Mexican made Fender
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treyhaislip
Well-known member
Re: Mexican made Fender
I prefer the MIA necks...haven't played a MIM (old or new) that could touch a MIA...but that's just my personal opinion
I prefer the MIA necks...haven't played a MIM (old or new) that could touch a MIA...but that's just my personal opinion
El Supremo
New member
Re: Mexican made Fender
The difference really starts to become apparent with the American Vintage Reissues imo. The MIM hardware is pretty solid these days. Case in point: my brothers MIM Lonestar actually sounds more lively than my MIA Standard.
The difference really starts to become apparent with the American Vintage Reissues imo. The MIM hardware is pretty solid these days. Case in point: my brothers MIM Lonestar actually sounds more lively than my MIA Standard.
jake_xms3_punk
New member
Re: Mexican made Fender
also MIM usually have 21 frets and MIA usually have 22 frets
also MIM usually have 21 frets and MIA usually have 22 frets
DreX
New member
Re: Mexican made Fender
I own some of both. You should just try them both out at the guitar store, the extent of the meaningful difference will be apparent within minutes, if not right away. There's no difference that will sneak up on you later and leave you saying "if only I had known...". You might notice greater precision in MIA, but even the MIAs seem a little looser around the edges than MIJ Teles, and the difference in precision or finish is mostly a minor cosmetic issue and usually doesn't hinder the performance of the guitar.
Except maybe one thing, it seems like the MIM Tele's frets are more liable to protrude with heat changes than the MIA necks, like maybe they did or didn't glue the frets in or something, but I just filed the ends down and that was that. There's not many shortcomings in a MIM that can't be DIY'd to the level you'd expect of a MIA.
I own some of both. You should just try them both out at the guitar store, the extent of the meaningful difference will be apparent within minutes, if not right away. There's no difference that will sneak up on you later and leave you saying "if only I had known...". You might notice greater precision in MIA, but even the MIAs seem a little looser around the edges than MIJ Teles, and the difference in precision or finish is mostly a minor cosmetic issue and usually doesn't hinder the performance of the guitar.
Except maybe one thing, it seems like the MIM Tele's frets are more liable to protrude with heat changes than the MIA necks, like maybe they did or didn't glue the frets in or something, but I just filed the ends down and that was that. There's not many shortcomings in a MIM that can't be DIY'd to the level you'd expect of a MIA.
DreX
New member
Re: Mexican made Fender
Definitely a myth if any claim is being made as to the tonal qualities of the wood, but there might be truth to the idea that they select nicer looking wood for MIA's for clean finish guitars. Look for clearly stated reasons why MIA selected wood sounds better, you won't find any, and even if you do find a stated reason, look for some fact based sources or research to back up those statements, you won't find any. The reality is that people want the nicer brand of a product, in all corners of consumerism, for ego satisfaction. Any watch will do, but a Rolex carried prestige, but nobody will admit they bought something expensive to stroke their ego, so it's natural that you will see all sorts of specious justifications as to why they chose the Lexus over the loaded Toyota, or the Sony over a comparable no name brand. For every one good reason a person cites for buying an MIA, they will list five dubious reasons.
One thing I was shocked to discover with my MIA Tele is that they did route out a lot of wood under the pick guard. There was space for a middle pickup even though this model didn't call for one. My MIJ Teles don't have wood removed unnecessarily, and Fender Japan does offer Tele's with middle pickups. In fact, the route marks from the MIA and MIM are so similar that it wouldn't surprise me if the MIA bodies were actually routed in Mexico and sent to California for final assembly. I didn't expect to see that sort of corner cutting in a MIA.
Definitely a myth if any claim is being made as to the tonal qualities of the wood, but there might be truth to the idea that they select nicer looking wood for MIA's for clean finish guitars. Look for clearly stated reasons why MIA selected wood sounds better, you won't find any, and even if you do find a stated reason, look for some fact based sources or research to back up those statements, you won't find any. The reality is that people want the nicer brand of a product, in all corners of consumerism, for ego satisfaction. Any watch will do, but a Rolex carried prestige, but nobody will admit they bought something expensive to stroke their ego, so it's natural that you will see all sorts of specious justifications as to why they chose the Lexus over the loaded Toyota, or the Sony over a comparable no name brand. For every one good reason a person cites for buying an MIA, they will list five dubious reasons.
