Mexican Strat vs. American Strat: What’s the Difference?

Modern Saint

Modern Saint

Starve your Fear, Feed your Dream!
Can anyone explain the difference between Mexican-made Fender Stratocasters and American-made Fender Stratocasters?

Phillip McKnight is a Fender player, dealer and repairman, and even he wasn’t sure of the differences between them, aside from their retail prices.

So he disassembled one example of each guitar and began making comparisons. What he discovered may surprise you. It will certainly educate you.

Take a look. And when you’re done, visit Phillip’s YouTubechannel for more of his great and informative videos.



http://www.guitarplayer.com/gear/1012/mexican-strat-vs-american-strat-whats-the-difference/58030
 
How come he says the 6 screw bridge has 5 screws? You sure he knows what he's talking about or is just full of shit?
 
Story checks out. I currently have two modern fenders -- a 2009 MIM tele and a 2002 MIA strat (fat strat texas special). They are both great guitars. I think that (before they increased the price by $100) the MIM teles and strats were about the best bargain going. He is especially correct about the resale value. MIMs hold MUCH more of their original purchase price. I paid $300 for my MIM tele and put about $150 into new pickups. I could easily get $350 for it today. The MIA strat sold for $1200 in 2002 and I can't get $800 for it now...
 
mikesr1963 said:
Perhaps he should have watched a video too.
Click to expand...


BTW -- I've played a couple of the new Am Stds with the Fat 50s pickups, and to my ears, they sounded almost identical to the Texas Specials in my "Hot Rodded Fat Strat Texas Special". They are nice guitars, no doubt.
 
For me, it's always been about the price point. I did go out on a limb with my last MIM Strat purchase - Special Edition 60's Daphne Blue with matching headstock. It was a little pricey for a MIM Strat (my very first new MIM), but the sound of that Strat was what I bought - not to mention that the fret wires were prefectly dressed.

I recently put money down on a used MIM Strat that had amazing sustain. This Strat was a more reasonable price for me, and I am looking forward to paying it off and getting it home. I played it through a Vibrolux reissue amp while I was there, and even had a "hmmmm" moment about that amp.
 
If someone is truly worried about resale value of the guitar they should learn that you make your money when you buy a guitar and not when you sell it. When you buy an American strat you're buying a guitar because of the extra work that goes into that model that you do not want to do yourself or have someone do for you.
 
I can understand how he's such and authority on the subject. I mean he does have an impressive collection of Fender catalogs.
 
Here's the real difference:

p
 
When I got my 60th Ann strat, 2006 MIM, I tried it against American ones. I couldn't figure out any real difference, other than the pickups chosen for each guitar. Mine are the hotter more mid-rangey TexMex flavor. I will say that some of the 2006 era regular MIM's seemed a little less well finished than the American ones, but maybe that has changed.
 
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