MIM Fender build quality of today

[JoyDivision24Hours]

I've checked out the MIM Custom Shop-designed Baja Telecasters online and really liked the specs. The other day I noticed my local guitar shop had two of them hanging on the wall so I thought I'd check them out. I must say I was appalled at what I saw. The workmanship was just terrible. On the back, the holes for the ferrules were drilled to different depths. This meant that some ferrules poked out while others were flush with the body. The pickguards were warped, it seemed the holes were not drilled in the right places (granted that vintage tele pickguards usually don't sit perfectly flat). The frets were not crowned properly.

I've played lots of MIM standards before and always thought they got the basics right. Did I just run into two lemons next to each other (which has never happened to me before in my 15 years of guitar nerdery) or is the MIM build quality control slipping at a larger scale?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

IME, MIMs now are better than they've ever been...especially the Classic Series.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

MIM Fender build quality of today

I own both a Baja and a Classic Player 50's Strat and haven't noticed any issues like the ones described...

 

[JoyDivision24Hours]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

Previously, one of the best playing guitars I ever tried was a MIM Classic series '70s strat when that particular model was brand new.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

On the back, the holes for the ferrules were drilled to different depths. This meant that some ferrules poked out while others were flush with the body.

The only proper ways to test for drilling depth are to pull the offending ferrules out or, with the flangeless type, to try to push them all the way in. Your local guitar retailer is very generous for allowing you to do either of these things to their stock.

The pickguards were warped, it seemed the holes were not drilled in the right places (granted that vintage tele pickguards usually don't sit perfectly flat).

Single ply Fender pickguards often warp, regardless of where the screws are. (This is why Leo eventually went to the extravagance of adding three more.) I'll have you know that, as a Custom Shop Relic model owner, I believe that the warped pickguard should cost you extra!

The frets were not crowned properly.

The overwhelming majority of electric guitars leave their factories still in need of fettling. For example, Fender American Standard guitars tend to have the nut slots cut on the high side. This way, the purchaser can have alterations made WITHOUT the instrument needing to be returned under warranty.

I've played lots of MIM standards before and always thought they got the basics right. Did I just run into two lemons next to each other (which has never happened to me before in my 15 years of guitar nerdery) or is the MIM build quality control slipping at a larger scale?

I currently have under my roof two MIM Fender guitars; a 1996 Tex-Mex Stratocaster and a 2011 Anniversary Std Telecaster. In both cases, the CNC machines have shaped the wood perfectly. The necks feel just right. Any disappointments are largely down to the materials used compared to USA production.

Ultimately, the usual caveat applies. If a guitar does not please or excite you, do not buy it.

 

[Evil_Pun]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

the one thing I find annoying about the MIM guitars is they use so much damn solder on the back of the pots. It's like the T-1000 jizzed on the connections.

 

[astrozombie]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

I once had a MIM telecaster standard that everyone LOVED. everyone wanted in on it when I decided to sell it.

Sometimes I pick up Jaguar Specials at stores and get a nice surprise. sometimes I pick one up and get disappointed.

Lemons exist.

 

[JoyDivision24Hours]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

The only proper ways to test for drilling depth are to pull the offending ferrules out or, with the flangeless type, to try to push them all the way in. Your local guitar retailer is very generous for allowing you to do either of these things to their stock.

You make some good points.

Well, I admit I didn't try pushing the ferrules in. Don't think the sales guy that was hovering around me would have taken kindly to that, no. I sense that you are a more experienced Tele guy than me, but this is the first time I've ever seen ferrules sticking out of the back of a Tele.

Single ply Fender pickguards often warp, regardless of where the screws are. (This is why Leo eventually went to the extravagance of adding three more.) I'll have you know that, as a Custom Shop Relic model owner, I believe that the warped pickguard should cost you extra!