One thing I was shocked to discover with my MIA Tele is that they did route out a lot of wood under the pick guard. There was space for a middle pickup even though this model didn't call for one. My MIJ Teles don't have wood removed unnecessarily, and Fender Japan does offer Tele's with middle pickups. In fact, the route marks from the MIA and MIM are so similar that it wouldn't surprise me if the MIA bodies were actually routed in Mexico and sent to California for final assembly. I didn't expect to see that sort of corner cutting in a MIA.
Chris of Arabia
Desert RATT
Re: Mexican made Fender
Have a look at the 'Classic Players' models, they should be a bit of a step up in attention to detail on the standard MIM's; my Baja is certainly nicely done.
Have a look at the 'Classic Players' models, they should be a bit of a step up in attention to detail on the standard MIM's; my Baja is certainly nicely done.
F
Funkfingers
Guest
Re: Mexican made Fender
Guitar quality obeys the law of diminishing returns. Generally speaking, the more expensive versions are better but not in direct proportion to the increase in price.
The only real test is to get your hands on as many examples as possible of the model that interests you. In shops, test the guitars through the sort of amplifier that you normally use and concentrate on the styles of music that you normally play.
In recent years, I have adopted a more random approach. Rather than me finding the instruments, I allow the instruments to find me. The trick is in spotting the good 'uns. Some of the guitars that I presently own kinda washed up at music stores in my vicinity and "insisted" that I take them away with me. In the cases of my Gibson LP gold top and Seventies Rick 4001, these belonged to friends. I had to wait until they decided to sell.
Guitar quality obeys the law of diminishing returns. Generally speaking, the more expensive versions are better but not in direct proportion to the increase in price.
The only real test is to get your hands on as many examples as possible of the model that interests you. In shops, test the guitars through the sort of amplifier that you normally use and concentrate on the styles of music that you normally play.
In recent years, I have adopted a more random approach. Rather than me finding the instruments, I allow the instruments to find me. The trick is in spotting the good 'uns. Some of the guitars that I presently own kinda washed up at music stores in my vicinity and "insisted" that I take them away with me. In the cases of my Gibson LP gold top and Seventies Rick 4001, these belonged to friends. I had to wait until they decided to sell.
blueman335
Mojo's Minions
Re: Mexican made Fender
+1. Costing 5 times more doesn't mean the quality or tone is 5 times better. Basic rule: buy what you can afford, and don't look down on people who don't spend as much as you do. Buying high-end guitars doesn't make you a better player, practicing and passion does.
+1. Costing 5 times more doesn't mean the quality or tone is 5 times better. Basic rule: buy what you can afford, and don't look down on people who don't spend as much as you do. Buying high-end guitars doesn't make you a better player, practicing and passion does.
St_Genesius
New member
Re: Mexican made Fender
I agree, but I chalk a lot of that up to rolled fingerboard edges, which is something that can be done to any neck.
I agree, but I chalk a lot of that up to rolled fingerboard edges, which is something that can be done to any neck.
ItsaBass
New member
Mexican made Fender
Hardware and electronics are huge differences between the two (especially hardware), but you said to talk about things aside from those.
Here is my take on the other main differences between U.S.A. Standards and Mexico Standards:
- The U.S.A. models have at least $150's worth of fret work, nut work, and setup work over the MIMs. That is, in order to get a MIM playing as well as a USA, you're gonna have to redress the frets, get a new nut (or have your stock nut refined), and set the thing up.
- The U.S.A. models have better quality finish work.
- The U.S.A. models have a classier and more refined looking truss rod access point.
