So I am ready to buy a new guitar, and after trying all the guitars in GC I have settled on a fender standard(possibly fat) strat mexican... with a maple neck.

anyways, I have heard from several sources(GC sales guy, other forums) that the 2009 mim strats have significant changes, but I cannot find a legitimate consistant list. some have said that the changes are just a different headstock logo and some color changes, others have said fatter trem block and slimmer neck.

can anyone point me to a specific list of changes?

I guess my major decision lies in I can buy a used/back stock strat for about 300ish while a new one is 400 something(445 at GC). if the 2009 ups arnt that great Ill just buy a used one and spend the money on upgrades.(Although the new blue color is pretty sweet)

This from Fender's little blurb on the products page:

http://www.fender.com/products//search. ... 0144600375



I'm sure they would plug any more significant improvements over these if they made any'

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

Yea I saw that, but was hearing a lot to the contrary... Im not gonna spend an extra 100 for a prettyer headstock. I guess a nice playing used one it is!

unless someone knows more info.

It seems more attention was being given to the neck and fretwork ... beyond the new tint (which is very nice, btw) that someone else already mentioned.

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

12 bar seems to have covered the only changes i could find, as I too have been looking at the 08 and 09 strat trying to diceide which one. I'd say save the 100 and in the end thatll be almost enough to upgrade the pickups should you decide to make changes.

so i guess the guy at guitar center who told me that they slimmed the neck and fattened the trem was full of crap?

Probably.

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

do you think if i call him on it he'll give me a discount? :-p

I would do it. Just say you did your research and spoke with Fender and they confirmed it. I mean if he is giving you bad info to make an extra 100, then there's a problem. Not saying that was his intention, but it would never hurt to call him on it and see about a discount or some the freebies.

The Products list does mention a heavier ("high-mass") trem block, but I do not know how recently that went into effect. Older models do not have it - but how old? Not sure.

I would spend the extra $100, just for the neck and logo. (or better - find a used '09 (HSS) - which I did )

SO much nicer having a tinted neck AND "Made in Mexico" on the underside of the headstock instead of the top. The parchment stuff I already swapped out for pearl/white, but would have been quite happy keeping that color - if I could have found the right components in it.

The trem block has larger mass, I do know that. I have a 2003 MIM strat that I will be replacing the trem on - it is very thin and the guitar does not have a lot of sustain. I have played the 2008 MIM strats, and there is a difference in sustain and general tone due (partly) to the larger mass trem block. These newer MIM strats also have medium jumbo frets - my 2003 MIM has vintage frets. I believe that pickups were improved on newer models - even though they are still ceramic. They appear to have higher output, but I may be wrong. Hope this helps.

Here's something I found.

I would spend the extra $100, it seems like most of the upgrades are done besides the PUPS to which most people swap out anyway.

Below specs for an 09 MIM strat.

ALDER BODY
* POLYESTER FINISH
* ONE PIECE MAPLE NECK MODERN "C" SHAPE
* 21 MEDIUM JUMBO FRETS WITH TINTED NECK
* 5 POSITION BLADE
* 3 PLY WHITE PICK GUARD
* FINGER BOARD MODERN "C" MAPLE 9.5 INCH RADIUS
* CAST SEALED PING TUNING MACHINES
* 2 STANDARD SINGLE COIL PICKUPS WITH CERAMIC MAGNETS
* 1 HUMBUCKER PICKUP
* SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO (VINTAGE STYLE)
* VINTAGE STYLED BRIDGE WITH SYNCHRONIZED TREMOLO
* DELUXE GIG BAG + CANDY
* NEW HIGH MASS TREMOLO BLOCK
* FULLY SHIELDED ELECTRONICS
* '70s STYLED LOGO

Hello Sassafrasquatch,

My 2 cents.

I like the new '09, to me the neck , board, & frets
are better feeling and looking. Sound wise I thought
they were both pretty similar, I played em through
a Blues Jr NOS. both guitars were well shielded so
hum was hardly noticed. I would spend the extra C-note.

Cheers.

The very newest ones are the bomb I played a few and they do have those improvements.They play very good and feel great.I was quite surprised and impressed with them.

I wish it came with real candy