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Posted: Fri Feb 06, 2009 10:01 pm
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Mexican made guitars are positively for those who want to spend less.
The buyer may tell himself or herself, "This Mexican guitar is better than American." This is being said because they refuse to spend the extra money
to buy the American guitar so the buyer lies to them self to make them self feel better and says that the Mexican is better than American. Now Mexican can be nice. However, American has better parts. So, They may say, "It played or felt better than the American." Some guitars need to be setup better than the factory has done. When it is all said and done. a properly set up American guitar that has properly passed quality control rules the day.
There are no real substitutes.


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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 1:21 am
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Which American guitars did you try? I had a Highway 1, and it was a good guitar, but no where NEAR as good as my American Standard Tele. I have yet to play a MIM tele or Strat (sold my MIM Strat when I got this one) that plays as well, or sounds as good as my USA...


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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 6:46 am
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deweese wrote:
Mexican made guitars are positively for those who want to spend less.
The buyer may tell himself or herself, "This Mexican guitar is better than American." This is being said because they refuse to spend the extra money
to buy the American guitar so the buyer lies to them self to make them self feel better and says that the Mexican is better than American. Now Mexican can be nice. However, American has better parts. So, They may say, "It played or felt better than the American." Some guitars need to be setup better than the factory has done. When it is all said and done. a properly set up American guitar that has properly passed quality control rules the day.
There are no real substitutes.

mmm I think a lot would disagree w/ you on this.
Most of the parts for the Mexican made guitars are made in AMERICA.
Or so I have been told here. In my humble opinion, I purchased my MIM tele only because it was the only tele in the store and I liked the way it played. Plain and simple. I have American made, American deluxe, Mexican, Japanese, Indonesian Chineses and Korean guitars by Fender/Squire. Money really wasn't the factor.


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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 8:43 am
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Posted: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:06 am
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deweese wrote:
Mexican made guitars are positively for those who want to spend less.
The buyer may tell himself or herself, "This Mexican guitar is better than American." This is being said because they refuse to spend the extra money
to buy the American guitar so the buyer lies to them self to make them self feel better and says that the Mexican is better than American. Now Mexican can be nice. However, American has better parts. So, They may say, "It played or felt better than the American." Some guitars need to be setup better than the factory has done. When it is all said and done. a properly set up American guitar that has properly passed quality control rules the day.
There are no real substitutes.

i have been playing strats for years both
MIM'S and MIA'S and i can say that there are some
well built MIM'S since 2006 the MIM strat has a
quality build that yes I would match to most MIA'S


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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 7:29 am
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There is a perceived lack of quality in MIM when compared to the MIA guitars. The truth is that the parts are preselected in Corona, CA and shipped to Mexico for assembly. Of course the pretty woods and upper grade woods are saved for MIA. But other than that the hardware is fully approved Fender parts. Both guitars are largely assembled by persons of Mexican descent, and there's nothing wrong with that. I feel finding a good MIM justifies the $400-700 I could save.

I played about 7 different Teles without looking at prices, through the same amp, and looked for pure tone. I remember hating the Hwy 1 immediately. I liked the'52 RI Tele, and hating the Nashville version. I tried rosewood necks versus maple. I tried some versions with humbuckers. I tried a thinline, and though it was superior in sound, I stuck to solid bodies, trying to buy a classic type guitar. I tried the Baja (2 versions) and I was hooked. I waited 2 weeks and tried them again and still liked the Baja, because of the flexibility of obtaining tones, using the 4-way switch and S-1 button. By this time I looked at prices and was shocked to see the difference, especially with all the additions.

Just buy North American! It's the patriotic thing to do!

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2007 Classic Player Baja Telecaster
1991 Strat Ultra
1990 Gibson ES-347
1986 Yamaha SBG2100
1980 Gibson L6-S
1971 Stratocaster
Fender Stage Lead Combo
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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 5:02 pm
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I just don't get where the myth that MIM guitars are made from USA parts comes from... they aren't. :roll: Indeed the Mexican plant take pride in the fact that they manufacture so much of the guitars themselves (there's an interesting factory tour on the internet somewhere where they demonstrate with pride what they do).

However, you can tell INSTANTLY when you directly compare a MIA against a MIM that the hardware and location of manufacture are different.

The two areas that really stand out are: Tuners and Neck.

The tuners on MIM guitars are just not as high quality as the MIA ones.

Also the MIM necks are just not as "well finished" as MIA necks. A very obvious demonstration of this is the finishing of the hole around the truss rod adjustment.

Sure, MIM guitars are very nice indeed and really great value for money BUT it is not correct to assert that they are made of USA made parts which are the same as the MIA guitars. :wink:


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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:23 pm
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Ajay Tele you are wrong. I said there is a PERCEIVED LACK of quality in the MIM when compared to MIA. Look the MIM are often a more vintage type of hardware, especially the tuners, e.g., Fender Ping Kluson-type, another No. American product vs. Japanese Gotoh. The necks may have only 21 frets, but that's the selected parts for Fender in Mexico; the MIA has 22 frets. And the woods are better looking on the MIA's.

