drew_half_empty
Looking for Real Life
what the hell is the difference and why is that difference worth hundreds more
american fenders
- Thread starter drew_half_empty
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drew_half_empty
Looking for Real Life
Re: american fenders
i dunno, i can't tell that much neck difference, pickups yeah, but can't you buy those aftermarket anyways?
i dunno, i can't tell that much neck difference, pickups yeah, but can't you buy those aftermarket anyways?
flank
New member
Re: american fenders
there are some real nice mexis.....and some so so americans........ its just about findin the right one that stands out
sometimes the neck might feel pretty good, but when you really put it through the grind, the combinations of the hardware and neck could really throw the guitar out of tune........ this will happen more likely on mexis just because there is not as much time spent on em and because the hardware is not as well perfected and well made
but like i said, there is not that much difference at all sometimes.........but every mexi ive played did not feel right compared to my american strat or other americans ive played.......eh, i guess its just what is right for you
there are some real nice mexis.....and some so so americans........ its just about findin the right one that stands out
sometimes the neck might feel pretty good, but when you really put it through the grind, the combinations of the hardware and neck could really throw the guitar out of tune........ this will happen more likely on mexis just because there is not as much time spent on em and because the hardware is not as well perfected and well made
but like i said, there is not that much difference at all sometimes.........but every mexi ive played did not feel right compared to my american strat or other americans ive played.......eh, i guess its just what is right for you
strat_master
New member
Re: american fenders
what they said
what they said
Illini1330
New member
Re: american fenders
I love my mexi more than any other american ive played. Not the sound cause the pups are stock (still waitin to change them.) But it just feels more worn in to me. I made one mod, I refinished the neck and it feels great. I dunno mabey I just have one of those good mexican strats. It stays in tune well too, but I changed the tunners to vintage strat style ones. I've put a total of about $35 into it including te refinishing suplies for the neck, and I can't really feel the difference. It took some tweaking to the set-up of the guitar for the neck to feel good, but only took about 10-20 minutes to do. If I were u I would play both and just see what you like.
I love my mexi more than any other american ive played. Not the sound cause the pups are stock (still waitin to change them.) But it just feels more worn in to me. I made one mod, I refinished the neck and it feels great. I dunno mabey I just have one of those good mexican strats. It stays in tune well too, but I changed the tunners to vintage strat style ones. I've put a total of about $35 into it including te refinishing suplies for the neck, and I can't really feel the difference. It took some tweaking to the set-up of the guitar for the neck to feel good, but only took about 10-20 minutes to do. If I were u I would play both and just see what you like.
flank
New member
Re: american fenders
with a pickup change (good pickups like duncans) i doubt anybody could tell the differnce between a mexi and american
but feel and playability is the key differnce, and the most important to me..... you can always make changes in the sound of the guitar (to an extent)....but you cant change the feel of it.....
all that being said, i wouldt not pay 850 or 900 for a new american strat......i also would not buy a mexican strat (unless i found an unbelivable one, but none have come close)....... i would always opt for a used american at around 500-600......and thats what i did :dance:
with a pickup change (good pickups like duncans) i doubt anybody could tell the differnce between a mexi and american
but feel and playability is the key differnce, and the most important to me..... you can always make changes in the sound of the guitar (to an extent)....but you cant change the feel of it.....
all that being said, i wouldt not pay 850 or 900 for a new american strat......i also would not buy a mexican strat (unless i found an unbelivable one, but none have come close)....... i would always opt for a used american at around 500-600......and thats what i did :dance:
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Seraphial
New member
Re: american fenders
To be honest, I've always thought that for $500-$700 on Ebay for a 2nd hand US Strat, its a pretty good deal for the guitar you get. What I've always wondered about is how Gibson can charge another grand for making the same guitar Heritage does
drew_half_empty said:
To be honest, I've always thought that for $500-$700 on Ebay for a 2nd hand US Strat, its a pretty good deal for the guitar you get. What I've always wondered about is how Gibson can charge another grand for making the same guitar Heritage does
SoCalSteve
New member
Re: american fenders
I love my MIM Strat. It's the satin candy apple with black pups/pickguard. Stays in tune better than my Floyd Rose Ibanez. C-shaped neck feels wonderful to my hands, nice smooth fret edges. Switches and knobs are tight. It's a keeper.
I love my MIM Strat. It's the satin candy apple with black pups/pickguard. Stays in tune better than my Floyd Rose Ibanez. C-shaped neck feels wonderful to my hands, nice smooth fret edges. Switches and knobs are tight. It's a keeper.
