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Below is the the difference as described by Fender taken right from their website.

I just cant figure out where the $600 difference in price is. Anybody want to take a crack at it?

What's the difference between a Mexican and a US Stratocaster®?
The Fender® Stratocaster® guitar is quite rightly the biggest-selling electric in the world. One of the most frequently asked questions is “What's the difference between a Mexican and a US Stratocaster®?”

Fender®’s two state of the art facilities (One in Corona, California and one in Ensenada, Mexico) have been producing the highest quality instruments that money can buy. Here is an in-depth guide to the production and build details of two of our flagship models: The Standard Series Stratocaster® from Ensenada and The American Series Strat® from California…:

Standard Series (Mexico)
Body: 5 to 7-piece alder with maple or birch veneer. Sunburst models have maple veneer Note: due to periodic material availability issues, alder cores are sometimes used
American Series (U.S)
Body: Current specs: 3-piece alder for solid colours and 3-tone sunburst. White blonde and natural are 2 or 3-piece ash (Non-Veneered)

Standard Series
Body Routing: 1-humbucking, 2-single coil
American Series
Body Routing: Current specs: 3-cavity universal rout(hum/sing/hum). Older models have the quot;swimming poolquot; rout

Standard Series
Body Finish: Polyester (finished in Mexico)
American Series
Body Finish: Polyurethane (finished in USA)

Standard Series
Neck: 1-piece maple milled in the Corona plant
American Series
Neck: 1-piece maple milled in the Corona plant

Standard Series
Truss Rod: Standard headstock adjust (single rod).Relies on string tension for concave adjustment
American Series
Truss Rod: Bi-Flex headstock adjust. Allows for true concave and convex adjustment

Standard Series
Neck Finish: Polyurethane
American Series
Neck Finish: Polyurethane

Standard Series
Frets: 21 standard frets (small)
American Series
Frets: 22 highly detailed Medium Jumbo frets

Standard Series
Machine Heads: Imported cast/sealed
American Series
Machine Heads: Fender/Schaller cast/sealed

Standard Series
Logo: Silver transition logo
American Series
Logo: Vintage spaghetti logo

Standard Series
String Tree: 1-standard butterfly
American Series
String Tree: 1-hardened steel quot;Easy Glider.quot; Reduces friction thus improving tuning stability.

Standard Series
Neck Attachment: Standard 4-bolt
American Series
Neck Attachment: 4-bolt quot;Micro-Tilt.quot; Allows instant string quot;actionquot; adjustments

Standard Series
Pickups: MIM standard single coils with slug pole-pieces and ceramic magnet on bottom of coil. Mid pickup is reverse wound/reverse polarity Pickups:
American Series
Pickups: MIA single coils with alnico magnets. Middle pickup is reverse wound/reverse polarity

Standard Series
Electronics: CTS Pots, Grigsby switch
American Series
Electronics: CTS Pots, Grigsby switch

Standard Series
Wiring: Original (no tone control for bridge pickup)
American Series
Wiring: quot;No Loadquot; tone control on Bridge amp; Mid pickup. Standard 250k tone control (neck pickup)

Standard Series
Bridge: Imported standard Synchronized tremolo. 6-mounting screws; stamped saddles
American Series
Bridge: MIA 2-Point Synchronized tremolo –mounting screws; hardened stainless steel saddles.

Standard Series
Strap Buttons: Vintage style
American Series
Strap Buttons: Schaller straplock ready (straplocks amp; embroidered strap included)

Standard Series
Case: Optional SKB molded case (guitar can be ordered with case)
American Series
Case: SKB standard molded case

Standard Series
Assembly/Tune/Test: Mexico
American Series
Assembly/Tune/Test: U.S.A.

One is made by mexican people in mexico

The others are made by mexican people in America?
MIM's are GREAT values...where the big diff is hardware, pups, etc. also American series have the rolled fretboard edges which really is a neat feature.