But when it comes to function there is little difference.

Please read this:

http://www.nymphusa.com/tele/FactoryTourE.asp

_________________
2007 Classic Player Baja Telecaster
1991 Strat Ultra
1990 Gibson ES-347
1986 Yamaha SBG2100
1980 Gibson L6-S
1971 Stratocaster
Fender Stage Lead Combo
Marshall MOSFET 100 watt Amp


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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:30 pm
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Ah, but you are comparing apples with oranges... :roll:

Yes, some upscale MIMs do have Kluson tuners (e.g. Nashville Deluxe and some reissues), but not standard MIM guitars, which is in fact the subject of this discussion. 8)

The tuners on MIM Standard Teles are not a patch on the quality items used on the USA Standard Teles. :wink:


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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 8:57 pm
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AjayTele wrote:
I just don't get where the myth that MIM guitars are made from USA parts comes from... they aren't. :roll: Indeed the Mexican plant take pride in the fact that they manufacture so much of the guitars themselves (there's an interesting factory tour on the internet somewhere where they demonstrate with pride what they do).

However, you can tell INSTANTLY when you directly compare a MIA against a MIM that the hardware and location of manufacture are different.

The two areas that really stand out are: Tuners and Neck.

The tuners on MIM guitars are just not as high quality as the MIA ones.

Also the MIM necks are just not as "well finished" as MIA necks. A very obvious demonstration of this is the finishing of the hole around the truss rod adjustment.

Sure, MIM guitars are very nice indeed and really great value for money BUT it is not correct to assert that they are made of USA made parts which are the same as the MIA guitars. :wink:


Well, you now know it is true that, for quality control purposes, all parts are made or approved in USA and shipped to Mexico. So I like My MIM and saved $$. I'm not a collector and I like to play. Function is King, tone is Queen. So you are wrong AT.

_________________
2007 Classic Player Baja Telecaster
1991 Strat Ultra
1990 Gibson ES-347
1986 Yamaha SBG2100
1980 Gibson L6-S
1971 Stratocaster
Fender Stage Lead Combo
Marshall MOSFET 100 watt Amp


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Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2009 9:09 pm
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qblue wrote:
Well, you now know it is true that, for quality control purposes, all parts are made or approved in USA and shipped to Mexico. So I like My MIM and saved $$. I'm not a collector and I like to play. Function is King, tone is Queen. So you are wrong AT.


Well you need to get an MIA Tele then is function is King and Tone is Queen, because they outrate the MIM versions in that department, hand over fist!

And by the way, you seem to be implying that collectors don't play... :roll: Nothing could be further from the truth of course. Just ask John 5.

Anyway, I am not wrong as you assert. I have a large experience of Telecasters, including various MIM and MIA versions and it is incorrect to assert that the differences in hardware are perceptions only. If you truly believe that, then good luck to you.


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Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2009 5:25 pm
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most guitas are made in different countries its hard to find a quality usa made guitar . but strats are close almost perfect


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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 2:32 pm
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There are some excellent MIM Teles and Strats. I believe it all depends on what you personally like. The Esquires are great, Baja Teles and the Thinlines are all great guitars. You'll know the right axe when you put it in your hands and listen to it wail.


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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 4:02 pm
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OK guys 'n gals, long time lurker, first time poster.

Let me propose an experiment and let's see how intellectually honest everyone is.

I go out and get ten, fifteen Tele's, from Squiers up to the absolute top of the line. Different countries, different models, etc.

Have all set up by a pro, intonation, truss rod, new strings, the works and even set perfectly by a strobe tuner blessed personally by Nicholas Tesla.

Then I put each of you in a completely dark room with a little Epiphone tube amp and speaker, you know the one I mean, it's only got a volume control. Oh, yeah, I cover the amp's power light with electrician's tape. (grin)

In total darkness I hand you a Tele randomly and you play it as long as you want.

Then _you_ tell _me_ the ones that are USA show dogs and which ones are the pound import mutts.

I'll bet money *very few* folks would even crack 50%

If you want only USA made, good for you. Thank you for supporting a domestic industry. If you're into a MIM and you're happy with it, again, good for you.

Full disclosure: MIM Baja Tele with a Blackheart (drool, drool) amp. I'm happy.

Now, submerging back to silent lurking...


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Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 5:00 pm
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Ah, the blindfold play test. While your at it add a few Gibsons and see which you like. I say, buy what feels best or fits your economic comfort zone. I have had a few Japanese Fenders and they were as good as any US Fender. My Korean Lite Ash is just wonderful, Up graded to SCN's and S-1 Switches. ok, I have noticed that when I play a USA guitar, it just feels a little different. I have always believed the difference is USA Guitars have better parts, Tuners, pickups, bodies etc. The routing machines for the bodies and necks are all the same, the strings are the same. The manpower is the same and Mexicans make them in both countries. I say buy MIM, up grade the pickups to start and see if yor can hear the difference. You'll be saving some money and getting the tone you seek.


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