Members twotimingpete Posted January 30, 2012 Author Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I've owned several post-2008 Standard Strats (wasn't it 2006 when they changed specs, though?) and I have a 2010 American Standard. A friend and I decided to do an experiment. We took a 2008 MIM Standard Strat and my 2010 American Standard and compared them BLINDFOLDED, using the same string setup (D'addario .010's) and through the same Deluxe Reverb amplifier. We wanted to "see" if it would be noticeable in a blind taste test. The two guitars felt very similar. Almost undetectable differences. The tone was where you could hear differences. The American Standard's tone was just a bit more refined. It had better articulation. The MIM pickups had higher output, and sounded nice, but was just a little more muddy. A little bit more thud came from the MIM, which translated into less note definition. good stuff, thanks. it hadn't occured to me that the MIM's have hotter pickups, but I guess they actually do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jelloman Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I know my experience doesn't quite fit what the OP is looking for, but here's my story... I found a 1996 MIA strat, the type with the TBX tone control, for 500.00 in a Mom&Pop store and leaped on it...it was my only strat until 2006, when I grabbed a MiM standard out of Alto Music with a few dings for store cost, intending to use it in the truck I was driving at the time...as time went by I started preferring the MiM over the Mia, EXCEPT FOR THE PICKUPS... the pickups were replaced with a set of BG V60s and the MIA strat became superfluous, and got traded for an Epi Sheraton2... ...the end... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor Morbius Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 Great if you could do that. Are those new bent steel saddles off center like the american series saddles? I just bought one of those Fender mexi trems off amazon for $13. It has the full size block like the new MIMs. Just messured infront of the saddles. 2.076." - 52.73mm OK Dale, this is kind of weird. I took measurements on both trems today and it's leaving me with more questions than I had. Below are the results. 2007 Mexican Standard Strat Trem: String spacing as measured from the bottom of the trem block: 2 3/32" Saddle width of all 6 saddles at the widest point: 2 12/32" 2008 American Standard Strat Trem: String spacing as measured from the bottom of the trem block: 2 3/32" Saddle width of all 6 saddles at the widest point: 2 14/32" Ergo, the string spacing measures the same on both trem units, which is what you stated. However, the saddle width isn't the same, which is what I stated. This is what doesn't make any sense. If the saddle width of the American trem is wider, wouldn't that by necessity make the string spacing wider too? I do know that if you place MIM saddles on an MIA trem there will be a slight bit of space between each saddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor Morbius Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I know my experience doesn't quite fit what the OP is looking for, but here's my story... I found a 1996 MIA strat, the type with the TBX tone control, for 500.00 in a Mom&Pop store and leaped on it...it was my only strat until 2006, when I grabbed a MiM standard out of Alto Music with a few dings for store cost, intending to use it in the truck I was driving at the time...as time went by I started preferring the MiM over the Mia, EXCEPT FOR THE PICKUPS... the pickups were replaced with a set of BG V60s and the MIA strat became superfluous, and got traded for an Epi Sheraton2... ...the end... But have you compared a 2008 or later American Strat to your 2006 MIM Strat? A lot of people on TGP, the Fender Forum and TDPRI really seem to like the updated 2008 and later American Standard Strats. I haven't read the same glowing reviews here because so many people prefer lower cost guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor Morbius Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 good stuff, thanks. it hadn't occured to me that the MIM's have hotter pickups, but I guess they actually do.In 2006 Fender started winding the MIM Standard Strat & Tele pickups hotter and started using CTS pots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jelloman Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 But have you compared a 2008 or later American Strat to your 2006 MIM Strat? A lot of people on TGP, the Fender Forum and TDPRI really seem to like the updated 2008 and later American Standard Strats. I haven't read the same glowing reviews here because so many people prefer lower cost guitars. no...I have no experience with any other MIA strats... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dcooper830 Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I'm not at all knowledgeable on the specs like Doctor Morbius is... But I have a really nice 2010 MIM Standard Tele and a couple of REALLY nice 2011 American Standard Teles. The pickups that came in the MIM were hotter and darker. Too dark. I replaced them immediately with a set of Fender OV Tele pickups. And that's the only mod I've done to it. It's great now! As far as I can tell..... my MIM is very close in quality. Doesn't sound quite as sweet as the USAs.... but very close. A couple months ago I was about to buy a really nice Lake Placid Blue MIM Standard Strat.... but it had sharp fret ends and the American Special Strat hanging next to it sounded and played much nicer. However...... last week I did a setup on a 2009 MIM Standard Strat - rosewood board. At first it played like total crap! Too much relief and high action. But after I worked my magic on it (tightened truss rod, shimmed the neck, polished the frets, treated the fretboard with Fret Doctor, set intonation, nut lube.) it played like a $2000 guitar. Seriously! That thing was awesome!! I almost hated to give it back to the guy I did it for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nicholai Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I'm not at all knowledgeable on the specs like Doctor Morbius is... But I have a really nice 2010 MIM Standard Tele and a couple of REALLY nice 2011 American Standard Teles. The pickups that came in the MIM were hotter and darker. Too dark. I replaced them immediately with a set of Fender OV Tele pickups. And that's the only mod I've done to it. It's great now! As far as I can tell..... my MIM is very close in quality. Doesn't sound quite as sweet as the USAs.... but very close. A couple months ago I was about to buy a really nice Lake Placid Blue MIM Standard Strat.... but it had sharp fret ends and the American Special Strat hanging next to it sounded and played much nicer. However...... last week I did a setup on a 2009 MIM Standard Strat - rosewood board. At first it played like total crap! Too much relief and high action. But after I worked my magic on it (tightened truss rod, shimmed the neck, polished the frets, treated the fretboard with Fret Doctor, set intonation, nut lube.) it played like a $2000 guitar. Seriously! That thing was awesome!! I almost hated to give it back to the guy I did it for. My experience with mim is like this, awesome if you finish the job right (possibly a fret job too, for me a shim and a fret is too much, shim technically fine, not ok in tonal theory, to me). Some people find real gems though apparently, and I actually like the sound of the pups before they made them hotter, especially the noiseless. Right now I'd rather go chinese, but they don't feel as well copnstructed as MIA and MIM, just play better, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Floyd Rosenbomb Posted January 30, 2012 Members Share Posted January 30, 2012 I've owned both. As far as the Standards are concerned, the MIA is simply a guitar I would choose over the MIM. That has to do with, The feel of the neck shape and nut width. The 2 point tremolo system, 22 frets, and over all nicer finish. (one could argue about a more resonate body due to choicer cuts of wood, but I wont). And on that last point, the finish on a MIM guitar can be excellent, I'd still rather play the MIA. I only use a strat for recording at home, so I do use a MIM standard with Fender 57/62 pickups. It's a fun guitar and it is nice. But still the stock 2008 MIA is nicer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaleH Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 Thanks Doc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretmonster Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 The nut width needn't be a deal breaker if the neck is wide enough at the nut. I have two early 90s MIMs and it was very simple to pop in the wider USA spec nut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Hurtzher Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 Do the Fender MIA bridge pickups still come with the 2 big phillips head screws on the bottom? I guess they sorta replicate a baseplate (don't quote me on that though). Those bridge pickups are supa warm and handle gain so well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor Morbius Posted January 31, 2012 Members Share Posted January 31, 2012 Do the Fender MIA bridge pickups still come with the 2 big phillips head screws on the bottom?Yes they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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