Very few of either though have that great quot;classicquot; Strat vibe to me..ya gotta get into the reissues and signature guitars for that tone/feel...guess the same way many feel about production paulas vs. historics/custom shop models.



Jeff.....

Look at the body material, 5 to 7 pieces versus 2 or 3 pieces. There's a cost difference right there.

Tuners, pickups, other hardware like Jeff said.

Don't forget labor costs.

If you are a hot rodder, the MIM can't be beat in terms of a great starting point. Like Jeff said, biggest differences are hardware and electronics. Since a lot of us end up replacing hardware and electronics, the MIM is great.

I was not aware that all Fender necks begin their lives in California. Pretty cool info. It just looks like the MIA necks get a little more TLC than the MIM necks (rolled fretboard edges, superior fret and nut work, etc).

I have a MIM Standard Strat and Love it I have replaced the Humbucker with a SD JB. and I am going to replace the singles with SD vintages, But it plays great.

The difference is in the details.

Electronics, frets, fret board edges etc...

The MIA strats are great playing and sounding right out of the box, especially the deluxes. The MIM are great if you don't need all the fancy extras. My MIM gets more play time than my amer deluxe, but the deluxe is one sweet amp; smooth playa...


Originally Posted by JeffBOne is made by mexican people in mexico

The others are made by mexican people in America?

Only you could take a perfectly funny joke and manage to **** it up beyond recognition.

One is made in Mexico by Mexicans. The other is hand-crafted in California by Mexicans.


Originally Posted by SkarekroughOnly you could take a perfectly funny joke and manage to **** it up beyond recognition.

One is made in Mexico by Mexicans. The other is hand-crafted in California by Mexicans.

Such is life in California

sorry....
The 2-point tremelo is far superior to those POS 6-screw ones, just my opinion though.

Hmm, did I just see that fender USA uses double expanding truss rods in their necks? I did not know that...

jay, the easiest way to see the difference between an american and mexican strat is to go a guitar store and play both side by side. Try to pick two with similar specs, i.e. both have rosewood fretboards, all single coils, etc. You will not only hear a difference, but you will see and feel a difference in quality when you hold them in your hands and play. Not to dog mexican fenders (I played one myself for a long time), but there is a difference in the amount of time, effort, and component quality between the two.

I find the American strats feel more solid and sound a bit warmer... But i love Mexican made strats.... I have 1 Amercan Standard, 2 Mexican Standards, 1 Tex Mex strat from 1996.... Now i also have the Mexican Standard tele... For the price the Mexicans can be a great deal.... i have played some Mexicans that sound great and some that are awful... just like any guitar i guess... I like the pickups in the Mexican Standard model... they seem to be higher output and have a sparkle about them that i like over the Tex Mex alnico pick up strat....

I do have a dislike for the vintage fret wire in the Mex Standards


Originally Posted by WhoFanI do have a dislike for the vintage fret wire in the Mex Standards

That's exactly what keeps me from buying one. I'm just glad I was able to snag my MIA back in '94 for $499 from GC. They practically gave them away.


Originally Posted by ErikHThat's exactly what keeps me from buying one. I'm just glad I was able to snag my MIA back in '94 for $499 from GC. They practically gave them away.

My 99 Standard has had a fret dress already so they feel that much smaller now.. my Mexican Tele feels so much better as the frets are like new... i have a taste for huge frets these days... 6105 or larger

Mine could probably use one too. I'd like to do it myself though. I just don't have the tools or know-how.

A recent post included pictures of the Fender Factory in Mexico. Forum Link
Second link is a picture of the CNC Machines making necks in Mexico. So the MIM necks are no longer made in Corona, CA. Wonder what else is incorrect in the Fender FAQ?


Originally Posted by bert123A recent post included pictures of the Fender Factory in Mexico. Forum Link
Second link is a picture of the CNC Machines making necks in Mexico. So the MIM necks are no longer made in Corona, CA. Wonder what else is incorrect in the Fender FAQ?

I think there is a fine print at the bottom of the specs that says quot;Information can change without notification.quot;