Fender MIA - Worth it?

[edbass]

I think that's the point. I'd only be doing it for the sake of it. Maybe I've answered my own question.

That, or I'll wait for a used one at the right price. Let someone else take the bath on the resale.

What "bath on resale"? It's not like buying a new car.
The MIA Fenders are traditionally the best value overall, even when bought new.

Here's why; cost of ownership/return on investment. The true "cost" of an item to the end user is what it's ACV (actual cash value) is vs what you paid/spent on ownership, amortized over the period of ownership and factoring in inflation.

These are real world examples, albeit in the US market.
I bought a new MIA Jazz for $880 in '04 and a new MIA P for $900 in '08. If I decided to cash out on them today they were essentially "free", AND as a higher percentage of Fender product becomes foreign made, that retained value scale will only increase.

As a side note, you wouldn't be "doing it for the sake of it" as the MIA Fenders are a higher quality product. Any prestige effect is just an added bonus.

As far as the insinuations that people pay more money just for "bragging rights"...
While that may be true in some cases, even then these buyers are making the most sound fiscal decision by going MIA Fender, regardless if that was their intent.

 

[Hundred proof]

Only if it’s worth it to you ... wouldn’t be to me, I play an 83 Peavey now after 25 years of owning the same 68 P bass, but it would not be Talkbass with out wanting that NEXT bass.

 

[FRoss6788]

Absolutely...
My 2008 American Standard Jazz is the best built, most comfortable playing bass I've ever owned. Since buying it, GAS being what it is, I've tried two different Rics, a Spector Euro, a 'Ray, a Sterling(US), a Thumb BO, and two Corvette BO basses. The Jazz is still here.
Fantastic value IMHO.

 

[michael brown]

All I own are mia fenders. Not that I wouldn’t buy a mij,mim or anything else. Local music store has a nice mim Jazz that has a better set up than the mia they have. The way an instrument is set up to play has a lot to do with it.

 

[Basically Bob]

They are worth exactly what the market will pay for them.

 

[mbell75]

My question is, is a MIA bass really worth the extra $$? The MIM RW is frickin amazing, and I've played both MIA AP's (P and Mustang) in store. I like them, They feel nice in the hands, and have a very consistent and considered tone. Not sure I dig the greasebucket tone, but that can be removed relatively easily. To me, the MIM RW and MIA AP feel of a similar quality. So, is it worth the extra money for the Mexicans to assemble it in Corona, rather than in Ensenada?

Thanks, Ciaran

Depends on if you like the MIM Fender quality or you would want to upgrade things on it. How much do you value the higher quality American necks and the upgraded bridges, tuners and pickups that usually are found on the MIA Fenders? The neck being the biggest difference maker. An American P bass neck is twice the price of a MIM neck and will set you back $550 if you want to upgrade to that. Throw in another $300 for the bridge, tuners and pickups and add that to the $675 price of a MIM Player and you are in MIA price range. If you can live with the MIM neck and just want to spend $300 on upgrading the bridge, tuners and pickups, then the MIM is the better value IMO. However, you will not get that back if you sell it. Only you can decide these things.

 

[JZQuantum]

Yep, you answered your own question. A good deal can be had on a used MIA. If you find it great but redundant with your other basses you can always sell it for what you paid. Very little lost in terms of cash outlay if you go used.

Can you visit a shop to do some research? Even GC should have that bass in stock hanging on the wall.

 

[SgtHulka]

The USA Fenders experience a noticeable dropoff in quality after around 2013. The ones before that from about 2007 to 2012 were some of the best MIA instruments every made by them.

 

[artimus667]

I think it depends on which USA Fender you’re looking at. I suspect the American Performer series and below would share a lot with mim, cij, and mij models. I think there’d be a quality boost when you look at the American Originals and American Vintage Reissues however. If you choose a mustang though, I think your only choices would be an American Performer or a Mexican or Japanese model. I’d probably run with the JMJ Road Worn version if that were the case. That bass seems widely loved.

 

[dewolfe03]

If you are looking for a pj bass, the aerodyne is the way to go, most of the time. Like all instruments, where it was made is not as important as how it feels. Pickups can be changed, but the feel is key.

 

[ultra60]

The USA Fenders experience a noticeable dropoff in quality after around 2013.

This is the first time I have ever heard this. What is this based on?

 

[Rebel Rocker]

To each his/her own. But I'll take MIA every time. But I do own a CIJ 51 Reissue that I really like. Get what you are happy with and enjoy playing it. That's all that matters in the end.

 

[JimmyM]

This is the first time I have ever heard this. What is this based on?

Seeing someone on the internet complain about the quality because the strings were too high.



If anything, I think overall build quality has stayed the same (darn good), and the hardware has improved. Even the P pickups, which I used to think were garbage, have improved. I still don't like them as much as a Geezer or SPB-1, but the American Professional P is sweet other than the pickup.

 

[SgtHulka]

This is the first time I have ever heard this. What is this based on?

My experience, keeping up with many different boards, others opinions mirroring mine, ear to the ground.

I forget exactly, but something happened around 2011 where NOS was liquidated and the manufacturing process was changed in a negative way.

 

[nilorius]

MIA basses are allready what they are and gives you the choice to try it out on even different amps before you buy it. But, let's say, a combination of MIM body, MIJ neck and Aguilar pickups don't give it to you before, because it's allready your custom shop. So i think MIA is not a bad step at all.

 

[gumtown]

Best Bass I ever brought is my 2007 MIA Fender Jazz V Deluxe,
compared to the other basses I have, this one plays like soft butter in your hands,
it just feels nice, plays nice, sounds nice.

Most other basses I have to snap the strings quite hard to get the growl and tone that the MIA gives easily.

 

[tpaul]

Used MIA Fenders can be found for quite reasonable prices. I have two MIA Ps, bought used for around $700 each. Totally worth it.

On the other hand I also have a Squier CV J bass that I got used for about $300, MIC, also totally worth it.

 

[Andy Daventry]

For many people, yes. Worth it.

 

[Picton]

This is the thing: are MIAs better? Almost certainly. But that's not really the question. The real question is whether they are "better enough" to justify the markup, which is very substantial.

We shouldn't forget, as others have alluded to, that there are "levels" of MIM, too. But, on the whole, I suspect a lot of the "better-ness" is perception, internet rumors, and placebo. These are the days of CNC, and wood is wood; a maple neck from Ensenada is no different than a maple neck from Coronado, other than the passport of the person who did the final sanding.

 

[ultra60]

My experience, keeping up with many different boards, others opinions mirroring mine, ear to the ground.

I forget exactly, but something happened around 2011 where NOS was liquidated and the manufacturing process was changed in a negative way.

The pickups and tuners changed somewhere around 2012. Only time I saw any liquidation was when the Pro series was introduced.

I'd like to see any article you can find where it says the manufacturing process was changed in a negative way. Once again... I've never heard this.