Here's my opinion on the thriftiest way to get the strat you want...

1) Find a used MIM strat in the finish you want (Maybe $250?)
2) Replace the neck with a neck you want with another used neck (Maybe $200 for MIM, $500 for MIA)
3) Replace pickups with used ones you want, (Maybe $100)
4) Pickguard swap (maybe $30)
5) Change hardware from chrome to gold (Maybe $100)
6) Sell all the parts you purchased to get most if not all your money back (Maybe gain $300)

When its all said and done, you have spent maybe $400 and you have the strat you've always wanted and you saved money by not buying a new standard MIM strat....

I did that with my Roadhouse/Lonestar strat hybrid. Plus I changed all the hardware to gold. Overall, maybe spent $50 out of pocket after I sold all the parts I replaced. (The Roadhouse was used for $399 with Texas Specials!)

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


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Here is a quick pic I took with my iphone.

The guitar you want can be purchased so you can just enjoy for years to come. Some modifications have negative side effects. I also like to mod my cars. Remember this, anytime you modify something, there are always tradeoffs.

I don't have any second thoughts about my 08 AM Standard. I still love the tones it makes all stock.

Back in the day, all I wanted was something that gave me the best metal tone. I changed the stock pickups in my budget Ventura to active EMG's. When I was done and plugged in, I had major disappointment. My guitar pretty much sounded the same, I guess the stockers were pretty hot already. Since I had to remove the 6 way rotary switch, I lost all of the out-of-phase sounds it used to be capable of. I probably should have left it alone. Now I have to put batteries in it every couple of years, and instead of 6 different sounds, I get three. I also learned that the main benefit of active pickups was to reduce hum from stage lighting.....I don't even play on stage, especially with this guitar.

I am starting to wonder if I can get even better strat tones by changing my single coils, but I am happy and learned my lesson.

Here is some advice I have though, if you want to buy an amp, bring your guitar with you to the store and try the amp with YOUR guitar. If you want to buy a guitar, bring your amp. Great guitars don't always mix with great amps and vise versa. The key is the proper match.

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

This is great advice! I can't believe more people don't do this.

Disagree. I have found american standards that weren't that great to play, and mexican strats that have been awesome. And (although this is totally personal) I can't STAND the american deluxes. You never know what you're getting with some of these guitars. The bottom line is just go to the store and play it, and it will call to you.

Also, be prepared to swap out the pickups cause I've never played a (newer) strat in a store that had good pickups... Ever.

Thanks!

In addition to being able to test what will eventually be your actual rig, I have also found these advantages:

The music store employees will take you seriously. They know you did not drag your equipment there for no reason. You want to buy and they know it. I automatically have a salesman/service at my side. I have waited forever at guitar center before anyone helped me without doing this. They are with me and at my call when I do this.

From that point, they also start moving your equiptment for you and treat it like gold. I don't kow if they are concerned that if it gets broken that the store would be liable, or they are just feeling good about knowing they are about to make a sale. Too many people go into these stores and play on their equipment with no intention of purchasing anything. That has to be frustrating for them.

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

The problem with that is it sounds like you are judging a guitar based on it current setup from the factory. The best guitar ever will play and feel bad if its not setup to your liking. I have never found a guitar that was setup to perfectly to my liking in the store. They all seem to have too high action and too much neck relief. But I or someone else has been able to adjust it. Most of the setups are middle of the road and need to be adjusted to personal preferences. I would be concerned that you are passing up good guitars that just need some adjustments. I go for looks , sound and then play it for any noticable problems that would indicate that more than just an adjustment is needed.

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Guitars:
1. mid 70's Ventura MIJ Gibson l6-s clone (Pre-lawsuit) in Black with Rosewood FB and EMG 81 BR/ 85 Neck
2. ESP KH2 Neck Thru
3. 2008 Am Std Strat in 3 tone sunburst

About 3 months ago I went looking for another Strat and was prepared to pay upwards to $2500 for one.I tried out 8 or 9 including several MIA models and even A MIJ Aerodyne but that one that spoke to me was a MIM Jimmie Vaughn,it was-to my ears and hands-the best of the lot.So even when money is no object the cheaper one may still shine the brightest.

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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.

Paztor wrote..."Blindfold me and I will buy whatever feels and sounds best to me."

