Buying my first Stratocaster,held an older MIM standard Strat and a new one , the neck on the older one felt thinner and had a super gloss finish compared to the new ones is it my imagination.. the salesmen told me they were the same thickness but totaly different feel. I liked the feel of the older one..I was told that they both had a "C" neck but I can feel a difference.

I've noticed that with MIM Strats before too and the C necks-some are deeper and feel more like a U but not uncomfortably though.The same goes for V-necks- some may be more pronounced and some may be more shallow.I guess that it's down to whoever did the final shaping.

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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.

It seems the newer (2008 and newer) seem to me more inline with the USA guitars. The older MIM necks were thinner, like the CV Squiers and about a 1mm narrower at the nut. I'm a fan of the newer fatter necks in the MIM standards. They fit my hand better. I have read that those first year MIM guitars were only assembled in Mexico, but the parts came from the home office. I do not know if this is true or not. I did notice the the neck thickness body thickness and QC was all over the place by the third year of being made in Mexico.

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Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self. Therefore, trust the physician and drink his remedy in silence and tranquility.-Khalil Gibran

You have to be careful. I have an older one that had a horrible neck, which I replaced a while back. I also have a couple newer ones that have fantastic necks on them. The newer necks feel more chunky, and I'm cool with that. I like the medium-jumbo frets, too, which started around '05 or so, if I remember correctly.

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Strat+Tweed=Tone

I think it was 2008 when they did the overhaul on the MIM standards.

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Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding. It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self. Therefore, trust the physician and drink his remedy in silence and tranquility.-Khalil Gibran

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Still looking for that One Guitar To Rule Them All since 1964...
FSR Fender 60 Anniversary Strat HSS MIM, Gibson ES 335, Taylor 555, Ovation Custom Balladeer-12, Baby Taylor, Fender Princeton Chorus (stereo), Fender Champ 600