Am Std vs Mex Std

[secondbestcody]

What are the major differences between the two? Is it worth it to get an American Standard over a Mexican? The reason I ask is because I was browsing GC used and found a few basses I like, 2 American and one Mexican, and wanted to know if the price difference is worth it.

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I’ve called all three Guitar Centers to ask about the specific bass for specific dings/scratches and overall condition. But is it worth another $450 for an American Standard?

 

[soulman969]

What are the major differences between the two? Is it worth it to get an American Standard over a Mexican? The reason I ask is because I was browsing GC used and found a few basses I like, 2 American and one Mexican, and wanted to know if the price difference is worth it.

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I’ve called all three Guitar Centers to ask about the specific bass for specific dings/scratches and overall condition. But is it worth another $450 for an American Standard?

I would tell you mainly their resale value. Buyer will pay more for an MIA. Other differences are subtle at best IMHO and based mostly on labor costs.

Since I would pull the stock pickup in either and replace it with a Bill Lawrence/P46 and possibly replace the bridge as well I'd opt for the lower cost MIM.

But that's me. You should do what you feel best about.

 

[BassplayinBob]

What are the major differences between the two? Is it worth it to get an American Standard over a Mexican? The reason I ask is because I was browsing GC used and found a few basses I like, 2 American and one Mexican, and wanted to know if the price difference is worth it.

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I’ve called all three Guitar Centers to ask about the specific bass for specific dings/scratches and overall condition. But is it worth another $450 for an American Standard?

Honestly. Buy the one that feels best. It is really impossible to say which one is better. For real.

 

[Turnaround]

Depends what you mean by "better". Generally the American ones use a better grade of wood. Not always though. The Americans use a better quality of hardware - bridge and tuners. The Mexican Fenders use a different and cheaper-to-produce magnet structure in the pickups. Maybe the American pickups are better but you will definitely get an argument about that.

Better in the sense of sound? That's subjective. Better in the way it feels? Ditto. And even if you decide that the American is better, is it $450 better? Maybe. Buy a Mexi. Replace the neck, pickups, tuners and bridge. Is it now $450 better? How much did the upgrades cost? Will you always wonder if yo made the right choice? Is there a vilaue to peace of mind?

 

[saabfender]

MIA are 2-piece bodies, MIM are 3-piece.
MIA have truss rod adjust in the heel of the neck. MIM at the headstock.
MIA has a nicer bridge and usually strung through the body.
MIA pickups are ostensibly nicer but the stock ones in my MIM P are excellent and perfect for the guitar.

I promptly sold my MIA Jazz I'd bought new 10 years prior two weeks after getting my MIM P.

"I’ve called all three Guitar Centers to ask about the specific bass for specific dings/scratches and overall condition." I wish I'd read this first. Never mind.

 

[Kro]

MIA are 2-piece bodies, MIM are 3-piece.

Are you certain of that? I could have sworn I've seen 3 piece MIAs as well, but could definitely be wrong on that front.

MIA have truss rod adjust in the heel of the neck. MIM at the headstock.

More importantly, I'd say that the MIA's post... a certain point in the 90s (95?) have the graphite reinforcement rods. For me anything that aids in neck stability is a bonus, as I've had to do emergency truss rod adjustments in the field prior to gigs, and I'm not a fan of needing to make those types of adjustments in haste.

MIA pickups are ostensibly nicer but the stock ones in my MIM P are excellent and perfect for the guitar.

The pickups in that 2013 should be the 60's Custom Shop pups that I believe they started installing on the American Standards in 2012 that at least a few people here seem to like for what it's worth. Not knocking MIM pickups in any way though, as I don't have the experience with enough of them to really make any assessment - though I will say that I just did a little tracking with one of the new MIM Players and I thought it sounded very nice.

I was just in a similar situation very recently, doing the same research as you. I have a 2014 American Standard on the way to me now, so I can't give any first hand experience beyond what I've found in my search (yet), but it's why I'm at least a little familiar with the post-2012 American Standards from my research.

