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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2011 8:27 pm
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Cars.....? Are we really talking about cars on a guitar forum? Where is the redneck whining about Toyota being in NASCAR? Anyways, for all of you Kraut car lovers trying to prove how smart you are for buying a car that has maintenance costs so high your sphincter tightens every time you hit a speedbump, why in the world did my mom have a New Beetle burn to the ground? Ding Ding Ding...that's right! Because some penny-pincher thought it would save some dough to put a plastic impeller in the water pump. There's some German engineering for you! Now go buy a Framus and get electrocuted for all of our enjoyment. As for the argument at hand, I've got a Mexican amp and an American guitar. I bought the American guitar because I had previous experience with the American Standard line. As far as the difference between the Mexican guitars and American guitars, the gap is narrowing yearly. I tried out a '60s Mexican a few years back and was fairly impressed with the lengths gone to in making a decent facsimile of a particularly expensive American model. As the economy grows weaker and the number of people buying new guitars grows smaller, the closer the quality gap will become. If you look at Epiphone's laundry list of features on their Les Paul models, you will notice that some come with better hardware than their American cousins. Since the price difference between Fender Mexico vs. Fender American isn't near $2000, it will take some time before the sales of American Fenders will be hurt by their Mexican cousins.


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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:39 am
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.


Last edited by GuitardedSickboy on Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:52 pm, edited 4 times in total.

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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 9:37 pm
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Fender apparently sell more MIM than they do MIA, which kinda makes sense- the higher the price the less models they will move.

Then again, the Squire line sell more than MIA- because of the price point. The more affordable you make them, the more hands will play them. So, as times are getting tougher, it's no surprise the MIM line are selling- however, that doesnt mean the MIA range dont sell at all.

Truth be told, I have rarely seen really moan or complain about the quality of the MIM line- and when they did, we allways ask why they even bought that model and not another in the first place :wink:

:mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 10:18 pm
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Hi Morbe!
I thought there was no problem getting along, with all these great guitar options.
What I think is great is that some MIM Fender instruments actually beat the MIA, so it´s not all black and white. My made in Japan Strats have blown away several MIA Strats. Then again I have a Custom Shop Strat and it´s the most amazing thing that I have experienced. I love them all as long as they are Fenders. I know a good instrument when I see one, only later do I ask where it was made. I will just sound it and I know if it is worth it. What I love about Fender is they wouldn´t compromise the name for profit.

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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Thu Sep 22, 2011 11:44 pm
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I'd like to know who ever said that you would "never have good tone unless [you] get an American strat". Unbelievable! Just because some point out that, generally speaking, the MIA are of obvious better quality/sound with more hand-finishing, does not in any way indicate that the MIM are crap. Sometimes people read way too much into simple statements of better quality. :roll:

MIM are great guitars, some are on par with the higher quality MIA, and the CS being top of the line. :idea:

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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2011 1:06 am
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Hi Morbe....

I´m the lucky owner of a Strat Mex... and i love it...

I´ve replaced the PU´s with 3 new, handmade by... Bill Lawrence, Guitar & PickUp Designer... WOW... what a sound


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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 11:41 am
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honestly the mexican is a good instument especially for the price good for a first guitar or for something you want to up grade like i did to my dads 1992 mexi-strat but i have to say the american is way better they feel so different the mexican neck is a bit thicker and seems to have a different finnish on the back of the neck as far as the electronics go the amarican is of a way higher standard being that i own a 2010 american standard and i play it so much i can pick the feel out anywhere anytime its basically my go to guitar so when i played the mexican i could instantly feel and hear the diference just my opinion on the matter it really pisses me off when people say there the same and the only difference is one says made in america...

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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 2:45 pm
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Personally I go with the 'Dont buy a Friday 4pm made guitar' argument. I have owned a MIM standard which was my first fender. I didn't realise it at the time, only having ever played 1 other guitar - a Les Paul, but have since come to appreciate how damn fine that MIM is - It plays beautifully, has an amazing action, NEVER goes out of tune under trem action. It has a beautifully finished fretboard too, with amazing fitting and precision to all the parts. I've also had a MIA - which was very good too. It seemed roughly tonally the same and was well made. Purchasing a 3rd guit I decided to get another MIM given the quality of the 1st one and the price saving. I bought an FSR in the sale - and have to say I was slightly underwhelmed. It has the TBX midboost so plays like a monster, espescially under the humbucker - but that wasn't what underwhelmed me - the nech was dreadful! Were I a shredder i would literally do that - shred my hands and fingers on the awful fretwork along the edges of the neck! The rest is of equally high spec and qwuality as my first MIM and the MIA - virually impossible to tell the difference - but that neck is likely what sometimes gives MIM a bad name. I think a lot depends on the individual who built it, the person on quality control and a million other human error factors. Me - I'm glad to own a MIA in order to say I own one - but I have no qualms about buying MIM's in future - (as long as I can examine it first!) :D


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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:50 pm
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Hi Herne,

Sounds like you had what is referred to as "fret sprout", and likely not a QC issue but rather that the wood shrank a little due to low humidity after the guitar was made. I have had this happen on a number of MIM Strats, and with a little filing the frets are nice and smooth again.

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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 5:50 pm
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I have 4 strats - a MIM standard, a Blacktop Strat, an American Standard and a American Select (previously available FSR, basically a American Deluxe with a Mahogany body and different pickups). My American strats are overall better guitars but my MIMs are really great guitars in their own right.

I LOVE the neck on my MIM standard; it feels almost as good as my MIA standard. The MIM stays in tune forever & plays and sounds great. Played clean, the pickups on the MIA sound a bit sweeter than the stock Mexican ceramics. But the ceramics sound great with distortion and overdrive; thicker and meatier than the MIA singles to my ears.

I think if you buy a good MIM strat (take your time, try out a bunch to find the best one), get a good pro setup on it, upgrade the pickups (assuming you're getting a standard strat - the higher end MIM already have good pups usually) and you will be VERY close to a MIA strat for all practical purposes (feel, playability and tone). You will have a guitar that plays and sounds fantastic, and if you gig, you will not worry as much about something happening to your upgraded MIM.


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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 4:58 pm
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shimmilou wrote:
Hi Herne,

Sounds like you had what is referred to as "fret sprout", and likely not a QC issue but rather that the wood shrank a little due to low humidity after the guitar was made. I have had this happen on a number of MIM Strats, and with a little filing the frets are nice and smooth again.


Excellent point - I had not considered that. Not sure I'm brave enough to go filing the fret ends myself tho - I can imagine the wreck I'd make of the edge! :lol: Might get my local luthier to have a go tho if he doesn't want too much for it. :D


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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 5:38 pm
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I use painters tape to make a protective barrier on the wood around the fret ends, and the neck should be removed to access all of the frets. But yes, this might be something that is better left to a pro.

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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 5:51 pm
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Here are before and after shots of one of mine.

Image

Image

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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 5:39 am
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gar1013 wrote:
Does ANYONE need to own a station wagon that's as fast as a mid-90's Lamborghini? No. Could I convince myself that I need to sell an organ to get one? Yes.

ROTF & :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Mexican vs American "Can't we just get along?"
Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 8:23 am
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I have one MIA, and 3 MIM. My MIA is an 83' Am Std, I purchased back in 83. It visibly has more wood than my MIM's which were purchased in the 2011-2013 time frame (but all Strats now a days are built with less wood than years prior). I have had fun hot rodding my MIM Strats. It gives me something else to do besides waiting for death...

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