I don't think I've ever seen a '50s style Tele where the pickguard sits flat. But in one of these cases, the pickguard was raised half an inch where it's closest to the bridge plate. You could park a damn car in there. It looked like they had drilled the holes too close together and had to bend the pickguard a bit to line up the holes with the body. One of the Teles was much worse than the other, so I don't think it was part of the design.

The overwhelming majority of electric guitars leave their factories still in need of fettling. For example, Fender American Standard guitars tend to have the nut slots cut on the high side. This way, the purchaser can have alterations made WITHOUT the instrument needing to be returned under warranty.

It is hard to find good fretwork on a new guitar. I find that a lot of guitars need to have their frets polished a bit to play well, but you can tell that the frets have been crowned.

My impression was that they had just pressed the frets in and trimmed off the ends. Since the Baja Tele has jumbo frets (which is what I have on my strat) they have pronounced square shoulders before they are crowned.

I currently have under my roof two MIM Fender guitars; a 1996 Tex-Mex Stratocaster and a 2011 Anniversary Std Telecaster. In both cases, the CNC machines have shaped the wood perfectly. The necks feel just right. Any disappointments are largely down to the materials used compared to USA production.

This has usually been my experience as well. I am a fan of MIM and especially MIJ guitars.

Ultimately, the usual caveat applies. If a guitar does not please or excite you, do not buy it.

Good point. No use buying a guitar that doesn't feel right.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

Somebody in charge of this forum REALLY needs to come up with some sarcasm and irony emoticons.

JD24H, some of my earlier comments were in jest.

Yes, I have seen inside a good many Telecasters. If you are THAT interested, there are places on the Interweb where you can bore yourself silly with factoids about the many variations of string ferrule found on Fender electric guitars from 1948 to the present day.

Fender single ply plastic pickguards just wanna bend. Strats tend to warp above the bridge pickup. Teles like to warp along their top edges. Bakelite ones stay plumb flat.

For the clearest indication of the difference between Fender MIM and MIA guitars, try out the respective versions of the Cabronita Telecaster.

 

[B2D]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

IME, MIMs now are better than they've ever been...especially the Classic Series.

No kidding. The MIM stuff now is about as good as the American Standard stuff was 20 years ago.

They were good values when they came out, too. However, I find the guitars produced now to be much more consistent in quality. Mine, for example, is a 1995 and has a super chunky neck that I've never found on another example. It also had a finish that would survive being shot at. Seriously... when I eventually stripped the guitar, a heat gun and citri-strip didn't do jack, and aircraft-grade paint stripper turned it from gloss to matte. I had to power-sand it all off and found out it was painted twice. The color layers went clear-red-primer-black-primer-wood. :crazy:

 

[StratFreak]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

I own a 2010 MIM Strat and love it. I've never run into any problems with its workmanship, nor the actual sound/playability. I sincerely hope those ones were just rare cases of crappy workmanship.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

Apologies for resuscitating this thread but I think that this is relevant.

I just screwed a late 2102 Fender MIM 50's Classic Player Stratocaster neck onto a 2008/9 MIM CP body. The pocket fit is as good as my 1995 Am Std Stratocaster. The smokers amongst you might just manage to get a fag paper between the sides of the pocket and the neck.

 

[Kramer Guy]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

I used to have a 2006 Standard Strat which I owned for over 4 years. IMO, the quality of it was just as good as a MIA model. To this day,I regret getting rid of it.

 

[gvis]

Re: MIM Fender build quality of today

I love my 2012 MIM strat, much more so after upgrades though. As for quality, the issues I had/have:

- Pickguard holes not drilled correctly for one hole, causing a minor warped look on one side. Went away by shifting it around and tightening them down in a certain order. No idea how I didn't notice it when I bought it. Maybe they ahd found a way to line it up and I noticed after the first removal/re-install.

- Frets need leveling, but as was mentioned, this is common.

- 2 quarter sized holes drilled in the body, pretty deep, and filled with glue. Pickguard covers it. No idea if it affects tone, but I'm ok with it's tone.

Not bad for a cheap guitar imo.