Who cares where it's made, as long as it plays well?

Having said that, I chose an Am.Std. Ash Tele this weekend over an Epiphone Es-335 reissue (China). I just can't get used to it...

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2008 Am Dlx Strat HSS
2008 Am. Std. Ash Telecaster
2009 Gibson SG Standard
Hot Rod Deville 410
Blues Jr. NOS
Marshall MG100DFX
2006 Martin HD-28
1993 Alvarez Regent

It sounds like you are making out that people who buy MIA Strats do so because they do not want their guitars "made by Mexicans". First of all, I don't even know anyone from Mexico but I am sure they are nice people. Fender use their finest grade of wood on their top range guitars, so the q0uality of the wood follows this order down their product line. So the MIA Stratocasters are going to have a better grade of wood than the MIMs.

All the parts are the same with the exception of pups, although on the custom MIMs they probably have pups equal to oe better than the base model MIAs. I purchased a MIA becuase they felt better in my hands, and sounded better than the MIMs.

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Fender Highway One HSS Stratocaster '09
Modified Fender Champ600
Honer Special20 Harmonica

i have a jim root mim tele and its one of the best sounding guitars i have, gotta love those emg's. i also have a american 06 highway one strat hss and it sounds great too.

as long as the guitar is comfortable and with in your price range it shouldnt matter.