‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

[JB_From_Hell]

‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

Might be going to check out an ‘01 MIM. It’s a cool deep blue, almost purple color, maple board. Looks to be in great shape, and it had a fret level and bone nut from a really good local luthier.

Is this known to be a good or bad era? I know, I gotta play it first, but my free time is not abundant and I’d rather not waste it if they’re total crap.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

It's able to be made nice, but MIM Standards have certainly got better since then.

The fret leveling and replacement nut take care of the two major issues, if they were done well. But these things do not add actual market value to the guitar.

The bridge is an issue. It's lousy. So are the tuners.

I actually like the pickups okay, but most people hate them.

Bottom line: It's a capable guitar with a fair bit of TLC, but I would not go over $300 with HSC, or $275 without. That's if it's cosmetically clean and the frets and new nut look and feel well done.

 

[KeeperOS]

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

This is my 2000 MiM Fender Strat, bought new in 2000 in various stages in her evolution.



The frets were fairly soft and to this day are the only frets I have worn down simply by playing.
The PUs were really bland and the tuners and bridge were serviceable but unexceptional.

However, it is my most stable guitar tune-wise and also acoustically the loudest.

I love the thing so much that I replaced the tuners, bridge and all the electronics (actually a whole-new pickguard) and is currently at my tech to get a refret (after 18 years).

So, based on my experience, try the guitar and if it speaks to you, be prepared to put some work (unless the previous owner did it for you) but expect to be rewarded with a life-long friend...

 

[Blille]

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

Wasn’t 2002 or 2004 a major overhaul year?

 

[Chistopher]

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

Wasn’t 2002 or 2004 a major overhaul year?

Yeah, sometime in there they made a boatload of minor changes to the MIMs. They changed the neck finish, the pickups, they made the trem blocks smaller, harder frets, in 2000 they went from Poplar to Alder, and later in '08 they started using shielding paint in the cavities. In my opinion, the newer MIMs, and Squiers for that matter, are better.

 

[Blille]

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

Re: ‘01 a good MIM Strat year?

Yeah, sometime in there they made a boatload of minor changes to the MIMs. They changed the neck finish, the pickups, they made the trem blocks smaller, harder frets, in 2000 they went from Poplar to Alder, and later in '08 they started using shielding paint in the cavities. In my opinion, the newer MIMs, and Squiers for that matter, are better.

That’s kind of what I remembered, thanks. But I don’t own one so hard to remember exactly.

Also it doesn’t mean that you can’t find an earlier great one but I would definitely try to play it first.