I was berated earlier in this interesting thread for not quoting you properly...accused of being sneaky, and asked to quote you completely.

ok...i apologized for that...I did not ask which one you would BUY...I asked which one you or anyone else would take for FREE. So with your eyes open would you still leave the Am Std and take the FREE MIM?...Just curious.

I said in one of my previous posts...
If I had to pay, it would be a MIM for sure

If it was free, I would take the most expensive guitar in the store and sell it to get exactly what I wanted for less and have some $$ left over.

Hey maller,

Mexican Standard ($499) guitars are a great start and they have room for improvement if you like to modify guitars. The bridge block is the best place to start, as far as mods that will improve your tone. Replace the cast block with a solid steel block like a Callaham ($60). Many times just the bridge block will be a big improvement, but the saddles on the Mex Std aren't that great either and I usually replace those too ($40). Just these 1 or 2 changes can make a big difference in you tone, more sustain and clarity for sure.

Some of the Mex Stds have decent pickups, depending on the model, but this would be the next area for tone improvement if it only has the standard pickups. You can find a good set of Texas Specials or many other decent Fender Custom Shop Pickup sets on eBay new in the box ($150). Tex Mex pickups are very good, I think they are under rated really. ($75). If you want to put in better pots and caps, it wouldn't cost a lot ($30).

So, you can spend about $700 to $780 and have a killer Mex Std. And you might have to attend to the fret edges on the neck. Low humidity can shrink the neck a little and I have had to file down the edges on more than one of my Mex Strats. But if you have it done by someone else it can cost you a little more.

If you want American, for low cost and great sound, the new American Special series would be hard to beat ($799). It comes with Texas Special pickups and a Greasebucket Tone circuit. They are offered in SSS or HSS if you want a humbucker. I would still replace the bridge block, it's almost certainly cast. My American Standard '08 had the new "Cast Copper Infused" "High Mass" bridge block and I replaced it with a Callaham, the saddles are good.

I don't think that you can go wrong either way. It just matters whether you mind doing mods or not. All of the prices I quoted are for new parts, if you find them used it will cost even less. Hope this helps!

Very helpful advice, shimmilou.

Brian

definately go with the american standard. i own one, and there is no comparison to the MIM ones (even though MIMs are still great instruments). The MIA will hold its value much better, and the quality of the wood/fretboard is unmatched. The pickups also sound great. Amazing neck finish, stays in tune very well.

The higher investment will be worth it in the future.

Here is what i think. MIA's are better than MIM's in general. But you have to make you way, start with a mim change the pick ups , change the tuners , try a new bridge. SUFFER !!!. Always buy quality parts like sperzel tuners or a callaham bridge for example. These will be usefull for your next strat. MIM strats are amazing for the buck and with time practice and expirience , ( and savings !!) you can buy a real deal strat like an american deluxe or even a custom shop strat . MIA Standard Strats are not that great try to go a little higher if you are going for a MIA. If not muy a MIM.

The thing is that if you buy THE BEST strat as your first guitar theres no furter challenge, and also how do you know wich is the best strat for you??.

Buy a mim , modify it, try play fail succed. Then buy the one YOU understand is the best.

I have a MIM with several mods, but some day i will get a custom shop the exact way i want it. BUT I WILL NEVER SELL MY FIRST STRAT thats patetic.

Thats my 2 cents.
Best Regards. Fender Fender Fender

There is no way that you automatically have to haul apart a new MIM Strat/Tele etc. and replace everything with "quality" MIA parts. All this BS about MIM Fenders being inferior guitars is purely that -BS.Granted MIA Fenders may have superior build quality etc. but that doesn't mean that the MIM Fenders are automatically junk ,to think so is totally myopic and absolutely ludicrous.The most recent Strat that I bought was an MIM Jimmie Vaughn and with money being no object I still picked it out from at least 8 or 9 MIA and MIJ Strats that I tried.The JV had the feel and sound that I have come to love in a Strat.I've been playing 45 years and I currently own 30 guitars of many makes and vintages(mostly Fenders) and have owned and played many more over the decades.I think that this gives me the ability to know a great guitar when I play it.I have 3 MIM Fenders-2 Strats and a Tele and they are far superior to most guitars in their price range.I believe that most people that denounce MIM Fenders are just parroting what may have been the case(infrequently) in the 90s but that kind of statement has absolutely no foundation at the present.

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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.