Hey all, I currently play an old 90's beat up MIM Standard Strat. I love the feel etc. But my god this thing is beat up.

I want to upgrade. But I don't know what to!? I love the 9.5 radius. That being said I love everything about the Players Deluxe, but the neck radius (12). I don't know if it would feel much different, because the only way for me to get to play one, is to buy it. Why? Because the only music store even close only carries Ibanez and ESP (who knows why...)

That being said, I was wondering if it feels the same, if so I will just get one. If not, should I just get a new MIM and get the same PUPS (noiseless) as the Players Deluxe has? Should I just suck it up and save for a MIA standard? Or is there a guitar in that price range (between 500-700) that would meet my needs? Or am I being an idiot, and should just have a luthier repair the dents and scratches, repaint, then upgrade my MIM?

Thanks for any help!

unless the guitar is not playing right and needs repair, why fix it.?
I wouldn't put the $$ into fixing a MIM unless it needed a new neck.
a pretty guitar will not make you play any better.
if you feel you want another guitar get one.

_________________
1986 Kramer Baretta
1989 Samick "The Samick" Les Paul
2007 Fender Strat MIM Deluxe / 1985 MIJ neck
1990 Epiphone Strat
Marshall JCM 2000 DLS 50 watt / Marshall 1960a 4x12

https://soundcloud.com/jim-slimjim-cassi

Thanks for all that useful input.

Interestingly, people are actually paying higher prices to get "factory distressed" (aka; reliced) Strats. Seems to me that at this point you're ahead of the game . If you really like your current guitar, then keep it as is as long as there is no significant damage such as a major neck issue as Jimmikatt was alluding to. Now if you just want a new guitar, that's fine...go for it. But just because your current MIM is beat up doesn't mean that it's time to throw away the guitar.

Thats whats great about MIMs. Personally, I think beat up Fenders look awesome. The thing is never going to be worth a ton of money, so it is unlikely you will regret repainting or mods down the road. The question is if you think its worth the $ to repaint. If you want a new guitar, get one. If you dump a bunch of loot into repairs, and just end up wanting a new guitar a few months down the road, than the $ is wasted.
Save to buy a new guitar and keep the MIM the way it is (as long as its still playable). Down the road, your tastes may change, and you may prefer the beat up Fender look.

Ok. Ya I was never a fan of road worn or anything like that. I like having this Strat, simply because if it gets a dent, first off I wouldn't notice a new one in the first place, and second its already beat up.

I will probably get a new mia or players deluxe. but as my question states, is the difference between the 12 and 9.5 big? I have played guitars with 12 inch radius' but never a fender with one.

If so I will probably just get a MIA.

I have a MIM deluxe superstrat and it supposedly has 9.5 but I cannot tell the difference between 9.5 and 12 and its for sure I dont have the tool to measure it,btw how do I measure it and whats the big difference between the 2?

_________________
Everything belongs to JESUS!

1998 Fender Deluxe Super Strat
2008 PRS SE Singlecut

Marshall MgHD100FX single
Line6 Spider ll
Crate Kx 15


Digitech GNX1
Boss DS-1 pedal

the 12 radius is a little flatter than the 9.5

_________________
1986 Kramer Baretta
1989 Samick "The Samick" Les Paul
2007 Fender Strat MIM Deluxe / 1985 MIJ neck
1990 Epiphone Strat
Marshall JCM 2000 DLS 50 watt / Marshall 1960a 4x12

https://soundcloud.com/jim-slimjim-cassi

I would hold onto your MIM and save your pennies for another guitar. The reason I say this is that if you sell your beloved guitar, you might regret it. If you didn't care about it, I'd say sell it and buy a new one, but it sounds like you are pretty attached. I will say this, having owned an '87 Strat Plus (which I might add I foolishly sold and have regretted every day since) with same style neck as yours, the new necks feel so much better to me. The hand rolled edges are wonderful. Much better than the older necks.

Also I wouldn't buy a guitar online unless you can send it back if there is something wrong with it. When I bought my 50th Anniversary Am. Series Strat I must have played four others before it before I picked the one I know own.

In the end it's all a matter of taste. I'm sorry that you don't have a Fender dealer near by. Good with whatever you deside to do.

_________________
1975 Sunburst Stratocaster rosewood finger board
1979 Stratocaster with roseowood finder board
2001 Candy Green Clapton Stratocaster
2007 Andy Summers Inspired Telecaster
2007 '51 P-Bass
2012 Taylor 110
2015 Mystic Ice Blue Deluxe Stratocaster Plus

Yup, that's one thing I like about my American Standard too

Based on my personal experience with the MIM Classic Series, I would recommend the "Classic Player 50's Strat" to you. At least check it out. Looks absolutely, 100% classic Strat, but has a 9.5" fingerboard radius, med-jumbo frets, and the awesome 57/62 pickups. Build quality on the Classic Series is damn close if not on par with the American guitars.

Who cares what it looks like???

If it feels, plays and sounds right to you, don't touch it. Keep it, play it, as long as you're musically satisfied with it!
After all, it's not the look that makes the music, right?

_________________
Kindest regards from Germany, Dee
My recordings --> http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=564337
STRATS ROCK!!! but Teles and Firebirds, too!

Hey- I just (finally) acquired a brand new Deluxe Players about two weeks ago after literally months of saving and, consequently, researching. I played every Strat I could get my hands on- new, used, MIM, American Standards- you name it. What caught my eye about the DP was the ash body- I figured I could mod out any Strat in any way, but wanted to start w/ a nice, dense plank of hardwood. Then I realized that this model came out of the box like I would eventually want it. I went ahead and ordered one sight unseen, and it's the best move I ever made. This guitar is a dream- the flat fingerboard and beefy frets are INCREDIBLY playable. The tones I get out of the ash body, noiseless pups, coupled w/ the extra pup combinations, are amazing. This guitar blows away any of the American Standards I've played, as well as the MIM Standards. And if appearance is your concern, this beast is damn near breathtaking (honey-blonde w/ plenty of grain showing, tortiseshell and gold-plate). My last Strat was a late '90s Plus Deluxe, and I'd choose this one over that anytime. Jus' sayin'...

if you want to get a visual on the difference between the 9.5 and 12 in radius just jet a good sized piece of poster board or other large piece of paper(at least 14 inches at some point)a piece of string,pencil and a tack.tack one end of the string to the board and tie the pencil to the other end of the sting at 12 inches and put a little tension on the string and draw an arc.that will give you a rough idea of how the cross section of the fret board looks like.do the same for the 9.5.if your paper is heavy enough you can cut it out and use it for a gage.

+1

_________________
Everything belongs to JESUS!

1998 Fender Deluxe Super Strat
2008 PRS SE Singlecut

Marshall MgHD100FX single
Line6 Spider ll
Crate Kx 15


Digitech GNX1
Boss DS-1 pedal