software

question is in the title.

Very nice, ESPECIALLY the Highway 1 series.

I think they're the shiz-nit. My opinion is based on a very non-stock guitar, though, as it has a Deluxe series neck (MJ frets, big headstock). Though I don't like small frets as much, I still think the ones I've played in the store rock.

I love my standard fat strat.

yeah they're good except for the tiny frets (IMO, some people dig the tiny frets). there's alot of room for improvement upgrade wise on those, you could use duncans instead of the stock pups, and if you want to go all the way perhaps an RI 63 or 62 vintage trem would do the trick. Pretty good stock too.
Lots of options, the only downside is if you're willing to take the 350 dollar hit to upgrade the crap out of it from there. Perhaps you could find a HWY 1 body on ebay like John did and throw a good neck, pickups, and bridge on it for around 500 if you're lucky.


Originally Posted by FretFireVery nice, ESPECIALLY the Highway 1 series.

Those are American


Originally Posted by JB_From_HellThose are American American parts, MIM assembly and prices .

I think its like anything, there are good ones and **** ones. Ive had quite a few really good ones, nice heavy bodies...super necks, nice finish...Ive seen many ****ty ones though, no weight, cheap hardware, turd necks.....Its just a matter of sorting through them. Thats one thing I would never buy without trying first.

There are several differences between how Mexican and U.S. Strats are built. The best source I've found in the past for info regarding comparisons is at Chuck McCrory's site allthingsguitar.com (formerly known as allthingsstrat.com), specifically from : localhost/allthingsguitar.com/mimvsmia/strattable.htmThe fret wires on the mex. strats are thinner than the americans, which could be a concern for larger gauge strings. The bodies are put together differently, too.
As far as electronics go, I usuallly don't think about that too much in any Strat as I usually end up replacing most of it anyway.
Hope the link helps.
....Bob

Excellent guitar for the money. With a few upgrades like pickups and tuners it's a keeper.

I like Mexican strats. I own 3 and 1 of them is really good. I have a 94-ish Black Mex Standard , A 1996 yellow TexMex strat, and a white 1999 Mexican Standard. The white one Is good, the black one is OK and the yellow one sucks.... I tried ton's of different pickups in the yellow one and it sounds awful, so i returned it to stock and may sell it. The Black one is Ok to play thru and i have Hotrails in it. It is bright sounding. The White one feels good and i have Duncan Custom in the bridge. The White one is a little heavier in weight then the others and the neck feels more like my American Standard then the others.

I too hate the mini frets in the Mex Standard but i have bought these strats used for very little cash. It's a trade off really and if you except the fact the Mexican Standard is a budget guitar it is great for the money. I think the Godin Freeway strat are better made and have better tone woods for the same money when buying new.

The New Mexican strats with the sticker on them that say they have alder bodies seem better then the mex strats i own. I can't help but feel the Mexican plant is getting better at what they do.

WhoFan

MIM Strats and Teles are the best deal for the dollar right now. They make good ones and bad ones, to be sure, but for a minimum investment, you'll get an instrument that is playable right out of the box, sounds like it's supposed to sound and that you can modify over time to better suit your personality. My MIM Strat is still stock with the exception of the saddles and frets. The Tele has been converted to the Bastardcaster, but neither one of those instruments cost me over $300 initially.


Originally Posted by FretFireVery nice, ESPECIALLY the Highway 1 series.HW1 guitars are MIA...

Ya a point i forgot to add to my post is i basicly live in a guitar store here in Ontario..... so much so they gave me a job at one point.... anyway i have seen a few Mexican Strats come thru that are Magic! Some are stones and some are great. There was a black one in last year sometime that just vibrated like crazy when you strummed the strings.... You could feel the wood in the body vibrating like mad.... Plugged it in and the thing ring and sang..... saddly i missed my chance to buy it but it was so weird how that strat worked like that!

WhoFan


Originally Posted by the guy who invented fireHW1 guitars are MIA...I thought they were MIA parts assembled in Mexico, my mistake . Even if so, there's not much difference except the price I guess (when talking MIA vs. HW1)...

...in other words, you can just ignore me in this thread .


