Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

[Benthedemon007]

I am considering buying a strat, and I want to know why the Mexican ones are cheaper. I know they're high quality, but is it because of wages/conditions, or something else?


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[treyhaislip]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

Why are they cheaper? Many things...cheaper labor, cheaper parts, less regulations in Mexico than the US, lower standards/QC, etc.

That being said, nothing wrong with a Mexican Strat–I've owned several that were able to be made into great guitars (I personally prefer the American specs and the quality of the MIA but some prefer the MIM specs.)

Play several and find the one you like best.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

I'd get a nice Squier before an MIM Fender. But MIMs can be good guitars.

Overall as stated, more likelihood of poorer fit/finish/routing, cheaper (or downright cheap) electronics and pickups, poorer fret finishing/setup... I had an MIM Telecaster that was five pieces of wood once (veneered to hide that) where VM Squier bodies I've come across are almost exclusively two or three piece...

Again, they're fine if you get a good one, but why bother? An American Standard is $600 used.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

There was a great quote here a few years ago, something to the affect of: 'You can buy an American-made Strat built by Mexicans, or you can buy a Mexican-made Strat built by Mexicans. Take your pick.'

 

[jeremy]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

the hardware and tuners are usually not as good on the mim and mia. the body may be different wood or more pieces. the fret work might not be as good. but there are plenty of great mim guitars out there, as long as you put your hands on it and it feels and plays well, most other things can be replaced or modified

 

[jmh151]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

Cheaper hardware, lower quality wood, cheaper electronics.

Doesn't make them bad at all, Parts are upgrade able

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

MIM should be changed to AIM, (Assembled in Mexico)

 

[jmh151]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

My EVH Striped is made in Mexico, in Fenders Mexican plant, and it's an excellent guitar.

IMO American Fender guitars are over priced, unless you go for Custom Shop.

 

[Nostalgic Distortion]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

My EVH Striped is made in Mexico, in Fenders Mexican plant, and it's an excellent guitar.

IMO American Fender guitars are over priced, unless you go for Custom Shop.

I'm going to have to agree with this statement. Supposing we're talking new guitars, you can pick up a good used MIA for about the same price as a new MIM these days if you shop around. Are MIA Standards better guitars, absolutely! Are the worth 2-3 times as much, probably not but they'll hold value better....

I still kinda prefer MIM's to be honest. I have no problem buying a brand new MIM & immediately ripping it apart and reloading it with my own preferences. Doing this doesn't really affect the value all too much, sometimes it can even help? If you do the same thing to a brand new MIA you've just lost about half the original value...

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

Brand new, the MIMs are just as overpriced as the American guitars, especially considering the pickups that come in say MIM Standards. If you can bring yourself not to care about the name or the headstock shape and want an affordable guitar, then you can avoid a lot of "name tax" by going with another brand entirely. Sterling by Music Man and G&L Tribute come to mind, not to mention a bunch of dirt cheap Schecters, Yamahas and ESPs that do the job.

That said, I still think a used American Standard Strat is an absolute steal of a guitar, and not priced to where replacing pickups is something I'd fear doing.

 

[blueman335]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

- you can pick up a good used MIA for about the same price as a new MIM these days

- MIA Standards better guitars... they'll hold value better.

Is it just me, or do these two statements seem to contradict each other?

 

[MkIII Renegade]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

Is it just me, or do these two statements seem to contradict each other?

Just you I'm afraid.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

Both are the same thing. They come from North America, except one uses cheaper labor. The bridge on the MIM Strats is actually the original one from 1954.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

I am considering buying a strat, and I want to know why the Mexican ones are cheaper. I know they're high quality, but is it because of wages/conditions, or something else?


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It's the water.

 

[Powdered Toast Man]

Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

Having actually been through the Fender Corona CA factory myself, I can say the main different is labour cost. They differentiate the lines with certain parts and features as well. MIM guitars generally have cheaper bridges and pickups. They also have less strict standards for body wood than the MIA facility. They also use different finishes. MIA have either polyurethane or nitro lacquer. MIM guitars are finished in polyester.

As I said, labor is a big thing. Fender USA makes everything except the tuners in house. I watched them cutting pickguards, drilling and bending bridge plates, winding pickups, routing bodies and necks, installing truss rods, pressing frets, painting, sanding, etc. They explained that about 70 workers handle each guitar from start to end.

 

[Matt42]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

I'd get a nice Squier before an MIM Fender. But MIMs can be good guitars.

Overall as stated, more likelihood of poorer fit/finish/routing, cheaper (or downright cheap) electronics and pickups, poorer fret finishing/setup... I had an MIM Telecaster that was five pieces of wood once (veneered to hide that) where VM Squier bodies I've come across are almost exclusively two or three piece...

Again, they're fine if you get a good one, but why bother? An American Standard is $600 used.

I'll second this. The Vintage Modified series and Classic Vibe series are both excellent.

 

[Firebrand]

Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

Here are a couple pics of recently glued raw bodies at the Mexi plant. Notice the bodies are essentially 2x2s with veneer tops.

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[Silence Kid]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

Both are the same thing. They come from North America, except one uses cheaper labor. The bridge on the MIM Strats is actually the original one from 1954.

Depends what model, some have different string spacing... I believe all of them have a zinc block rather than the machined steel on the original. I prefer the two-point trem anyway.

That factory picture of the bodies above is representative of the Mexican Telecaster I mentioned, and really makes me happy at my more recent VM Squier purchase. What that picture does not show is the spotty neck pocket fit and gouges/ripped wood in the routing. In the end, I won't say that Telecaster was/is a bad guitar, but I had no guilt stripping/butchering it for a project I agree at having been amazed and impressed at the things Corona does in-house.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

MIM is made to be cheaper, so they manipulate various parts and construction to hit a certain price below a MIA.

 

[HiFiRebel]

Re: Why are Mexican Strats cheaper?

Gibson has chambered solid body Les Paul's, Fender uses paint in the Mexico plant that can withstand reentry from space, Gretsch had QC and consistency problems for over three decades, etc.

Some suck, some rock, and some are in between. I've played great Squiers and crappy PRS models. No one company has nailed it all of the time, every time.