UCSDBoy
New member
Re: american fenders
lol yeah, but what _doesn't_ stay in tune better than a guitar with a cheap floyd copy? (I still have mine, but I'm blocking it off - don't use it anyway)
I think MIM Strats are definitely keepers - at least most of them. I like the attention to detail and in general the better quality materials found in the MIAs, but obviously my MIM with SD pickups was enough for me... I found my tone with the MIM so no need to get another strat... It's really the looks that make me want to get another one - cherry sunburst finishes are to die for. =)
allthingsstrat.com has a very good comparison chart (and a tour of the mexican facility in pictures! =))
SoCalSteve said:
lol yeah, but what _doesn't_ stay in tune better than a guitar with a cheap floyd copy? (I still have mine, but I'm blocking it off - don't use it anyway)
I think MIM Strats are definitely keepers - at least most of them. I like the attention to detail and in general the better quality materials found in the MIAs, but obviously my MIM with SD pickups was enough for me... I found my tone with the MIM so no need to get another strat... It's really the looks that make me want to get another one - cherry sunburst finishes are to die for. =)
allthingsstrat.com has a very good comparison chart (and a tour of the mexican facility in pictures! =))
Re: american fenders
Its probably the topic of another thread, but I agree with you, I think Gibsons are the most over priced instruments out there - not that they don't make a nice guitar but certainly no better than the likes of Hamer, Heritage, etc. and you could make an arguement that many of their guitars are inferior to those makers.
Seraphial said:
Its probably the topic of another thread, but I agree with you, I think Gibsons are the most over priced instruments out there - not that they don't make a nice guitar but certainly no better than the likes of Hamer, Heritage, etc. and you could make an arguement that many of their guitars are inferior to those makers.
Hellion
New member
Re: american fenders
You can argue with me as much as you like but when you're talking Fender guitars, the Mexican made instruments are the best value for the money at this point in time. The American made guitars & basses may use a bit better wood (We're talking Fender here, not Squire), but remember, we're talking Alder, Ash & Poplar. There isn't that much difference. I'll put my Mexi's up against ANY American made instruments.
You can argue with me as much as you like but when you're talking Fender guitars, the Mexican made instruments are the best value for the money at this point in time. The American made guitars & basses may use a bit better wood (We're talking Fender here, not Squire), but remember, we're talking Alder, Ash & Poplar. There isn't that much difference. I'll put my Mexi's up against ANY American made instruments.
UCSDBoy
New member
Re: american fenders
Well yeah, but the difference these days isn't about the wood itself, but perhaps the quality of the wood and the number of pieces. My strat's poplar - back when the MIMs were poplar and the real strats were Alder/Ash. Nowadays they're all Alder/Ash - but the wood may not be as pretty, as resonant, or just may be 5-7 pieces instead of a normal 2-3 piece.
One thing I will say is, I love a resonant guitar - my strat's pretty good, but I think you can definitely tell the difference between even a good mexi and a good mia in that respect.
I agree with you though - the MIMs are a great value, when compared to the MIAs. I wouldn't put a stock MIM against an MIA but I might consider an MIM with duncans going against an MIA.
Hellion said:
Well yeah, but the difference these days isn't about the wood itself, but perhaps the quality of the wood and the number of pieces. My strat's poplar - back when the MIMs were poplar and the real strats were Alder/Ash. Nowadays they're all Alder/Ash - but the wood may not be as pretty, as resonant, or just may be 5-7 pieces instead of a normal 2-3 piece.
One thing I will say is, I love a resonant guitar - my strat's pretty good, but I think you can definitely tell the difference between even a good mexi and a good mia in that respect.
I agree with you though - the MIMs are a great value, when compared to the MIAs. I wouldn't put a stock MIM against an MIA but I might consider an MIM with duncans going against an MIA.
drew_half_empty
Looking for Real Life
Re: american fenders
yeah but you don't pay as much for the fender name as you do marshall or gibson, which are both overpriced and overrated. Are the mexis the highway 61's? cuz my blackout is korean, so i'm taking it standards aren't mexis
yeah but you don't pay as much for the fender name as you do marshall or gibson, which are both overpriced and overrated. Are the mexis the highway 61's? cuz my blackout is korean, so i'm taking it standards aren't mexis
keano12
New member
Re: american fenders
I will stick my neck out here. I have had an American and 2 MIM strats. My favorites are the Mexican ones. Here is some insdie info. I worked in the music industry for a software company and we would wheel and deal to get gear trading and what not. Anyway we hadf a rep at Fender and he said it was an inside joke at Fender because people were always like american this and American that. What they don't realize he said is that the machines that made all the coveted old Fenders are the machines down in Mexico. The wood is also sent from USA.
When I get a mexican strat I do 2 things immediately. I upgrade to large jumbo frets (I do that on all my guitars) and switch out pups. I have the pickups I want and a fret job and set up still under cost of American Strat.
I will stick my neck out here. I have had an American and 2 MIM strats. My favorites are the Mexican ones. Here is some insdie info. I worked in the music industry for a software company and we would wheel and deal to get gear trading and what not. Anyway we hadf a rep at Fender and he said it was an inside joke at Fender because people were always like american this and American that. What they don't realize he said is that the machines that made all the coveted old Fenders are the machines down in Mexico. The wood is also sent from USA.
When I get a mexican strat I do 2 things immediately. I upgrade to large jumbo frets (I do that on all my guitars) and switch out pups. I have the pickups I want and a fret job and set up still under cost of American Strat.
Number One
New member
Re: american fenders
Well the wood is definitely a bit better, and the electronics are different, but it definitely doesn't warrant a several-hundred dollar difference.
Well the wood is definitely a bit better, and the electronics are different, but it definitely doesn't warrant a several-hundred dollar difference.
