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Post subject: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 4:03 pm
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A friend of mine removed the pickguard of his new American Standard Strat and noticed a sticker on the 5-way switch, it had a serial number and "assembled in Mexico".

Other than that, there were 2 more stickers with assembly info and handwritten initials of the inspector.

I never heard of American Standards with parts assembled elsewhere. Is that normal?

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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 5:39 pm
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de Melo wrote:
A friend of mine removed the pickguard of his new American Standard Strat and noticed a sticker on the 5-way switch, it had a serial number and "assembled in Mexico".

Other than that, there were 2 more stickers with assembly info and handwritten initials of the inspector.

I never heard of American Standards with parts assembled elsewhere. Is that normal?


Yes; American Standards use parts like switches, pots, and tuners sourced from other countries as there are very few suppliers still manufacturing them in the USA. For example, the tuners are made by Ping in Taiwan (and before that they were made by Schaller in West Germany/Germany). For switches, it seems like Fender isn't using Switchcraft any more - unless they are using them on CS models these days.

But the things they make in-house like bodies, necks, pickups, tremolos, etc. are made in the USA.


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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 5:50 pm
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Interesting... Out of curiosity, I just checked my own and it has the very same sticker on the switch...

Now about the tuners, aren't those made in USA? I think I saw that information at the very Am. Std. hotsite at fender.com...

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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 6:57 pm
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It's the same with amplifiers. A made in USA amp will very likely be built mostly with parts sourced from other countries. On occasion a faulty part can be the source of a reliability/quality issue but in my experience it is more often during the assembly of the finished product that most reliability/quality issues pop up. Inconsistent tightening of screws, missing screws, inconsistent soldering, parts not seated correctly prior to fastening, etc. With respect to guitars, there are fewer electronic parts but the same things can happen. The mechanical aspects, dimensions, etc. tend to be less inconsistent when made out of country. I believe this is why it is generally safer to buy a foreign built guitar than a foreign built amp.

My two cents.
Your mileage may vary.

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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:39 am
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Are you sure it is a American Standard ? Itis not a American Special ?

There are son many American xxxxx :lol:


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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 3:58 am
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de Melo wrote:
A friend of mine removed the pickguard of his new American Standard Strat and noticed a sticker on the 5-way switch, it had a serial number and "assembled in Mexico". Other than that, there were 2 more stickers with assembly info and handwritten initials of the inspector. I never heard of American Standards with parts assembled elsewhere. Is that normal?
With regard to guitars what are the criteria for "Made in ... " , "Assembled in ... " and "Crafted in ..."?

Cheers!
BM

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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 6:51 am
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de Melo wrote:
Interesting... Out of curiosity, I just checked my own and it has the very same sticker on the switch...

Now about the tuners, aren't those made in USA? I think I saw that information at the very Am. Std. hotsite at fender.com...


No, Fender has never used made in USA tuners on American Standards. When they came out they were using Schaller tuners, which at the time were made in West Germany (now of course it's the reunified Germany). They switched to the made in Taiwan Ping tuners 7-9 years ago - some time between 2006 and 2008; Fender had been using the Ping tuners on Highway 1s and MIM guitars for quite a while prior to that.

In the early days of the Strat Plus Fender used made in USA Sperzel locking tuners, but switched to Schaller locking tuners by 1988. That being said they would occasionally use Sperzels to complete batches of guitars when they were out of Schallers, so Sperzels will pop up on Strat Plus, Strat Plus Deluxe, and Strat Ultra models until the mid-1990s.


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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 7:12 am
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Bluer Monkey wrote:
de Melo wrote:
A friend of mine removed the pickguard of his new American Standard Strat and noticed a sticker on the 5-way switch, it had a serial number and "assembled in Mexico". Other than that, there were 2 more stickers with assembly info and handwritten initials of the inspector. I never heard of American Standards with parts assembled elsewhere. Is that normal?
With regard to guitars what are the criteria for "Made in ... " , "Assembled in ... " and "Crafted in ..."?

Cheers!
BM


"Crafted In . . ." is just fancy marketing-speak for "Made in . . .". To me "Made in . . ." means the major components are made in the same country where it is assembled, so for guitars that would be the body, neck, pickups, and probably some of the major hardware like the bridge. Other parts, like screws, switches, and pots could come from anywhere else because they are not the major structural components, plus labor from the "Made in" country is being used to install the components. Plus there aren't that many USA manufacturers of things like switches and pots left. Same with tuners - there aren't really many USA tuner companies any more; Sperzel might be about the only one who actually make all their tuners here in the USA.

"Assembled in . . ." would mean that the bodies, necks and other major structural components are made in country A, but they are assembled in country B.


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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 9:44 am
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I believe "Made in" is the only one of those terms controlled by legislative regulation - which varies in different countries. In the US, the definition is "all or virtually all".


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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 10:57 am
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In this day and age of a global community, I find it puzzling that there is still such insistence on Made in USA only.
Blindfolded I don't believe any of us could distinguish an MIA from an MIM when comparing say a Deluxe. Both set up identically. The irony is that MIM parts are just a short drive over the border. It is about manufacturing costs. Keeping them low is what enables a manufacturer to offer a quality product at a lower price point. Which translates into more customers being able to be part of the fun.
I will not get into an endless debate on this concept. Especially where the reality is that from the 1st legit company that established itself on the East Coast. Lowering overhead has always been part of the agenda. So west at first, then south then overseas and across international lines... So this isn't about fuel on the fire but rather looking at it from the consumers perspective.

Did that Custom Shop 56 NOS Stratocaster make sense when I bought it 4 years ago ? At it's price point ? Or does the FSE standard I just bought also not be a wiser choice ? Or for that matter the other 3 Stratocasters ?
For me it is first and foremost how the instrument plays and sounds right then and there. There is also a visual aspect to it but it is not the breaking point. I will easily walk away from a cherry burst / rosewood Stratocaster if it just doesn't speak ( sing to me ) regardless of origin.
That being said rarely have I looked inside my instruments and become concerned with manufacturing origins of the electronics. If it doesn't sound good then I will change the pots, then perhaps the pups, but No... it is about a tool that happens to be an instrument..

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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 11:10 am
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53magnatone wrote:
In this day and age of a global community, I find it puzzling that there is still such insistence on Made in USA only. .



In my case, none at all... I posted about this because I wanted to know if it was, say, common to find such parts in Am. Std. Guitars, but I myself got no problem at all with that...

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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 3:57 pm
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To answer the initial Q. ..... Yes in as much as that when you look into the components of most items made in the US, much of the components are made if not overseas then down under in Mejico.

It's really about cutting manufacturing costs.

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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 5:00 am
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Usually cutting manufacturing costs mean cheaper components and less consistency.

For the American Deluxe series a couple of key features (22 fret bass necks, abalone dots, locking bridge option) were deleted to standardize the line and save money.


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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 8:06 am
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Not necessarily.... For example Eastman guitars are all made in China and I would challenge anyone to match their mid to high level Jazz, acoustic guitars with the competition. Their price point is much lower but the quality of the instruments is exceptional.
By the same token there is quite a bit of substandard items made here in the USA.

Great companies find a way to lower costs and increase quality.

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Post subject: Re: Assembled in Mexico switch in Am. Std. Strat?
Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 8:51 am
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I kindly share your thoughts and this is the case for Sire Guitars who builds bass guitars for Marcus Miller.

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Though the company is based at Corona, their instruments are manufactured overseas using the highest quality standards you might expect from an American-made guitar or bass at very affordable prices.


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