MiM Strats - Your advice please? - GuitarTalk Community

MiM Strats - Your advice please?

plazma

Hi Folks,

I have outgrown my trusty Cort and want to acquire a new guitar - and it has to be a Strat. (maybe). A USA-made one is way out of my financial league, so I'm considering a MiM Strat. Could owners of this guitar please advise me if it is worth spending the money, or should I maybe look at a same-price Ibanez?
Also, where in Cape Town is the best place to go looking for one?

Thanks!

AlanRatcliffe

Nothing wrong with the MIM Strats. If you want a Strat in that price range, MIM is the way to go. Not Strats, but also look at the Ibanez guitars and PRS SE.

Kalcium

I have a MiM Strat and I absolutely LOVE it. I dont think im ever gonna get a USA strat because there really is no point, my MiM is perfect ?
I must admit I haven't heard it with stock pickups cause I bought mine with Kinmans in already, but (I think) most people end up changing pickups regardless of whether they have a USA or MiM strat anyway.

Just make sure you don't pay R7000 for a stock MiM strat...seen them on gumtree for that price, its quite insane...Somewhere around R5000 depending on condition, R4000 isn't unheard of though. In fact R4000/R4500 could be the going rate nowadays, im sure more people will comment though and will give you an idea of what they're worth

aubs1

I've never owned an MIM Strat, but I have played a few. With a decent set-up, they are pretty awesome.

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: .....Not Strats, but also look at the Ibanez guitars and PRS SE.

+1 on the Ibanez and PRS SE ranges as well!

StephenG

Kalcium wrote: I have a MiM Strat and I absolutely LOVE it. I dont think im ever gonna get a USA strat because there really is no point, my MiM is perfect ?

+1

fully agree with Kalcium - nothing wrong with them. great guitars. most people do swap out the pick ups for after market ones.

I got a stock standard one, think its a 2001 model I bought brand new at the time.. still has the protective plastic wrap on the back, which I am thinking of selling if you interested.

IceCreamMan

nothing wrong with MiM ...as some previously pointed out made by mexicans on either side of the border these days

When i bought my strat i was noodling with all the left handed strats (mim , mia, squires too ) at the store and the one i bought i thought was the pick of the bunch irrespective of price point.

i have swopped out the pups and it seems most purchasers of MIA's or mim or mij or miwhereer tend to do that...

but go p-lay many guitars an take it from there

DonovanB

Yip, I also have a MIM... My only gripe is people telling me I should have gotten a MIA...

Rather annoying because I love my strat, and the way it goes, I'll get a mex strat in every colour at a lower price because of it...

You could go Japanese?
http://durban.gumtree.co.za/c-Stuff-for-Sale-musical-instruments-Fender-Stratocaster-W0QQAdIdZ263139946

slyd

Have '95 MIM strat. Love it to bits. ?

dee

Nothing wrong with it. Real great value. The MIM range has gotten some incredible instruments the past few years.

Kalcium

dee wrote: Nothing wrong with it. Real great value. The MIM range has gotten some incredible instruments the past few years.

Oh yeah IIRC the quality went up sometime recently, think its from 2006 onwards, a quick google should answer that though ?

StefStoep

I also own a mim strat. I bougt it for R2500 about 5 years ago! Awesome guitar, still want to change pups on it though. I played a mia highway 1 that sucked, I prefer the mim standards to the H1's.
If you where thinking of buying new, maybe look for a second hand mia but not the highway 1's.

Norman86

I have a MIM Strat! Its an awesome guitar, i love it!!!
Like Donovan though, i HATE it when someone says that a MIA Strat is better!!

Oh, and people that have played my strat cant seem to put it down!! they love it too!
So it must have some mojo being mexican and all! lol!
There's a nice pic of her in the "i love my strat" topic!! ?

Riaan-Combrink

I also have a 1993 MIM Strat, and love it to bits. I will be changing the pups in due course, though.

aubs1

Norman86 wrote: Like Donovan though, i HATE it when someone says that a MIA Strat is better!!

The question was: "MiM Strats - Your advice please?" ....... not if MIM is better than MIA. I can lay my head on a block that the only reason people choose MIM rather than MIA, are budget constraints ...... period!!!

In any case, we've had this debate before, see the link below. Nuf said ......

http://www.guitarforum.co.za/reviews/fender-strat-mia-vs-mim/

AndyD

Mim Strats are great instruments . I have 2. 1 very rare chris rea signature (only 500 made) and a 2004 standard which I aquired 4 weeks ago. I paid R3000 for it on gumtree with fender gig bag in mint condition.Mim is the way to go

StephenG

Aubs1 wrote: I can lay my head on a block that the only reason people choose MIM rather than MIA, are budget constraints ...... period!!!

as per the other thread, i hope your affairs are in order... cause your head is coming off !! ? ?

i could get a MIA fender, but the scottish jew inside of me would throttle me from the inside out!! I have looked at them and like some of them, but there was just absolutely no ways i could convince myself to pay the extra for a MIA over a MIM.

nevermind the wife, i have to justify to myself every penny i spend on my hobbies, and i just cant seem to do that for a MIA. each of my MIM's are just great, and does exactly what I want out of a guitar and suits my needs.. others may want something different or have different needs.

DonovanB

Aubs1 wrote: I can lay my head on a block that the only reason people choose MIM rather than MIA, are budget constraints ...... period!!!

Nope, I'll choose them cos I like to go against the grain...

I also have this affiliation with Mexico, like some sort of romantic notion, visions of Mariachi bands all playing MIM Fenders..... :-\

The second I start to care more about where my guitar is made than what it plays like is the moment I (a) lose my identity and (b) start seeing a guitar as an investment rather than a tool to make music.

I truly don't care where my guitar is made as long as it was ethical and nobody was harmed in the process.

Wizard

Donovan Banks wrote: The second I start to care more about where my guitar is made than what it plays like is the moment I (a) lose my identity and (b) start seeing a guitar as an investment rather than a tool to make music.

I have a Made in Cape Town strat.

StephenG

Wizard wrote:
Donovan Banks wrote: The second I start to care more about where my guitar is made than what it plays like is the moment I (a) lose my identity and (b) start seeing a guitar as an investment rather than a tool to make music.
I have a Made in Cape Town strat.

he said he may lose his identity....... he didn't say anything about losing his sanity.

?

IceCreamMan

Aubs1 wrote:
Norman86 wrote: Like Donovan though, i HATE it when someone says that a MIA Strat is better!!
The question was: "MiM Strats - Your advice please?" ....... not if MIM is better than MIA. I can lay my head on a block that the only reason people choose MIM rather than MIA, are budget constraints ...... period!!!

Thats the exact mentality that ppl end up buying MIA ..poseur value..

Disregarding the highend custom shop MIA's which is a totally different animla , the run of the mill strats are all pretty good irrespective of origon