Early in the MIM production they shared a lot with the american series. At one point there was a fire that caused production to move to california, and even earlier they shared actual parts. It was around '92. Either way, I prefer them to any of the more recent American stuff. Especially after I saw your link! To think, all of the bodies originated in the same lumber yard, glued and beveled and every thing! I can't recall the last time I used three exclamation marks in the same post! But the factories are only thirty miles apart, the main issue with the mim guitars have always been inferior electronics, an easy fix. Change out the pickups, caps and switch and you're good. I also add vintage kluson tuners, I just like the way they look. Anybody need a boat load of fender sealed tuners? I got'm.
Also, sansmerci, have you checked out the guitar fetish unfinished and blem bodies? You can get a pretty nice body for under $50 USD. I know they ship international.
Early in the MIM production they shared a lot with the american series. At one point there was a fire that caused production to move to california, and even earlier they shared actual parts. It was around '92.
My parts are IMO too nice to be foriegn made. Tuners and individual saddles all engraved with "Fender" and very high quality. I had read that early on it was only assembly that took place in Mexico. All parts were fabricated in the US. I wouldn't trade my Strat for anything. It is a keeper.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Not engraved, but stamped. I like these mexican bridges and saddles. The spacing and the width of the saddles are slightly smaller than vintage. The vintage ones say Pat/Pen instead of Fender/Fender by the way. But recently (within the last 4 or 5 years) fender american standard and most other models went back to the stamped saddles (stamped as in: the saddles are stamped from a thin sheet, not stamped "fender") turns out, everyone agrees they just sound better. The vintage style trem is what I love most about the strat, I have nothing against the knife edge/ modern bridge (except they ain't as pretty) but the vintage did good by Hendrix and Clapton and Beck, Gallager, Guy, Buddy Holly... who the hell do I think I am?
TR where are you in NY? I'm in Albany.
Right near the Canadian border on the St. Lawrence river. The Thousand Islands region. A little ways from where you are.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Also, sansmerci, have you checked out the guitar fetish unfinished and blem bodies? You can get a pretty nice body for under $50 USD. I know they ship international.
Haven't checked them out but will do so. At this point I suspect that the international postage would be /more/ than the cost of the items :( There's a few things I would have liked to order from the USA but right now it's just not worth it with the mailing charges.
I stubbled upon this looking for some info while working on my DIY kit guitar. I just got it off ebay, it is not a Saga, I recommend not buying a Saga. until I see one firsthand or hear about one from someone who's opinion on such things i can trust, I will not buy one. the pictures of the box I have seen on ebay looks like a childs novelty toy. Im not sure what "brand" of kit I have but I really like the look. im sure the hardware is cheap, but the neck and body, while not being best grade and figure, really looks good and is solid. the neck is straight and the headstock is unshaped so it gives me a little design creativity. The kit i got is a TELE with Ash burl body and Maple neck with Rosewood fretboard. I was looking for info on filling the "voids" in the fretboard. its grain is super super open therefore it isnt the best grade wood but that is just a cosmetic issue, only other slight issues it common chip out around some of the routed holes like the jack and tuner holes, which will be filled and covered up and pose no problems. I plan on staining mine and only prep i need is sanding with a 220 or so grit because the neck and body, along with any other kit or replacement necks and bodies you will buy, probably has a coat of sanding sealer to protect the wood. I paid $102 including shipping on ebay so its relitivly cheap. ive seen other kits go cheaper especially the plain tele and strats. add $25-$100 for finishing materials and youve got a guitar, i recommend it, others recommend getting one second hand and tearing it down and refinishing it. but depending on price of the guitar you might pay the same or even more. and then damage becomes an issue. but depending on brand, hardware might be better. I chose the kit because it looked interesting plus i already have a teardown from my lil brother. A cheap Rok Axe guitar. It looked good painted but the paint was chipping so i decided to refinish it. the body is some kind of particle board,plywood crap. neck i cannot figure out, after stripping the paint off it does have figure, but doesnt look like maple. maybe mahogony. anyways with the kits i can see the wood i know what im getting and what i can expect to do with it. with a second hand no name from the pawn shop, I can expect some surprises.
it is not a Saga, I recommend not buying a Saga. until I see one firsthand or hear about one from someone who's opinion on such things i can trust, I will not buy one. the pictures of the box I have seen on ebay looks like a childs novelty toy.
Interesting comment, though boxes aren't everything -- I saw them on some other website, maybe ebay and maybe not (don't remember where exactly) and they sounded from the descriptions to be a much better quality than the only other kits I'd seen. As I don't remember who the other kits were by that wasn't much help, eh? I think the thing that put me off the other kits I saw on ebay was the fact that the bodies were all basswood ... perhaps not the best choice from things I've been reading here and there.
Anyway at the moment my ambitions to build a guitar from scratch have been kind of downgraded to doing a little repair and/or modification to an existing one along with a cosmetic make-over. Cost's probably the big factor as a scratch-build would likely cost me a whole lot more cash then I have to spare at the moment .... especially considering the fact that I'm a complete newbie to the field (as much in playing as in anything else) and lack of many tools and stuff. I'm filing away ideas for future use though and reading Oakham's how-to-build book's been interestingly informative (I also feel like I understand guitars in general better now) :)
Ah! It's getting worse!
This is a newer photo from the Fender plant in Ensenada. That is 9!!! pieces of alder in the bodies shown. 5 pieces in 2001, 9 pieces in 2012, the 75th aniv. strat will be made of sawdust suspended in a glue emulsion.
And, are they saving us money or making bigger profits for themselves? The red Strat copy I mention earlier in this thread came from Rondo Music. They make a killer Les Paul copy, I own a few. (I own a couple Epiphone and Gibson Les Pauls as well) Check out the specs on their bodies.
http://www.rondomusic.com/alspec.html
If they can make these in Korea out of large slabs of wood, then what is Fender's issue?
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Are they saving us money or marking a larger profit?
I'm doing a remodel in my home right now; a 1x6 of cedar cost $7 a board foot and a 1x2 costs $3 for 8 feet. The price of a MIM strat in 2000, about $400 today, $500. The cost of a "custom shop" strat is idiotic, especially considering that they are mass produced. Master built strats are the only handmade strat. I have a custom shop strat I paid $1200 for, which means some poor sod lost his shirt on it.
I'd say they're probably making more money. I mean most things that come in kits for repair, you're only ever going to use a fraction of the supplies. That's unless you work on everything hardcore, or repair and build for a living. Same with bikes I'm pretty sure. Except bikes break down when you use them often.
