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Post subject: Compared MIM Strat to MIA Strat
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:20 pm
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Stopped in GC today to look at Strats. I noticed that the MIM frets had very jagged and sharp fret edges that stuck out pass the sides of the fret board. Every MIM Strat and Tele I checked was like this. I also compared this to a same cost Epi LP. The Epi frets were very well finished and polished even better than a MIA Strat. This was very disappointing to me. I know someone will say that the frets edges just need to be filed and polished, but it's the lack of finishing detail that makes me wonder what the rest of the guitar is like.


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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 5:52 pm
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Interesting. Fender guitars usually seem to be finished better than that. I have never picked up a Fender that was like that.

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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:34 pm
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CAFeathers wrote:
Interesting. Fender guitars usually seem to be finished better than that. I have never picked up a Fender that was like that.


Nor have I.


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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:36 pm
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Me either, but I sure have seen plenty of Gibsons with non existant fretwork. They don't seem to care what they throw out the door as long as people keep buying them.

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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 6:40 pm
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cryingstrat wrote:
Me either, but I sure have seen plenty of Gibsons with non existant fretwork. They don't seem to care what they throw out the door as long as people keep buying them.


I have owned 2 gibson's and one Epi that had crappy fret work.

Notice I said OWNED?

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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:32 pm
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I can't believe that no one else has noticed this. It was very noticeable. All I had to do was feel the fret edges. Even if you look visually you can see the difference between the MIM Strat and Epi LP. I not knocking the Strats, but what I saw made me thinking of changing my mind.


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Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:36 pm
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alanlee wrote:
I can't believe that no one else has noticed this. It was very noticeable. All I had to do was feel the fret edges. Even if you look visually you can see the difference between the MIM Strat and Epi LP. I not knocking the Strats, but what I saw made me thinking of changing my mind.


Well, you saw what you saw. I guess someone dropped the Q.C. ball on that batch.

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Post subject: Re: Compared MIM Strat to MIA Strat
Posted: Fri Feb 08, 2008 8:58 pm
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alanlee wrote:
Stopped in GC today to look at Strats. I noticed that the MIM frets had very jagged and sharp fret edges that stuck out pass the sides of the fret board. Every MIM Strat and Tele I checked was like this. I also compared this to a same cost Epi LP. The Epi frets were very well finished and polished even better than a MIA Strat. This was very disappointing to me. I know someone will say that the frets edges just need to be filed and polished, but it's the lack of finishing detail that makes me wonder what the rest of the guitar is like.


My first Strat was a MIM and I had the same problem after about six months. My guess is that there was still some moisture in the wood and when it dried and cured, the neck shrunk.

I just used a large wetstone (for sharpening knives) and honed the frets down on both sides of the neck. I took a little wood too to make it less sharp at the edges. I'm sure any tech that reads this will cringe but I didn't pay much for the guitar so I really didn't care.

I've since bought a bunch of MIA Strats and have never had this problem with them. I guess the old saying "you get what you pay for" applies here! :roll:


Last edited by Strataholic on Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:06 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:44 am
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Sounds odd, I never grabbed one I didn't like. Usually mexican necks are pretty impressive.


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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:56 am
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I'm no expert guitar tech but I've noticed that American necks feel much smoother and the strings tend to bend much more easily compared to the mexican guitars imo.


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Post subject: Re: Compared MIM Strat to MIA Strat
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 11:57 am
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alanlee wrote:
Stopped in GC today to look at Strats. I noticed that the MIM frets had very jagged and sharp fret edges that stuck out pass the sides of the fret board. Every MIM Strat and Tele I checked was like this.


I have checked out dozens upon dozens of MIM Strats and Teles at Guitar Center.... alot of them do have nasty, jagged necks. If you slide your hand up and down you will get a cut. BUT...... not all of them. I have a 60 players Strat and a Baja Tele - both have beautiful smooth necks with no protruding frets. KEEP LOOKING !!! :roll:


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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 12:28 pm
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Quote:
I also compared this to a same cost Epi LP. The Epi frets were very well finished and polished even better than a MIA Strat.


The frets on my "cheap" Epi Casino are finished better than the frets on my 61 reissue SG which is infinitely better than the razor blades on my LP. But the Casino still isn't as nice as the ones on my Am Dlx strat. I think difference on the MIMs is that all the American models have the rolled edges while the MIMs don't.


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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:13 pm
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I have an 01 Epiphone Les Paul, an 07 Epi LP and and 07 Epi Dot. All have great smooth edges on the fingerboards. I was looking for a Strat and found every MIA or MIM Strat I picked up had rough fingerboard edges. Even to the point I could not believe Fender would produce such a product. I finally found a 60s Strat MIM with Rosewood fingerboard that felt great. Of course I waited and someone else bought it. I then went to GC a few days after the 08 Strats came out. I walked out with an 08 American Standard, Olympic White with Maple that is made to perfection and feels great. The difference in the new 08 is like night and day. Just for hoots, before I left I picked up an Eric Clapton and found it too had raw, sharp fret edges. I love the 08 Am Std but one would think Fender could fix the problem with the rest of the line.


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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 1:27 pm
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I've owned an American and two Mexican Strats. The American Strat was completely flawless and I regret selling it everyday! The first Mexican strat had a pretty poor neck, but was better than a Les Paul I tried. This latest MIM Strat I've got (just received) is fantastic! Great tone, and now I've lowered the action a great neck. No fret buzz at all and the strings are nice and low! Like it's already been said, shop around. Each to there own, but the Strat is the ultimate guitar!!


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Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2008 8:23 pm
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Guitar_Hurricane wrote:
Sounds odd, I never grabbed one I didn't like. Usually mexican necks are pretty impressive.


Yea, right... the neck is really thin and sweet. I was addressing the problems associated with neck shrinkage.


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