https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:18:29 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247121 Sat, 09 Jun 2007 20:47:43 +0000
The big differences are that MIA strats have traditional pups in them (low winding/strong magnets that are the pole pieces)

While MIM pups LOOK like Fender SCs, except that they are made more like Gibbo pups in that they have a weak
magnet under the coil with slug pole pieces.

A huge sonic difference there.

Also in the bodies.

MIAs have solid non vaniered bodies in three pieces for solid colored Alder.
The translucent/transparent colored ash bodies are the more traditional 2 piece style.

MIMs have several piece 'bodies' that are then vaniered.

And, yes the necks are all the same... except that MIAs have a true adjusting system that allows both ways and have the
micro tilt adjust as well. And the frets are medium jumbos that are well dressed.

MIM necks only counter adjust against string tension. The frets are the vintage style (lower/flatter) ones that haven't
been dressed well at all.

MIAs have Polyurethane paint (a very durable catalized paint) and MIMs have polyester (which may flake off).

Then there is the hardware....

As far as not being able to afford a MIA goes - don't forget, you can always buy a used one, and get all that great Mojo
along with it 8)

Ken]]> Guitar Players Discussion CitiZenNoir https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247121 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247111 Sat, 09 Jun 2007 19:57:47 +0000
On an acoustic guitar the cost for labor work can be a big part of the total manufacturings cost, but on a high volume electrical guitar most of the assembly/paint work is made in automatic equipment and therefore not a big difference on a Standard Strat from USA or Mexico.
The main difference is the cost for mechanical parts and pickups that Fender is buying from different sub contractors.
My guess is that it is the different type of pickups that makes the biggest differens in sound between a MIM and MIA standard strat.

And it is not the quality of the workers in a US, Mexican or Asian factory that set the quality of the products they make.
It is the quality levels that the company/management has defined for the product that sets the product quality.

It is possible to manufacture a low volume, high quality product in Mexico or Asia to a good price, but not possible to manufacture a high volume, low quality product in USA or in western Europe to a low price.

Kalle

PS, but sometimes you pay a lot extra for the company/brand name as the selling price is not defined of the manufacturing cost , but mostly of the possible market price of the product.]]> Guitar Players Discussion Kalle_in_Sweden https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247111 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247104 Sat, 09 Jun 2007 19:24:47 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion Bgdaddy316 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247104 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247091 Sat, 09 Jun 2007 18:18:03 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion TRGuitar https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247091 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247071 Sat, 09 Jun 2007 15:02:46 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion Itchard https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247071 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247013 Sat, 09 Jun 2007 03:15:51 +0000 I'll keep my opinions to myself this time. :twisted:

Here's something a bit more in depth about the differences - :wink:

http://guitargeek.com/chat/showthread.php?threadid=73845

Ken]]> Guitar Players Discussion CitiZenNoir https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-247013 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-246933 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 20:10:05 +0000
The guitar body thing in Mexico really isn't that big of a deal. All the bodies of major manufacturers are made using machines with very exact tolerences. I would suggest that the attention to deatil on the neck is probably more important than the body of a solidbody guitar like a strat or tele.]]> Guitar Players Discussion The Dali https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-246933 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-246905 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 19:14:16 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion Steve-0 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-246905 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-246896 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 18:45:01 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion kingpatzer https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-246896 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-246866 Fri, 08 Jun 2007 16:01:41 +0000
But you can check the serial number - all Mexican serial numbers start with "M" followed by another letter. Serial numbers for US models can have just numbers, or letter(s) followed by numbers, but the US factory has never started a series with M.

If your guitar happens to have M followed by numbers (no second letter), it's Japanese - they built an M series in 1992 and 1993.]]> Guitar Players Discussion NoteBoat https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/mim-strat/#post-246866