I'm saving for a lake placid blue standard Strat HSS, and I'm wondering what people think of their new standard strat. Also post pictures of them!

Excellent guitar. I just purchased a new MIM SSS Strat in sunburst and couldn't be happier.

I do have one question for anyone who reads this. In the bridge position the tone knob(s) will not work. In the other four poistions the tone knobs work. Is this by design or am I missing something?

It's by design. They have been like that for a long time. You can get it wired up if you want!

Thanks for the answer. I can work around it no problem but the bridge is my #1 position. I have a MIA Buddy Guy with lace sensors to compare my MIM strat and the MIM holds its own. I'm not saying it's better or equal. It's just a fantastic guitar for the price. The build quality is excellent and well, yes, it has the classic strat sounds that we all love.

I sat in a guitar shop for an hour. I played an american standard Strat for 20 minutes. I was plugged into a new Fender VM Deluxe (awesome amp by the way), and went through all the ranges. I put it down and picked up a mexican one. I was blown away!!! I neck felt and sounded just like the american. I then asked myself the a question. I knew american ones were more expensive, but how much more? So the American was $1400 and the Mexican one was $690!! So you can guess what one I wanted!!

Just picked up a new old stock ( 2008)for $399 and just love it . I think it is Chrome Red with a white pic guard and maple fret board. It sounds great with my Blues jr.

Sorry but thats very common with the MIM Strats.

I have that exact guitar - LP Blue with HSS. Really happy with it, nice looking neck, and it is/was a good quality build and set-up. I use it almost all the time, as I am not so worried about leaving it in the car, taking to lessons, on vacation & trips, etc.

I have installed SSS noiseless pups w/older style am. dlx wiring, so the bridge can share the middle tone knob.

Keeping the orginal pickguard loaded as stock so I can swap it back in when I get bored. The tone was fine, just wanted to try something diff/more ...'classic strat' I guess, as I have a few other humbucker gits and only 1 other strat. Tough choice for me between the classic looking parchment and pearl though, and may swap that back too .( )

Anyway - I highly recommend the MIM '09. I think the few choice improvements this year makes it even a better buy then in the past.

current look:


and the sweet looking tinted neck, has a bit of tiger stripe:

I bought my '09 MIM Standard the end of May 2009 and like it a lot. I think it's a great guitar and the fit and finish seems to be excellent. I've been very happy with it and haven't made any mods to the guitar yet. It seems to play and sound great so I may never change anything. I couldn't see paying over double for an American Standard. I paid $450 for mine at Sam Ash.

I know some are sick of me saying this but i own 4 Strats and i'm building a 5th..I own a Strat Ultra an original 71 a 94 Floyd Rose and a 2008 MIM H.S.S Strat..I have installed Suhr V60 pickups in the mim and done other work to it..The mim Strat is the best bang for my bucks of all the guitars i own..I paid $320 for it new in the fall of last year..It is my number one stage guitar after the pickup change.. Even before the pup change i thought it had fantastic tone for a guitar that was that cheap..The action is equal to the majority of the American Standards i have played ..The build quality is excellent and i have no problems with the guitar being dependable..I wouldn't hesitate to take this guitar to a gig without another guitar..Even though i never do because i play in several different tunings and it is easier to switch guitars then to tune in between songs..
I only have one other guitar that is even close to the value of the Mim Strat and that is a Ibanez ART 300 Les Paul type guitar..I know on this forum that is close to blasphemy but for a hot ZZtop tone or even harder heavier tones the Ibanez ART300 is a lot of guitar for the money...

Yes this is normal on all Strats! The bridge pup has no tone control. Tone knob closest to the pup selector switch is for the neck, the other tone knob is for the middle pup.

What model did you get?

I had a chance to play the exact guitar earlier this year - RN neck, HSS. Very, very nice guitar for the money. The only suggestion I would make is to wire the bridge pickup for a tone control. This is a very simple and easy mod, and will turn it into a true player so you can get the most mileage out of having that humbucker in the bridge.

Look what I found! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY6FhbaEOxA I've been waiting for a review on the new Standard Strat!!

I just purchased a new MIM std Strat at GC for $294.00!

I'm a lefty and GC isn't carrying in Midnight Wine anymore and had it on clearance. It's beautiful and has a rosewood fretboard! Yeah $294. for a brand new Fender Stratocaster. WOW!

It sounds awesome and I love playing it. I have a Tele also and the Strat is
easier to play for me, I think the strings are closer together.

Anyways I love my new MIM Strat. IMO it is a quality made guitar and I say buy one NOW! You won't regret it.