To me, the biggest difference is the neck with the reinforcement, but I also found a deal that was hard to pass up. We'll see if mine is all that it's cracked up to be when it arrives, but I payed slightly less (shipping not included) for mine than the 2013 you have your eye on.

 

[saabfender]

Are you certain of that?

Seriously?

 

[Kro]

Seriously?

I ask, because this one caught my eye a few days ago. It's a 2016 and looks real 3-piece:

I also acknowledged that I could be wrong... was a fair question. I count two seams in the pic above (not mine). One just left of the leftmost edge of the pickguard, and the second aligned with the right side of the bridge.

Edit: I don't think I'm wrong. Maybe you meant something different when you said: "MIA are 2-piece bodies".

 

[Eon Sky]

It's pretty widely acknowledged that you can get awesome MIM and real clunker MIA's, so being able to play all of them would be a huge benefit. The one that fits and feels the best will be the one for you.

However, I will also say this: do you really, deep down want an MIA Fender? Because if you do, there is always a chance that you will never be satisfied with one that has MIM under the logo (or on the back). Then you will eventually end up with an MIM and an MIA, and that extra $450 will be a non-issue anyway.

 

[socialleper]

What are the major differences between the two? Is it worth it to get an American Standard over a Mexican? The reason I ask is because I was browsing GC used and found a few basses I like, 2 American and one Mexican, and wanted to know if the price difference is worth it.

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I’ve called all three Guitar Centers to ask about the specific bass for specific dings/scratches and overall condition. But is it worth another $450 for an American Standard?

My general feeling is that Fender's US basses are just an excuse to gouge their customers over an imaginary concept of "vibe." Some of the US models have features the MIM or MIJ don't have, but they are largely the same. Same types of wood, same basic finishes, same basic hardware. Sometimes the US models have a preamp or a special finish. It isn't like the US models are built with a different pattern in the mills or put together with a different method.

 

[Maxdusty]

If money were no object, on paper, the MIA would be the better one at least in terms of material, parts used - you really have to try each one individually, there are lemons and gems in both the MIM and MIA lines. You could be perfectly fine with the MIM, it really depends on your expectations. Well, I noticed one of the MIA's is gone so it's down to a silver MIA with rosewood fretboard or a MIM FSR Turquoise with maple fretboard.

Between these two in this case and personally, I'd get the FSR (Fender Special Run) MIM- it's a nice color with maple fretboard. I'd change the pickups and probably be happy with it. That's just me though.

 

[secondbestcody]

However, I will also say this: do you really, deep down want an MIA Fender? Because if you do, there is always a chance that you will never be satisfied with one that has MIM under the logo (or on the back). Then you will eventually end up with an MIM and an MIA, and that extra $450 will be a non-issue anyway.

Well my two P’s I have now are a 2009 MIM P which is my favorite bass I’ve ever owned, and a Player P... so the MIM on the headstock doesn’t really matter to me. I like my ‘09 P way more than my Player P.

I know there are lemons and gems in all lines of basses, but I was just wondering about features, hardware, etc. like others have mentioned above. One thing I was looking at was the string through body. Does that really make any difference?

 

[Kerem Koseoglu]

Basically; when you pay more, you get better components, craftsmanship and a higher chance to get a better feeling & sounding instrument. However; too much depends on the particular bass. I think that it's impossible to say that USA basses are always better than Mex basses, or that they are always equal and USA is overpriced. With USA basses, you merely get a higher chance for a good instrument. Check this article: Surplus of Expensive Guitars

 

[Snakeman1066]

MIA are 2-piece bodies, MIM are 3-piece.
MIA have truss rod adjust in the heel of the neck. MIM at the headstock.
MIA has a nicer bridge and usually strung through the body.
MIA pickups are ostensibly nicer but the stock ones in my MIM P are excellent and perfect for the guitar.

I promptly sold my MIA Jazz I'd bought new 10 years prior two weeks after getting my MIM P.

