[Christian77]

I'm going to get a new Strat pretty soon.

I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out the advantage of the USA strat over the others. The USA strats start at aound a grand while the Mexico one comes in at 400-500 and the others below 200.

thanks

[BackToBlack]

Hi Christian-

I haven't heard much about the Chinese Strats. But I have heard good things about the Mexican ones. As far as I have been told, the only diff between the USA and Mexican Strats is that the Mexicans are made in Mexico (duh) where they are cheaper to produce. It doesn't mean that they are cheaply constructed, it just means that the actual workers are paid lower wages than here in the US which brings the cost down. Its a mental thing for some, but for me I just purchased a Mexican Tele and I couldn't be happier. The same guitar for a lower price-I doesn't bother me one bit that it was made south of the border. Hope that helps.

P.S.- Don't get a Strat, get a Tele!!! J/K

[Christian77]

Originally Posted by BackToBlack

Hi Christian-

I haven't heard much about the Chinese Strats. But I have heard good things about the Mexican ones. As far as I have been told, the only diff between the USA and Mexican Strats is that the Mexicans are made in Mexico (duh) where they are cheaper to produce. It doesn't mean that they are cheaply constructed, it just means that the actual workers are paid lower wages than here in the US which brings the cost down. Its a mental thing for some, but for me I just purchased a Mexican Tele and I couldn't be happier. The same guitar for a lower price-I doesn't bother me one bit that it was made south of the border. Hope that helps.

P.S.- Don't get a Strat, get a Tele!!! J/K

Thanks for the reply. I like tele's also, but my favorite players use a strat (Eric Johnson,SRV) so to get in that range of sound, it has to be a strat

They also make an Eric johnson strat but it's a bit expensive at $1,700 where I am looking at the one around a grand.

[dejankuki]

Beside low wages for workers chinese strats are made from bad wood. Like basswood, alder and other like that. Mashine heads on their heads are poor quality, maybe even plastic. And ofcourse pickups are way beyond good...
Mexican Strat are wery close to original Fender. But, maybe little cheaper pickups, or not a-class masine heads. But still good guitar.

My experience.

[allthumbs]

The most consistent quality goes to the MIA or possibly MIJ. MIM are good but, can need some work to match a MIA. They are great guitars for the buck. Many players I know have one of each.
Here is an option for you. I played an LP clone that was outstanding quality by these guys. Great pups and attention to detail. Their strats are likely to be of equally high quality. Best bang for the buck in their price range.
Xaviere Guitars

[BackToBlack]

Dejan-
I didn't know that about the Chinese ones. Thanks.

Christian-
If you have a grand to spend then your choice is already made. I would go with the USA. tele! Tele! Tele! lol

[allthumbs]

I thought you were looking for cheap strats. A grand gives you a lot of choices especially if you go to one of the bigger pawn shops or Ebay.

[Stratrat]

Just IMO - the biggest advantage of a MIA Strat is that you'll impress the "headstock snobs" who care about such things. MIM guitars are built in a factory in Mexico using the exact same machinery as in the Fender USA factory, using the exact same wood and materials - even the same bodies and necks from the USA factory (click that link and read the last paragraph). If a MIM guitar uses lower-quality pots, switches, pickups and tuners (which I can't confirm or deny), then buy a MIM and upgrade those parts - you'll still be several hundred dollars under the MIA mark.

I have a MIM Strat and a MIM Tele - I don't notice any difference between them and the MIA versions, and I've played several different models of both. I certainly couldn't feel or hear $600-$800 difference between them. IMO, if you took an equally good example of each and taped off the headstocks so nobody could see where they were made, there are very few players who'd accurately and consistently be able to distinguish between them. The bottom line is that quality control will occasionally allow a bad one to slip through no matter where it's built or assembled. It's best if you can "try before you buy", no matter where the guitar was made.

[krissovo]

I have an American Delux strat, and in my opinion its worlds apart from from the mexican ones. These are the areas where I feel the "others" fall down SLIGHTLY!!!!

1. Neck - There is no comparison the necks on the american's have a much better feel/look to them
2. Electric's - The MIM's etc do not remotely compete with the american electrics. Take the tone pots, the MIM's have a poor range when compaired directly with a MIA and volume has similar characteristics.
3. PUP's - as the electrics these are different, the MIM's are weak against the MIA

Saying all that a MIM would happily sit in my collection and these do sound good.

If you have the cash then try the American Delux, you would not be dissapointed!

[coldethyl]

It's a no-contest IMHO!
American made all the way.

[scott58]

A buddy of mine has a MIM strat and tele. I really like the strat but not the tele so much. But that could be just his specific guitar (pretty buzzy ect.) i've been looking at alot of strats in the last few months and the one I want (57 hotrod) is to rich for my blood right now, but i certainly don't have a problem getting a used MIM while I wait. Very nice guitars for the money.

[scotty_b]

I will confess to being a headstock snob - I have an USA strat which retailed for around $4000 AUS when this model was in production It is world's apart from other strats I have seen/played from Mexico or even the entry-level American strats. I have not been that impressed with a lot of entry-level American strats.
If you can find a Japanese one, that could be a good buy. Japanese instruments are often very good - the two Ibanez guitars I have are works of art.

[737blues]

Well, I'm told my Japanese made Fernandes Strat came from the same factory as Japanese Fenders of the same vintage. (Sixties) I've upgraded the Pups and electronics to US Fender current components and I won't part with this guitar. Who cares what name is on the headstock? I also have an Ibanez Artcore and thoroughly agree with Scotty's general comment about Japanese guitars, it's beautifully made too.

[Stratrat]

Originally Posted by krissovo

...2. Electric's - The MIM's etc do not remotely compete with the american electrics. Take the tone pots, the MIM's have a poor range when compaired directly with a MIA and volume has similar characteristics...

After doing some research, I discovered that the MIM and MIA use the exact same volume and tone pots - CTS solid-shaft 250k audio tapers. No difference whatsoever. I just pulled the control plate on my MIM tele to fix a loose tone knob, and verified that they are in fact those exact pots. The MIJ/CIJ Fenders use lower-quality mini-pots, and my Squier Affinity Tele (MIC) has some no-name pots and switch.

[krissovo]

Originally Posted by Stratrat

After doing some research, I discovered that the MIM and MIA use the exact same volume and tone pots - CTS 250k audio tapers. No difference whatsoever. I just pulled the control plate on my MIM tele to fix a loose tone knob, and verified that they are in fact those pots.

Thats interesting, there is definitely a difference on the ones i tried. Could it be wire maybe or just a bad one?