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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Sat Jun 20, 2015 8:02 pm
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More than anything, I see participating in these MIA vs MIM threads as a rite of passage in the forum ...

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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 8:39 am
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budglo wrote:
The MIMs strats are great guitar. The only thing I can say is the pickups on the lower end Standards are ceramics and not to alot of peoples likings , but those can be easily changed. The higher end MIM strats are right up there with the MIAs I believe. You can get a lacquer version of the Classic Series with a hard case for 899 street. Tough to beat. That being said , I love my American Standard with the fat 50s. It really comes down to personal choice and maybe budget.


Well said! I have two used MIMs -- high construction quality but so-so pickups originally -- that I got because I already knew I was changing the pickups. But the playability and finish are every bit as good as on the 2000 AmStd Strat. The price for (most) replacement pickups is less than the difference between an MIM and AmStd so you come out ahead all around that way.


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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 1:25 pm
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I've played on a recent tour a Roadworn (MIM) 50's Strat and a 60th Anniversary Heavy Relic 1954 Strat (US Custom Shop - purchased while on the tour). They both felt wonderful and sounded great. The MIM was a bit heavier (only a bit) as it didn't have the ash body of the US. The slight weight differential was not noticed in the excitement of being on stage. Listening to the recordings, I couldn't tell the difference in the two guitars. There certainly was a difference in the price of the two guitars! Now that I'm back home, I go to the US guitar more often in practice because the neck has the thicker '54 profile. -Marty


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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 5:08 am
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These things tend to change with time. Right now the MIM Strats are well thought of just like the MIAs are thought of but in ten years who knows? It is a great time to save a buck and buy a MIM Strat. However; I like to support the American worker so I own a MIA Strat. American manufacturing is under siege by their own government and need all the support they can get before there are no more guitars made in the US. We take it for granted that America is still the leader in high quality guitar manufacturing.

Remember the crappy bikes Harley made in the 70s that nearly put them out of business? Yet by 1995 Harley was making quality bikes that didn't spew gas out the air filter.


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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 7:54 am
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There is no denying that current MiM's offer spectacular value for money when compared to MiA's, even if you factor in a change of PUP's.

Also, being so cheap, there is less of an issue in getting a screwdriver to them to undertake such changes, as you are unlikely to reduce their value. This may not be the case with a MiA which will perhaps be best received for sale in its original form.

As a project guitar they present a great starting point, and still remain economically viable (if a Partscaster is ever such) even if all that remains of the original is the body and a handful of the original components. And the joy is the guitar can be played again after every stage of the change so you can appreciate the impact of the individual changes at each point in the metamorphosis.

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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Mon Jul 06, 2015 8:49 pm
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I think this subject got old about ten years ago.

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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 3:30 am
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Nokie wrote:
I've played on a recent tour a Roadworn (MIM) 50's Strat and a 60th Anniversary Heavy Relic 1954 Strat (US Custom Shop - purchased while on the tour). They both felt wonderful and sounded great. The MIM was a bit heavier (only a bit) as it didn't have the ash body of the US. The slight weight differential was not noticed in the excitement of being on stage. -Marty


Ash or Alder tend to be the MIA body wood. I've seen both used interchangeably as if Fender thinks both are Stratty.I wonder what the MIM uses? Where do you think the weight difference comes from?


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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 7:01 am
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Zentar wrote:
These things tend to change with time. Right now the MIM Strats are well thought of just like the MIAs are thought of but in ten years who knows? It is a great time to save a buck and buy a MIM Strat. However; I like to support the American worker so I own a MIA Strat. American manufacturing is under siege by their own government and need all the support they can get before there are no more guitars made in the US. We take it for granted that America is still the leader in high quality guitar manufacturing.

Remember the crappy bikes Harley made in the 70s that nearly put them out of business? Yet by 1995 Harley was making quality bikes that didn't spew gas out the air filter.



I agree !!


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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 2:04 pm
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Well, eventually, wages will equalize, with foreign wages increasing under pressures of human rights and U.S. wages decreasing under pressures to compete globally.
Then we'll all be equal. So will quality. Yay for us!


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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 2:55 pm
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donnycraven wrote:
I think this subject got old about ten years ago.


I truly have to agree...if there is minimum talent and minimal education involved it won't matter what you're playing on.....

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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 2:56 pm
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Zentar wrote:
....I wonder what the MIM uses? Where do you think the weight difference comes from?


My MiM is Alder.

It did have a MiM trem on it, swapping the the trem for a MiA unit did increase the weight noticeably.

