Due to my undying affection for Tele's, I went shopping last night and found this little beauty.
Before the flash....
MF, CG and West music all were asking $400 for this guy.
I found it at my local shop (where I got my PRS and Deluxe Strat) and they were asking $320.
I brought it home for a test drive and really like it.
However, my feelings would not be hurt if under this post some negative comments were posted. And to ensure some sort of activity like that I'm going to ask.......
What is the down side of a MIM as opposed to a MIA? If it's mostly resale value, then to me that is not an arguement.
I found nothing wrong flaw wise. All the electronics are working as expected. It tunes up nicely and holds. The intonation is out a touch but the bridge looks to be fully adjustable to correct this. I also like the fact of 6 saddles instead of the 3.
All in all, I feel I found a real bargain unless someone can point out a major flaw in buying MIM.
Thanks for any responses.
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
All in all, I feel I found a real bargain unless someone can point out a major flaw in buying MIM.
Probably should be kept a distance from bottles of mezcal.......................... :lol: :lol:
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awwww, I have a matching Strat! exact color, even the maple board. MIM too...maybe they're related.
What is the down side of a MIM as opposed to a MIA?
There isn't one - it's a Fender Telecaster. If you're happy with the way it sounds and feels, you've got a result.
That's a really nice looking Tele, Bish!
Darn you - now I'm suffering serious GAS pains!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Yea what Vic said. I think the MIM guitars use cheaper hardware than their MIA cousins but I have a MIM Strat and it serves me quite well. I can't say I love it, but then again I don't have those kind of feelings for any of my gear to me they're just tools.
If it feels good and sounds good...it's good!
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Thanks!!!
This could be a keeper then. It meets minimum requirements so it doesn't have to get thrown back. :D
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Bah, I thought we were going be Schecter Brothers... But I cant blame ya.. that is a beauty.
Jim
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
Bah, I thought we were going be Schecter Brothers... But I cant blame ya.. that is a beauty.
Jim
We don't need no Schecters to be brothers, but if it helps I haven't said no to the AE yet. :wink:
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Hi Bish :D
Well, I don't know if they are downsides.
Since you seem to want to know the differences, I'll tell you what I've heard.
It would seem that MIM Fenders have laminated bodies of a core made of several pieces (usually of whatever they say the body wood is)
MIAs - have 1, 2, or maybe 3 piece bodies of solid wood. (usually vintage teles have 1 piece bodies, vintage strats 2 piece,
and modern strats 3 piece)
MIMs are painted with polyester.
MIAs - polyurethane.
MIMs - supposedly the PUPS on MIMs are NOT true Fender SC types.
They are said to be built more like Gibbo humbuckers (without the twin coils).
That is, that they have a weak magnet under the coil and have slug polepieces.
MIAs have strong (Alnico III's on vintage teles) magnets that are the polepieces, and not a very strong coil.
MIMs use 3rd party cheaper hardware and pots.
MIM necks are only counter adjusting to the string tension.
MIA's are adjustable both ways and have a micro tilt adjustment.
MIM necks have less dressed to undressed frets.
MIAs have well dressed frets.
All these things effect tone.
Like everyone said though,
if you like it and it sounds good and feels good to you... it must be good.
I own a MIA strat and I love it.
Not quite as much as my vintage strat though :wink:
A used MIA tele would cost probably between 600 - 750 US
Ken
"The man who has begun to live more seriously within
begins to live more simply without"
-Ernest Hemingway
"A genuine individual is an outright nuisance in a factory"
-Orson Welles
I think that's a keeper Bish. I have a MIM Strat and have no complaints. I also have a Squier Tele that is awesome too. 8)
Dan
"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge
Down the line you could always replace the hardware and the pickups and have a very cool custom guitar. I used to have the exact same guitar, I sold it to my friend who has been playing it for the past year and a half. Still plays good with no upgrades.
Inspired by my new avatar? ;-)
Nice Telecaster Bish - Congrats!!
What is the down side of a MIM as opposed to a MIA?
I you like it - there isn't one ;-) Play it good and loud!
lars
...only thing I know how to do is to keep on keepin' on...
LARS kolberg http://www.facebook.com/sangerersomfolk
Inspired by my new avatar? ;-)
Nice Telecaster Bish - Congrats!!
What is the down side of a MIM as opposed to a MIA?
I you like it - there isn't one ;-) Play it good and loud!
lars
+1 to that.
Good to see you again Lars, hadn't spotted you for a while.
Ultimately it's the noise they make and the way they feel that counts. And that one looks like a beauty. 8)
But.....