- The U.S.A. models are held to tighter inspection criteria over all, i.e. more flaws are tolerated on MIMs without them being pulled away as seconds/trash/whatever they do with them. You'll see them from time to time with weird finish flaws (metallic swirls, thick spots, cracks), weird wood sculpting flaws (dips and lumps), scrappier looking edges on things (e.g. the nut), etc. It's not that Mexican workers are inept. It's just that the inspection criteria are more lax on the lower end stuff. MIMs can make it to stores with flaws that would have easily had a U.S.A. guitar rejected.
Combine these things with the fact that you might want to put $200 to $300 in hardware and pickups into a MIM Standard Tele in order to make it feel and act like a good guitar, and you really aren't coming out that far ahead by getting a MIM. IME (which is quite a lot souping up MIMs, MIJs, and Squiers), if you buy new, then improve, you end up with an $800 guitar, possibly more, before it behaves like a really good quality instrument...and even then, it still holds traces of its low-budget roots. You'd probably do better by getting a used MIA for $600 or $700, and just replacing the pickups (if you even want to), which can be largely paid for by selling off the stock ones. If you are going to fix up an MIM, try to get a used one instead of a new one. Personally, I only bother souping up lower end guitars any more if the model in question has some really cool and unique features, or if I happen to get a killer deal on a guitar that has some character to it.
Hardware and electronics are huge differences between the two (especially hardware), but you said to talk about things aside from those.
Here is my take on the other main differences between U.S.A. Standards and Mexico Standards:
- The U.S.A. models have at least $150's worth of fret work, nut work, and setup work over the MIMs. That is, in order to get a MIM playing as well as a USA, you're gonna have to redress the frets, get a new nut (or have your stock nut refined), and set the thing up.
- The U.S.A. models have better quality finish work.
- The U.S.A. models have a classier and more refined looking truss rod access point.
- The U.S.A. models are held to tighter inspection criteria over all, i.e. more flaws are tolerated on MIMs without them being pulled away as seconds/trash/whatever they do with them. You'll see them from time to time with weird finish flaws (metallic swirls, thick spots, cracks), weird wood sculpting flaws (dips and lumps), scrappier looking edges on things (e.g. the nut), etc. It's not that Mexican workers are inept. It's just that the inspection criteria are more lax on the lower end stuff. MIMs can make it to stores with flaws that would have easily had a U.S.A. guitar rejected.
Combine these things with the fact that you might want to put $200 to $300 in hardware and pickups into a MIM Standard Tele in order to make it feel and act like a good guitar, and you really aren't coming out that far ahead by getting a MIM. IME (which is quite a lot souping up MIMs, MIJs, and Squiers), if you buy new, then improve, you end up with an $800 guitar, possibly more, before it behaves like a really good quality instrument...and even then, it still holds traces of its low-budget roots. You'd probably do better by getting a used MIA for $600 or $700, and just replacing the pickups (if you even want to), which can be largely paid for by selling off the stock ones. If you are going to fix up an MIM, try to get a used one instead of a new one. Personally, I only bother souping up lower end guitars any more if the model in question has some really cool and unique features, or if I happen to get a killer deal on a guitar that has some character to it.
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DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Mexican made Fender
The main difference: You can get a Fender made in Mexico by Mexicans, or you can spend a bit more and get a Fender made in America by Mexicans.
The main difference: You can get a Fender made in Mexico by Mexicans, or you can spend a bit more and get a Fender made in America by Mexicans.
DreX
New member
ItsaBass
New member
Mexican made Fender
I own two of them, and have owned many more. I've owned one for over 10 years, and I would have a hard time ever selling it. They can be really good guitars, with some TLC. I simply wanted to explain what I feel is involved in fixing them up, so you can at least have a realistic idea of the possible expense of tricking one out.
I own two of them, and have owned many more. I've owned one for over 10 years, and I would have a hard time ever selling it. They can be really good guitars, with some TLC. I simply wanted to explain what I feel is involved in fixing them up, so you can at least have a realistic idea of the possible expense of tricking one out.
DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: Mexican made Fender
Pine and Plywood are the common ones.
Pine and Plywood are the common ones.
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