I know this debate has been beat to death but always interested to hear the pros and cons. I have a US Standard and a mim what's really the difference, it's hard to tell from the first look. I know one is made in the US and the other in Mexico but where does the changes start.

On the headstock with the serial numbers.

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Bill

Click on the Search button.... you'll find a thread or two on the subject..

Start at the biggest difference - the pick-ups. That's enough for me.

Oh - and even before that - the price.

Then there's...

22 Medium Jumbo Frets
3 American Strat® Single-Coil Pickups
Tone 2. Delta Tone™ (“Delta Tone” system includes high output bridge pickup and special No-Load tone control for Middle and Bridge Pickups)
Copper Infused High Mass 100% Metal Bridge Block,
Thinner Undercoat Finish for Improved Body Resonance,
4-Bolt Neck Attachment with Micro-Tilt™ Adjustment
Bi-Flex Truss Rod System {cool to know!}
Rolled Fretboard Edges
2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with New American Standard Bent Steel Saddles
H/S/H Pickup Routing
Machine Heads: Fender® Deluxe Staggered Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
Accessories: Fender/SKB® Case, Cable, Strap, Polishing Cloth
cool string tree
(yay!)

vs.
21 Medium Jumbo
Pickups: 3 Standard Single-Coil Strat® Pickups (Ceramic Magnets)
Vintage Style Synchronized Tremolo
Machine Heads: Fender®/Ping® Standard Cast/Sealed Tuning Machines
Accessories: Standard Gig Bag
cheap string tree
(blah!)

I would like to put my 2 cts.

Asthetically, both are nice. There are subtle changes
to the inexperienced eye. To weekend warriors and pros
alike, those subtleties are spotted fairly quickly.
The above poster gave an accurate list.

However, I have played poorly setup mim and Mia strats.
But I will say some mim strats are just perfect. Some need
modifying, but most mias are great right out of the box.

Setups in both are usually req. IMHO

_________________
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

Its supposed to be a quality difference, but with the MIM Deluxe Series and the American Special/HWY 1, quality is no longer the difference. I can say American Standards have wider string spacing, better electronics, improved string tee, improved saddles, full tremolo block, better nut, and improved tuners, and one more fret over the MIM standard. But the Deluxe MIM series, you only have a vintage style string tee, 1 less fret, and vintage style bridge. Oh, and you get a hardshell case for the American..... Biggest difference is about 200 miles....

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"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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Are the MIM bodies still made of poplar? Because if they are, there's a huge difference right there. MIA bodies are either made from alder or ash, depending on the finish.

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The mind is like a parachute; it doesn't work unless its open-FZ

Hi Bluestraveller, I'm surprised you haven't noticed any differences since you own one of each. All the differences are listed here on Fender's website. Just click on "Products" and select American Standard and Standard (Mexican) and compare the specs between the two. jmg257 was kind enough to do that for you in his post above.

There is nothing magical about the differences. The differences are real and Fender doesn't hide them since they publish the specs. Choose whichever one you prefer or have the budget for. One is not always "better" than the other, it's all very subjective.

And remember not all Mexican or American Fenders are created equal since there are high end and low end models of each. The lines between MIA and MIM are blurred these days, like when comparing the MIM Classic Players Strats to MIA Highway 1 Strats.

_________________
Obligatory gear list: Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch, Vox, Martin, and more Fender.

Nope, there made from alder or ash depending on the finish. Mine is alder.

_________________
"Epitaph on a blues musician’s tombstone: “I didn’t wake up this morning”" Davy Knowles


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I am assuming you are asking about the MIM Standard. Fender makes a lot of MIM models. It's alder.
Click the specs tab. http://www.fender.com/products/search.p ... 0144602380

edit: DetroitBlues beat me to it!

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Obligatory gear list: Fender, Rickenbacker, Gibson, Gretsch, Vox, Martin, and more Fender.

Yes, sorry! I was referring to the Std. model. I know the RI's and Road Worns are ash or alder.

_________________
The mind is like a parachute; it doesn't work unless its open-FZ

I have 2 MIM Strats and 2 MIA Strats and all 4 although readily identifiable as Strats in sound are quite different in tone and sustain etc.Strangely my Jimmie Vaughn MIM Strat sounds and feels a lot like my original 65 Strat. The other MIM Strat doesn't have the output and a thinner tone than the other 3 but that can be remedied by tweaking the volume and eq. The other MIM is a lefty that I strung right handed to use for Hendrix covers and when put through my cranked JCM 800s the tone is amazingly close to Jimi's tone.I can come really close to his tones and the sound of Spanish Castle Magic,Machine Gun and Star Spangled Banner is so close it's uncanny-if only I could emulate his inimitatable style.There are exceptional MIMs and by the same token there's the odd MIA that's not up to par.Granted the MIM pups and hardware may not be equal to those of the MIAs in quality but they are still far better than similarly priced guitars from other makers.An MIM Strat with Tex-Mex pups is an incredibly good sounding guitar at a great price-certainly a bargain.In the past few years the quality of all MIM Fenders has improved immensely and it's no longer a gamble to get a good one.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

No they are alder, even so not that big of a deal. Even American Standards at one point were made with Poplar.

You're joking, the "butterfly" string tree on the MIM Standard is not cheap. Fender used the vintage-style "butterfly" on many of its guitars for years.

Even the high-end Custom Shop models such as the Eric Clapton signature will feature the popular bent-steel "butterfly" string tree!



Both the butterfly and the modern-looking EasyGlider are excellent high-quality components. The butterfly gives a cool vintage appeal; the hardened-steel EasyGlider, introduced in 1983, is an elegant take on the classic round and butterfly designs of the 50's, 60's and 70's.



One of the main advantages of the EasyGlider is the reduction of the friction which is chiefly responsible for the tuning instability.

Could be. The one on my MIM looked like a cheap stamped piece of light weight metal.

Much prefer the Am Stndrds and Dlx gliders.