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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jul 07, 2015 3:01 pm
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donnycraven wrote:
I think this subject got old about ten years ago.


But then manufacturing and quality has changed over 10 years so perhaps it is worth revisiting the subject?

Perhaps not? But, if you aren't interested there is no compulsion to contribute or even read.

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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:34 am
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Zentar wrote:
These things tend to change with time. Right now the MIM Strats are well thought of just like the MIAs are thought of but in ten years who knows? It is a great time to save a buck and buy a MIM Strat. However; I like to support the American worker so I own a MIA Strat. American manufacturing is under siege by their own government and need all the support they can get before there are no more guitars made in the US. We take it for granted that America is still the leader in high quality guitar manufacturing.

Remember the crappy bikes Harley made in the 70s that nearly put them out of business? Yet by 1995 Harley was making quality bikes that didn't spew gas out the air filter.



I find it interesting how people try to blame the government or the "cheap imports" for America's inability and unwillingness to compete in a global market. Perhaps it's simply that so many Americans are raised to believe they have some god-given right to $80,000+ a year, with FULL medical benefits...that $300,000 home in the 'burbs with 2 $40,000 gas guzzling SUV's in the drive. The fact however is that a LARGE part of what has hurt American workers is NOT the government or the imports, it's American GREED. After all, do we really NEED that 40"+ flat screen plasma TV (with 7.1 surround sound), when a plain ol' 19" CRT works just as well? Do we really NEED things like "smart phones" and "Iphones" when Ma Bell did the job for years? What about that computer you're about to use to debate me with? Intel i5 or better perhaps? In what world does a fry cook at McDonalds really need to make $13 an hour??? Perhaps the problem isn't that "American manufacturing is under siege by their own government", maybe it's simply American's over-developed sense of entitlement. Think about it.

Few people stop to consider how over-payed American workers really are (when compared with other countries). Sure some sense of quality has been restored since the 70's and 80's when corporate mentality took it's toll (American corporate mentality I might add), mainly due to computer aided design, technology and quality control standards however in MANY cases, the price of "Made in America" has gone up exponentially as a result. At the same time, the quality of imported items has also improved significantly..after all, they have access to that computer aided design, tech and quality control as well. For a rational person, this should raise the question, "What's the difference?" - and of course, one of the biggest differences is the workers. On the one hand you have foreign workers, who make pennies on the dollar, who are GRATEFUL just to have a job. On the other hand, you have A LOT of American workers who...wow...expect everything just handed to them with medical benefits (and often still gripe about it anyways). Who pays for that difference? The consumer. American pride is all fine and dandy...but NOT when the consumer is getting raped as a direct result.

Yes, I remember the AMF years of Harley-Davidson, just as I remember the CBS years of Fender. That said, perhaps you should have picked a better analogy as I know -a lot- of people who've started riding Honda or Yamaha over the years because Harley's are NOT worth the price (purchase OR repair) compared with similar bikes...just as a great many of us don't feel that an American Strat is worth the cost compared with a Mexican. When you consider that a Honda Shadow has an MSRP well UNDER $10,000 and Harley Softails START at $18,000...all for similar styling and features...Harley's are no longer "better" than the imports, they're just a lot more expensive. It seems to me that $8000 is A LOT of money, just for the sake of American pride. Personally, I'll take the Shadow.

This is my own opinion, however the fact of the matter is that this ain't the 1950's any more. Chevy's are no longer "better" than Datsuns. We -DO- live in a global market economy, where issues such as "quality control" regarding Mexican or even Asian products are just as good as American. If you remove that useless notion of "American pride", that leaves the consumer with a simple choice; if product "X" has similar features to product "Y" yet provides SUBSTANTIAL savings over the later, then what we have is basic capitalism...the very concept that so many Americans supposedly embrace. For -my- money, that means the imported Made in China bath towels that have the same 440 thread count as the American makers produce, at 1/3 the cost or better! It also means that I'll take that Mexican made Strat -ANY- day (not to mention the 3 Chinese made instruments and one Japanese made instrument in my arsenal).

Instead of blaming the government, perhaps it's simply time that American companies learn to compete in a global market...and this especially goes for American workers.

These are strictly my own personal opinions and should be taken as such.


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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 1:04 pm
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Toliver-Lyons wrote:
donnycraven wrote:
I think this subject got old about ten years ago.


I truly have to agree...if there is minimum talent and minimal education involved it won't matter what you're playing on.....