Originally Posted by HellionMIM Strats and Teles are the best deal for the dollar right now. They make good ones and bad ones, to be sure, but for a minimum investment, you'll get an instrument that is playable right out of the box, sounds like it's supposed to sound and that you can modify over time to better suit your personality. My MIM Strat is still stock with the exception of the saddles and frets. The Tele has been converted to the Bastardcaster, but neither one of those instruments cost me over $300 initially.

I've thought of looking into a Mex.Tele....do you feel the same applies to Tele's as it does to Strat's, in regards to good ones/bad ones? Or can any of these guitars essentially be set-up and tweaked to play as good as any other Tele out there?
I'm thinking that most of this issue stems from the strong possibility that Mex.-made Strats are produced faster than Amer.-made, diminishing the quality and time put into making the MIM a better-playing and sounding guitar. It ends up being the consumer who has to make the MIM Fender axes be quot;all that they can be,quot; instead of Fender sending them out the door that way. Of course and as usual, the 'ol quot;pay for what you getquot; theory comes into play once again, my friends.
Just my opinion. But I've even known guys who swore by certain models of Fender Squire Strats because of the way they played and sounded after being gone-over.

If you're willing to sift through a bunch to find the good ones, and you already planned to replacing the stock pickups, the MIMs are a good bang for their buck.

I've replaced the pickups, nut, and bridge saddles in mine (the stock ones buzz together). It's one of the best playing guitars I own. The stock tuners have been stable holding 13-70 strings in D standard for the better part of a year now, so I see no need to replace them.

Xeromus, why are you asking us. You should ask the tone ninjas.

But if you insist on knowing what we think, I've seen some nice MIM strats. They were probably just as good as most of the MIA strats. Of course, isn't fender's factory in southern CA, not far from Mexico?


Originally Posted by screamingdaisyIf you're willing to sift through a bunch to find the good ones, and you already planned to replacing the stock pickups, the MIMs are a good bang for their buck.

I've replaced the pickups, nut, and bridge saddles in mine (the stock ones buzz together). It's one of the best playing guitars I own. The stock tuners have been stable holding 13-70 strings in D standard for the better part of a year now, so I see no need to replace them.

Good stuff to take into consideration. Maybe a person would be better off, if affordable, to buy a U.S. Highway model which might already have the better saddles and nut? Maybe look for a used one somewhere?


Originally Posted by midnite_manI've thought of looking into a Mex.Tele....do you feel the same applies to Tele's as it does to Strat's, in regards to good ones/bad ones? Or can any of these guitars essentially be set-up and tweaked to play as good as any other Tele out there?
I'm thinking that most of this issue stems from the strong possibility that Mex.-made Strats are produced faster than Amer.-made, diminishing the quality and time put into making the MIM a better-playing and sounding guitar. It ends up being the consumer who has to make the MIM Fender axes be quot;all that they can be,quot; instead of Fender sending them out the door that way. Of course and as usual, the 'ol quot;pay for what you getquot; theory comes into play once again, my friends.
Just my opinion. But I've even known guys who swore by certain models of Fender Squire Strats because of the way they played and sounded after being gone-over.

I'm remembering an advertisement film made by Fender in the 60's where Leo Fender bragged that it took him only 18 minutes to make a guitar. Let's face it. There's not a lot of relative man hours involved in the manufacture of either Teles OR Strats (admittedly a bit more for the Strats). One of the reasons, I think, that the guitars themselves are the most popular for modification is that they ARE kind of quot;cookie cutterquot; in assembly. I know people that have purchased $1200 American Standards or either model and then pour another grand into the upgrades. I've probably spent at least $800 getting the Bastard to where it is now, the difference is that I didn't spend more than $250 to buy it in the first place, and the mods that I've done to it aren't available on the normal rolling stock. Guitars are tools, which is what Leo originally had in mind when he started the Fender line. I'm not saying this to slam Fender, because obviously I like their instruments enough to use them, but there are other manufacturers that spend a great deal of time more in building their instruments. I've gotten off the subject, I'm afraid. I think you can find good and bad instruments in every make and model. It boils down to what works for you.