I am thinking about taking up the craft and have been trying to educate myself on electric guitars as best I can over the past couple of months. I have visited music shops and read a boat load of online information and finally ran across this forum. Rcently, I found a mexican strat online for a relatively reasonable price and was thinking about pulling the trigger. I want something good to start on and like everone don't have the money to drop 500 plus on a starter instrument. I take it mexican strats are not as well built as American strats. Can anyone help me out. I do have the serial number. Should I call or email fender? Can they tell me if this instrument was made by them and where? A music shop owner told me that a lot of the newer guitars are made in China and are cheap and flimsy. Korean stuff is better and older Japanese stuff even better. Thanks for any help.

Hello rovetch I' Guido from Italy :
I'm also starting to buy a mex Strat and I look 2 model Classic '50s ( you find also '60s and '70 )and Classic Player '50s ( there is also '60s ) these are probably the best 2 Mex series.See my post Classic '50 vs Classic PLayer '50s.
It's very important understand well that these are not-US-made guitar so their money value in time will be lower.
My dealer say to me to look also for basic US strat The HighwayOne series that have about the same price of above 2 Mex models.
It's s is question of personal choice, but many people on web say that certain Mex Strat suond better than dertain US models.
You must absolutely play the guitar before buy it and if possible not one model , but various of same price or also higher to ear the difference.
Bye
Guido

My post here perilously approaches the MIM/ MIA post wars that I have completely sworn off of, but here goes anyway...

No, the Mexican Strats are EXTREMELY well made. The MIA Strats are finer instruments with some higher quality materials and more detailing in the build process. But that does not deter from the Mexicans being nice high-quality guitars.

Any one who wants to dispute me on that notion, consider my other cheek turned...

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

There are some quality differences in the components between an American Standard and a (MIM) Standard, things like the Mex body may have more parts to make up the whole, the bridge block isn't made of the same metal (not as much steel/copper, but still hi-mass), stamped bridge components instead of bent-steel, ceramic pu magnets instead of alnico, gig-bag vs hard case.

The MIM does have medium-jumbo frets & shielded body cavaties, and...

There is a picture Factory tour of the Mexican factory (which is like 16 miles from San Diego) on-line, and it shows guitars being handmade, with handmade pick-ups, handmade strings, handmade necks, hand finishing, etc. etc. The quality of the workmanship I believe is top-notch.

Having said all that, I just bought an '09 MIM Standard HSS that is a very nice guitar. The maple neck is gorgous, the set-up was well-done, the tone is fine. For the $330 I payed, it was a great buy. DO I wish it had the few benies of the Am Standard? Sure - but for +/-$500 more??? (and I already have an Am Dlx)

For the budget minded I would consider one in a heart beat, along with the G&L Tribute series which are made in Indonesia.

2 things: #1 - For a MIM I would try to find an '09 - some nice improvements were made in '08. #2 - I would try to find a store where you can try out the ones you are interested in. A big part of picking a guitar is the tone, and you can not tell that on-line. Local store pirces around here anyway are usually just fine, and there are usually plenty of MIMs to choose from.

Over the years I have had many guitars. I was in Japan last January and went to a guitar shop their. Just as I was to going to leave I pick up a two tone Strat. MAN! I fell in love with it. I tryed a few others and nothing else felt like it os sounded like it.. Only then after hearing it and playing it did I find out it was made in Mexico. The set up was just right for me. So like others have said, try one, The MIM guys are making a fine guitars. I plan on keeping it for a long long time. ( not to say I wont get another guitar someday as I suffer from G.A.S.) My 50's Strat is one nice guitar. Aloha , Markdavid

For the money you arent going to find a better guitar.

I've never seen any photo from the mexico plant that shows handmade strings, pickups, bodies or necks. The simple facts are that all those components are machine made regardless of origin. Even customshop necks are machine made, the final shaping is done by hand. That is true of every guitar in the fender line, whether it be mexican, korean, american or japanese. All fender strings are made in the Mexico plant.

That said Mexican guitars are fine fine fine instruments. If you persue guitar playing a mexican fender will last you as long as you want. USA and Japanese instruments do get slightly more attention to detail, which you will pay for. However you can quite happily gig, record and do anything with a mexican strat that you can do with any american one. I did, for years.

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No no and no

I just picked up a used MIM strat and was amazed with playability, especially the neck. I have a highway one also, (which are sweet guitars) but I was really impressed with the MIM. The Mexican strats have a stigma against them, I don't know why, the strat I just got is 13 years old, it plays like a dream.

[quote="jmg257"]... stamped bridge components instead of bent-steel...[/
quote]

Could you explain this please?

The Mexican Strats are good instruments. The main concern is the wood you're gonna get. You can always upgrade all the components to finer ones. But the one thing you cannot change is the piece of wood you get. If you get a good piece of wood then it's a sweet deal. But if you get a lousy scrap of wood you're screwed.

No, not really!

The User manual talks about 'weight balanced stainless steel saddles' on the Am Stndrd, and 'bridge saddles made from stamped steel that has been case hardened and heavily chromed' on the Vintage Tremolos / Standards (MIMs).

These may be obsolete descriptions though. ??

The latest Am Stndrd are as follows:

"Bridge Components
The American Standard Stratocaster incorporates bent steel Fender saddles. The original vintage-style Fender bent steel adjustable saddle is one of the components that give vintage Fenders their tonal 'mojo.' Fender conducted tone comparison tests, and discovered the magic all over again. Sonically, they have a wider tonal range and more character than the other saddles."

I could find no more detail on the MIM saddles.

Hopefully I am wrong and they are the same thing!

You really think Fender Ensenada would use scrap wood on an '09 MIM Strat? I kinda doubt it. They seem to be focusing on building decent quality instruments...

What was evident in the picture(s) I saw were bodies made of numerous pieces glued together - as many as 5.

http://picasaweb.google.com/meridianmus ... yTour2006#

Seems they may use veneers too, maybe on the see-thru finishes?

http://www.guitarstop.com/tour/guitar.htm

Ahh - bad choice of words on my part - of course machines are used. I was referring more to the amount of 'by hand' labor that is used - fret work, finishing, sanding, base coating, neck pocket, pick-ups (using winders), etc. etc.

I was pleasantly surprised actually!

PLEASE LETS PUT THIS TO REST. This is the one topic I really never wish to see again. Are Fender MIM quality guitars well if 85% of the guys on the forum and Mark Knopfler say they are end of story. Are MIJ quality guitars well with Fender themselves saying Fender Japan just about saved the company and since I own 3 end of story. Now the only thing that is a fact is that no matter what no guitar is going to hold its value or shoot up in resale value like a MIA that is the only big differance. So you could grab a MIM and record a #1 album because the quality is there or go play the Garden for the same reason. So if you just want to make great music ,and that should be the only thing on your mind WE KNOW THE ANSWER.

I've had my MIM Strat since '05 (it's an '04) and I really like it. It hasn't had any major repair issues (unlike my Squier) and it's built to last. I'm thinking of changing the pickups and upgrading the bridge, but really it's perfectly fine even without those modifications. Even if I get an American Strat one day, my MIM is a keeper.

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