The plants are about 15 miles apart so . . .

I have a FSR Ash MIM that has the factory shielding paint in it just like my MIA Strats have. Granted this is a "special run" from 2006 but it is a MIM.

I have stated before and will say again that the MIM's being made today are as good as the original Strats produced in the fifties and early sixties. The pickups being the exception. Then again my FSR had Tex-Mex pups in it when new. Why are they called Standard Strats? Fender wants you to forget where the guitar was made, after all it's called a "Standard" Strat now, not a Mexican Strat. Some models cost as much as a new MIA did just a few years ago. Check the prices on the Deluxe and re-issues or the BIG PLAYERS NAMED ones.

Some of the players don't like the no-load pots. Just not original. Some don't like a tone control on the bridge pickup. Spice of life and all that you see. It's a whole new ballgame today. Cheap just wont sell well in the long run. MIM's are not cheap nor cheaply made anymore. I don't think they ever where myself, except when CBS owned the company that is.

A Classic Series Stratocaster is the best for the money. It has the proper neck profile and radius. I traded mine for a hand wired Princeton Reverb.

Can someone tell me the exact differance is it just the electronic's or is it the grade of the wood we already know the mexican labor is almost free .I bought a Mex Strat 2 years ago and I would like to update to all american parts if it is worth doing on this guitar it plays like a dream I really love the action on it

Regarding the fret-counts:
I got a 2012 MIM HH and a MIM HSH last month.
They both have 22.

I believe older 1980s/1990s have more.
Check it out.
But good to know MIMs are available.
Toppscore

The MIM Standard and Deluxe Series Strats (and Teles) have always had 21 frets. The Blacktop series (HH and H-S-H) have 22 frets and so does the new Cabronita Tele. Also worth mentioning is that the Mexican-made Acoustasonic Strat had 22 frets as do the new Roland-ready Strats. Wonder if the Standard series will switch over to 22 frets as well.

As far a frets go, I have been studying the Fender HM Heavy Metal Stratocaster
and the Fender Showmaster Stratocaster, both with 24 frets.

The HM was not a Mexican made....it started off MIA and then I think they started making them in Japan (there was even a Squier version). The Showmaster (Highway1) was American made. The closest thing to an HM that came out of Mexico was the Prodigy.

I got to play both models back to back yesterday as well as rosewood vs. maple necks and the differences were almost none. What I found out is I would be happy with either but I also found out that I love that maple neck! Would I buck up to buy a MIA over a MIM? Yes, if I could afford it only because it would be my choice. Would I feel slighted in any way by buying a MIM? Not at all and I may end up going that way anyway!