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is it true? 1990's Fender MIM vs MIA

C

craig3x

Apr 5, 2012
19
0
#1
I was told by several sources that in the mid- late 1990's, a Fender P bass that was made in America is the EXACT same as the ones made in Mexico. I'd like to get more opinions on this.
I just bought a 1994 MIM (made in mexico) for $250. I like how it sounds, but I haven't really played anything to compare it to. The same ones, but made in America are going for around $700. If they truly are the same materials/electronics, whats with the price difference?
 
#3
craig3x said:
I was told by several sources that in the mid- late 1990's, a Fender P bass that was made in America is the EXACT same as the ones made in Mexico. I'd like to get more opinions on this.
I just bought a 1994 MIM (made in mexico) for $250. I like how it sounds, but I haven't really played anything to compare it to. The same ones, but made in America are going for around $700. If they truly are the same materials/electronics, whats with the price difference?
Click to expand...

No. They're decidedly not the same. The parts, fit, finish components are different.

During the mid-90's there were many tiers of Fender, MIA was the highest quality with MIJ in the middle and the MIM lower on the list. Below that was the various Squier makes.
 
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#4
The specs are pretty similiar but they will not be quite the same. American's have a strict QA while MIM are made with parts that are convienient and cheap. Like a 1/4" jack will be standard on all MIA basses but on MIM's you will find varying sizes.

The American ones also get far greater detail to fit and finish. One of the biggest reasons for Fender's Mexican factory if so they can spray bodies all day long. America has emission controls on spraying paint everywhere.
 
#5
DiabolusInMusic said:
The specs are pretty similiar but they will not be quite the same. American's have a strict QA while MIM are made with parts that are convienient and cheap. Like a 1/4" jack will be standard on all MIA basses but on MIM's you will find varying sizes.

The American ones also get far greater detail to fit and finish. One of the biggest reasons for Fender's Mexican factory if so they can spray bodies all day long. America has emission controls on spraying paint everywhere.
Click to expand...

More specifically California, and most of the communities in Socal have much more stringent emissions controls than the rest of the country. Legendary LA smog and all that. I am sure they could spray nitro all day in Texas. Esp east Texas!
 
#12
craig3x said:
interesting facts. thanks fellas. So did I get ripped by paying $250 for an extremely clean MIM? I'd say Im an average player at best, and definitely need to work on my ear for tone and quality
Click to expand...

That seems reasonable.

I'm asking 450 for my 95 MIJ Fretless Jazz and 850 for my 93 Longhorn. I'd think even so, 250-300 is about right.
 
#14
Nope $250 for a solid MIM is a proper price. I have bought them for as low as $150 CDN and sold them for as much as $450 CDN, all depends on year, condition, and mods.

Also, though MIM is not MIA quality, it is certainly nothing to scoff at, feel the fret edges on the neck, then go pick ANY Squier (including the tb legends CV and VM series) and do the same. You will feel the money well spent. If you do this to an American you may want to upgrade so be careful :D
 
#16
As previosuly stated i think their were several tiers of mia quality back then, for example the fender jp-90 was "american made" but the components were mexican and assembly was done in corona. Im pretty sure there were other similiar models like this but the jp-90 is the one off the top of my head.That being said, i dont think the mim standards were the same as the american standards of the day, my friend has a mia 90s precision and the neck is way better crafted then my mim.
 
#17
I don't buy fender anymore, you don't know what the hell your going to get, the bass guitar's back in the 60's were crafted a little better at least you knew what you were going to get, of course back then fender was the game. warmoth is a part's company lic. by fender the craftsmanship is second to none I have a jazz, and a p bass and they are top notch, you can get what you want. check it out.
 
#18
My 1996 P MIM has a poplar Body; the neck radius is 7,25, B-size, jumbo frets... like a 70´s neck.
The bridge ist not string thru and the saddles are single slotted .. again like a 70´s Bridge.
It has a ceramic pickup. The Tuners are bad Quality.

After all the bass sounds and fells really good, especially for the Money.
 
#20
There are some weird short periods where different models were built in unexpected places due to factory retooling or factory fires. For example, there are MIA Squiers out there and the early MIMs were sometimes made (I gather) with parts cut in the US or whatever as the Mexican factory first got rolling. These circumstances affect the feel and quality of the instruments often in my experience, but it's not even as clear-cut as the distinction between a MIM and a MIA instrument as it stands today. And we all know how clear cut that is (gems and dogs from every line!). ;)
 
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