I'll put my MIM Keeley Strat up against any MIA Strat out there......

[fretmonster]

 

Well at that point, it's not really an MIM Strat anymore is it? FWIW- I've got an '03 MIM Strat with all new electronics and Fat 50's pu's; it sounds good and plays well, but it's still not up to the tone and playability of any of my MIA Strats, some of which are bone stock.

 

 

Dude, the main tone secret believe it or not is to replace the zinc trem block with the big Fender steel block used on Americans. To a lesser extent, you might check your saddles, (not sure what they put on the MIMs - mine are stamped Fender bent steels) and your nut (replaced the plastic on mine and my friend's American Standard with nuts made of tusq). String path mods always reap the best rewards in terms of tone IMO.

 

I was in GC today buying a five way guitar stand and got into quite an interesting conversation with the manager who I've done business with before. Firstly, he was nice enough to throw in two packs of DR Titefits free gratis - great guy and a hell of a player to boot (moonlights with his band). Told me about the 65 Firebird he paid $260 for brand new when he was a kid; and his 67 ES335. Then the conversation turned to Fender and he says "I wish I hadn't bought the Eric Johnson because the new American Standards are just that good". Then the name Keith Brawley (a personal friend of his) came into the conversation and he says "Keith left Fender and went out on his own because he was frustrated that for a few pennies more the MIMs would be as good as the MIAs". That kinda says it all I think.

[ianlange11]

I'd put my modded 83 MIJ Squier up against almost any MIA strat out there. Of course, there are probably 5 million MIA strats out there that I haven't played compared to the probably 200 or 300 I have.

I would too, except mines a little later than 83.