... that was another very interesting post from Ken about the differences. :)
I now have several guitars. More than I need, and more than my current skills deserve. Mostly they're cheapies. I love 'em and they certainly do the jobs for me. But haven't stopped saving for more gear. The difference now is that instead of just buying more shapes, styles and colours I'm aiming to slowly upgrade the range I already have. Perhaps replace my Strat copy with a 'better' Strat, or the Johnson hollowbody with a Yamaha or an Ibanez, or ...
While I was finding my first musical feet I don't think it mattered much if the guitars were relatively cheap - so long as they weren't real low end crap, and were well set up. But there's just something about a really good quality instrument that keeps luring us all back... 8) :wink:
My guess is to buy it Bish, and that it will probably do everything you'll ever ask of it.... but still keep saving, just in case... :roll:
Chris
I now have several guitars. More than I need, and more than my current skills deserve. Mostly they're cheapies. I love 'em and they certainly do the jobs for me. But haven't stopped saving for more gear. The difference now is that instead of just buying more shapes, styles and colours I'm aiming to slowly upgrade the range I already have. Perhaps replace my Strat copy with a 'better' Strat, or the Johnson hollowbody with a Yamaha or an Ibanez, or ...
Now that's where we differ - I have one electric guitar. I did have three last year - I had a Squier Strat, not a bad guitar, the Mrs bought it for me. I was happy with it - till I got an Epi Wildkat LP. I used that as my main electric for a while, then i bought a Squier Custom Tele. I am perfectly happy with that guitar - wouldn't trade it for anything. Not a Fender Tele, not a Strat, not an LP, not an SG - not even a PRS.
The Squier Tele is MY guitar - I can get all the different tones out of it I'll ever need. It's MY guitar, and MY sound - why would I need another? I'll still keep experimenting with acoustics....maybe I'll trade, maybe I'll buy another one... but the Squier Tele? Wouldn't change it for anything. It's MY guitar, it's MY tone....and in 50 years time, when I'm the oldest rocker in the old folk's home and coming up to my hundredth birthday, it'll still be with me.....
It's been said before - you don't choose the guitar, it chooses you. The Squier Tele picked me - and to date, we're both happy. Good cables and a decent amp only add to the experience....
So I'll stick with my Squier Tele - I'm expecting a financial windfall soon, take a wild guess what I'm going to be looking at for a guitar to be kept in open G?
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
I now have several guitars. More than I need, and more than my current skills deserve. Mostly they're cheapies. I love 'em and they certainly do the jobs for me. But haven't stopped saving for more gear. The difference now is that instead of just buying more shapes, styles and colours I'm aiming to slowly upgrade the range I already have. Perhaps replace my Strat copy with a 'better' Strat, or the Johnson hollowbody with a Yamaha or an Ibanez, or ...
Now that's where we differ - I have one electric guitar. I did have three last year - I had a Squier Strat, not a bad guitar, the Mrs bought it for me. I was happy with it - till I got an Epi Wildkat LP. I used that as my main electric for a while, then i bought a Squier Custom Tele. I am perfectly happy with that guitar - wouldn't trade it for anything. Not a Fender Tele, not a Strat, not an LP, not an SG - not even a PRS.
You're a lucky lad Vic. :D I absolutely agree that there is no guarantee of quality with an expensive brand name, and definitely no guarantee that it will be the one that suits, just based on price. But I think we both agree that it's normal for guitar players to keep looking until they find the one they really love. And (as with partners) the one you end up loving isn't necessarily the one that matches what you first thought you were looking for. :wink:
One of the lads who teaches locally has a PRS. Cost a heap of money, but I wouldn't want it. I suppose I could actually afford one if I was keen enough but it's just not my style, and it doesn't sound any better to me than my new Yamaha does. But it does have some little touches about it that were very nice...
I have a battered old acoustic that I bought many years ago and then left for over 30 years before I started learning to play. It's next to me as I type, and I now play something on it every day. It's worth next to zilch but it sounds great and it would be the first that I'd save if there was a fire. The others could be replaced.
I do have a couple of electrics that I like a lot. But not one in particular yet that I'd say that I love in the same way. I'm happy to keep a roving eye out for another and (as I've been both an engineer and a woodworker) there's just something about certain types of craftsmanship that I can appreciate by eye and touch as well as by ear. 8) GAS seems to be a permanent and incurable condition so I feel comfortable about reducing the quantity and focusing on quality now, in all its forms. Who knows - the one might be just around the corner... :wink:
Chris