I think this is even more true on the other end. If you have great talent and education, it will matter even less on what guitar (MIM or MIA) you play. Joe Pass could have performed on a cheap-a$$ Squire and it would sound amazing. I think of that scene in the Blues Brothers movie where Belushi looks at a Rhodes piano and considers it a piece of cr@p. The owner of the store (who happens to be Ray Charles) sits down makes it sound fantastic. -Marty


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Post subject: Re: American Strats ARE better than MIMs? Your thoughts.
Posted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 2:11 pm
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Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 2:14 pm
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lomitus wrote:
Zentar wrote:
These things tend to change with time. Right now the MIM Strats are well thought of just like the MIAs are thought of but in ten years who knows? It is a great time to save a buck and buy a MIM Strat. However; I like to support the American worker so I own a MIA Strat. American manufacturing is under siege by their own government and need all the support they can get before there are no more guitars made in the US. We take it for granted that America is still the leader in high quality guitar manufacturing.

Remember the crappy bikes Harley made in the 70s that nearly put them out of business? Yet by 1995 Harley was making quality bikes that didn't spew gas out the air filter.



I find it interesting how people try to blame the government or the "cheap imports" for America's inability and unwillingness to compete in a global market. Perhaps it's simply that so many Americans are raised to believe they have some god-given right to $80,000+ a year, with FULL medical benefits...that $300,000 home in the 'burbs with 2 $40,000 gas guzzling SUV's in the drive. The fact however is that a LARGE part of what has hurt American workers is NOT the government or the imports, it's American GREED. After all, do we really NEED that 40"+ flat screen plasma TV (with 7.1 surround sound), when a plain ol' 19" CRT works just as well? Do we really NEED things like "smart phones" and "Iphones" when Ma Bell did the job for years? What about that computer you're about to use to debate me with? Intel i5 or better perhaps? In what world does a fry cook at McDonalds really need to make $13 an hour??? Perhaps the problem isn't that "American manufacturing is under siege by their own government", maybe it's simply American's over-developed sense of entitlement. Think about it.

Few people stop to consider how over-payed American workers really are (when compared with other countries). Sure some sense of quality has been restored since the 70's and 80's when corporate mentality took it's toll (American corporate mentality I might add), mainly due to computer aided design, technology and quality control standards however in MANY cases, the price of "Made in America" has gone up exponentially as a result. At the same time, the quality of imported items has also improved significantly..after all, they have access to that computer aided design, tech and quality control as well. For a rational person, this should raise the question, "What's the difference?" - and of course, one of the biggest differences is the workers. On the one hand you have foreign workers, who make pennies on the dollar, who are GRATEFUL just to have a job. On the other hand, you have A LOT of American workers who...wow...expect everything just handed to them with medical benefits (and often still gripe about it anyways). Who pays for that difference? The consumer. American pride is all fine and dandy...but NOT when the consumer is getting raped as a direct result.

Yes, I remember the AMF years of Harley-Davidson, just as I remember the CBS years of Fender. That said, perhaps you should have picked a better analogy as I know -a lot- of people who've started riding Honda or Yamaha over the years because Harley's are NOT worth the price (purchase OR repair) compared with similar bikes...just as a great many of us don't feel that an American Strat is worth the cost compared with a Mexican. When you consider that a Honda Shadow has an MSRP well UNDER $10,000 and Harley Softails START at $18,000...all for similar styling and features...Harley's are no longer "better" than the imports, they're just a lot more expensive. It seems to me that $8000 is A LOT of money, just for the sake of American pride. Personally, I'll take the Shadow.

This is my own opinion, however the fact of the matter is that this ain't the 1950's any more. Chevy's are no longer "better" than Datsuns. We -DO- live in a global market economy, where issues such as "quality control" regarding Mexican or even Asian products are just as good as American. If you remove that useless notion of "American pride", that leaves the consumer with a simple choice; if product "X" has similar features to product "Y" yet provides SUBSTANTIAL savings over the later, then what we have is basic capitalism...the very concept that so many Americans supposedly embrace. For -my- money, that means the imported Made in China bath towels that have the same 440 thread count as the American makers produce, at 1/3 the cost or better! It also means that I'll take that Mexican made Strat -ANY- day (not to mention the 3 Chinese made instruments and one Japanese made instrument in my arsenal).

Instead of blaming the government, perhaps it's simply time that American companies learn to compete in a global market...and this especially goes for American workers.

These are strictly my own personal opinions and should be taken as such.


A bit of a one-sided, over-simplistic, seemingly anti-American, social rant which may, or may not, belong in the Stratocaster section.

Bien sur, juste mon deux centimes...

cheers!

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