quality isn't as important as rarity.

I wonder if down the road the pre-upgrade HW1's don't become the more valuable, as the unit numbers of those made after the changes become much higher than those made on the original spec sheet.

Oh and I guess, as for what I think will become collectible, really I only see limited run, and or custom shop stuff having much of a chance. Then as far as production, I think the Korean Lite Ash, and the 2 you mention as having the best shot, though I think its pretty low for all 3.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Educate us all and show some poof of this you know as a fact! Please!

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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

I really don't have a lot to add to this other than a small gripe that I was just reminded of.. I am really getting tired of people checking out my strat and then asking if it's American or Mexican... I'm not offended at all that someone would mistake my guitar for Mexican I am annoyed because if you can't tell by looking at it (the clues are endless) then you have no business asking. Thank you for listening.

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Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
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