"I’ve called all three Guitar Centers to ask about the specific bass for specific dings/scratches and overall condition." I wish I'd read this first. Never mind.

Hmmm...

I think it depends on the model...I have a FSR Jazz bass MIM and it is a 1 piece body!!!

I also have a 2018 Player series P Bass MIM that is a 2 piece body...

 

[dmt]

Are you certain of that? I could have sworn I've seen 3 piece MIAs as well, but could definitely be wrong on that front.



More importantly, I'd say that the MIA's post... a certain point in the 90s (95?) have the graphite reinforcement rods. For me anything that aids in neck stability is a bonus, as I've had to do emergency truss rod adjustments in the field prior to gigs, and I'm not a fan of needing to make those types of adjustments in haste.



The pickups in that 2013 should be the 60's Custom Shop pups that I believe they started installing on the American Standards in 2012 that at least a few people here seem to like for what it's worth. Not knocking MIM pickups in any way though, as I don't have the experience with enough of them to really make any assessment - though I will say that I just did a little tracking with one of the new MIM Players and I thought it sounded very nice.

I was just in a similar situation very recently, doing the same research as you. I have a 2014 American Standard on the way to me now, so I can't give any first hand experience beyond what I've found in my search (yet), but it's why I'm at least a little familiar with the post-2012 American Standards from my research.

To me, the biggest difference is the neck with the reinforcement, but I also found a deal that was hard to pass up. We'll see if mine is all that it's cracked up to be when it arrives, but I payed slightly less (shipping not included) for mine than the 2013 you have your eye on.

FWIW, I liked the older, non-"Custom Shop" pickups better (2012 and earlier, I guess).

Anyone else feel that way?

 

[dmt]

The finish on the MIAs is somehow nicer. Wood grain too. It’s hard to put your finger on it (so to speak), but the MIAs create a nicer overall impression, at least when new. For me, trying them out back in the day, the MIM Standards were always fine, but the American Standards were more kind of, "Wow, nice"

Meanwhile, if you go MIM, you might budget in some upgrades, possibly for down the road, but it’s likely that you’ll be upgrading one thing or another before all is said and done. The nice thing though is, MIMs are perfectly playable as is. Any upgrades can be deferred indefinitely if money is tight right after buying.

FWIW, of my two Ps, on MIM, one MIA, I prefer the MIM (after doing a number of upgrades). I’m gonna eventually try a pickup swap on the MIA to see if that brings it ahead, as theoretically everything about it is nicer, but we’ll see

 

[chris_b]

I would buy the bass that feels the best to play and replace the pickups etc if you don't like the sound.

 

[Kro]

One thing I was looking at was the string through body. Does that really make any difference?

IMO if it does, the difference is extremely minor. Of all the differences that might exist between the two instruments, the string through feature itself is in contention to be the least consequential in my book.

Just to say it one more time, the biggest differences for me personally would be:

1. Graphite reinforced neck
2. (Subjective) Pickup tone
3. (Subjective) MIM vs. MIA label

Beyond those, barring any actually issues with fit and finish on either, I really don't see the other differences that I'm aware of as being all that important.

Just my 2c.

 

[lfmn16]

But is it worth another $450 for an American Standard?

Yes, no, maybe; take your pick.

Only YOU can decide if the MIA is worth the extra money to YOU. And you can only tell by playing and listening, not by internet polls.

 

[Flaked Beans]

Depends what you mean by "better". Generally the American ones use a better grade of wood. Not always though. The Americans use a better quality of hardware - bridge and tuners. The Mexican Fenders use a different and cheaper-to-produce magnet structure in the pickups. Maybe the American pickups are better but you will definitely get an argument about that.

Better in the sense of sound? That's subjective. Better in the way it feels? Ditto. And even if you decide that the American is better, is it $450 better? Maybe. Buy a Mexi. Replace the neck, pickups, tuners and bridge. Is it now $450 better? How much did the upgrades cost? Will you always wonder if yo made the right choice? Is there a vilaue to peace of mind?

This ^ ^ . Here's my '08 american standard jazz bass: