Do you like american made or mexican made fenders. I dont hear that much of a difference. I just see the price difference. WHts your preference guys!!
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Mexican or American(Fender)...Your preference?
- Thread starter FenderBinder
- Start date
Well if I had a choice (being a teenager, I'm strapped for cash) I'd choose American: Mexicans are fine in my book, I have a hotrodded Mexi P-bass myself, but without any modifications Americans take it hands down. The weak bridge and anemic pups on Mexi basses annoy me.
If you can afford an American one, the value will seem to hold (or even grow) better over time, with American made Fenders. There is a perception that they are better quality instruments... that is what "the market" thinks.
The "rolled" fret/neck on American Fenders is awesome. They feel great. And how the bass feels in your hands definitely counts for a lot, IMO.
The "rolled" fret/neck on American Fenders is awesome. They feel great. And how the bass feels in your hands definitely counts for a lot, IMO.
last week i hhad to choose between a pbass american and a mexican, I went with the mexican the neck was better and the sound of the mexican was simply great , I think I found a rare bass because it's really an incredible bass
It would depend on the exact bass, eg, the marcus miller 4 is an awesome bass and almost everyone that owns them loves them.
Marcus Miller spends a lot of time in Japan, he seems to have a good relationship with artists their and I don't believe that his opinion of build quality of a bass with his signature against it would be inferior. He has no reason to do so. I just don't see him putting his name to something he doesn't believe in, even with $$$.
Would love to have a 75 reissue Japanese, why not? Half the cost, very very well made, no sweat shops, no reason to pay double just to say its mia. With your eyes closed they sound the same...... yes, played both mia and mij.
I have two mia's and they have their flaws just like any other and cost 2-3 times here. Despite that I love the sound of the MM5 out of the box. Even with the Fender strings and after 2 years it blows me away each day. I can't see ever becoming bored of that Fender sound.
Tried some DR Lowriders on the MM5 as per recommendation from fellow TB'r and they just made the B string grow some serious cahonnas.
The mia, mij, cij, mim focus *hits me. Some poeple on here have made very reasonable points here in the differences others have just been blind biast and full of it. Mine is better than yours cause its mia.
Boring.
Oh and from what I hear, the Mexicans make some of the BEST acoustic guitars ever, as do Maton in Australia.
Marcus Miller spends a lot of time in Japan, he seems to have a good relationship with artists their and I don't believe that his opinion of build quality of a bass with his signature against it would be inferior. He has no reason to do so. I just don't see him putting his name to something he doesn't believe in, even with $$$.
Would love to have a 75 reissue Japanese, why not? Half the cost, very very well made, no sweat shops, no reason to pay double just to say its mia. With your eyes closed they sound the same...... yes, played both mia and mij.
I have two mia's and they have their flaws just like any other and cost 2-3 times here. Despite that I love the sound of the MM5 out of the box. Even with the Fender strings and after 2 years it blows me away each day. I can't see ever becoming bored of that Fender sound.
Tried some DR Lowriders on the MM5 as per recommendation from fellow TB'r and they just made the B string grow some serious cahonnas.
The mia, mij, cij, mim focus *hits me. Some poeple on here have made very reasonable points here in the differences others have just been blind biast and full of it. Mine is better than yours cause its mia.
Boring.Oh and from what I hear, the Mexicans make some of the BEST acoustic guitars ever, as do Maton in Australia.
hmmm, I would not be too sure about that, I wonder if he had any say at all after he signed his name on the dotted line, before they built anything.
but to come back to the original question: MIA or MIM? who cares, I will take the ones that sound better than the rest (I do have 2 MIAs but I would take the savings if the MIM sounded better)
In the end, country of origin is meaningless. There is only the bass itself and how it feels/plays to you. Fender has turned out some great instruments from the Ensenada factory, and some real stinkers from Corona (I'm excluding the Custom Shop, which is another thing altogether).
Having said that, I have to agree that some of the Japanese reissues, especially the '51 P-bass, are just plain beautifully put together, and reasonably priced.
Having said that, I have to agree that some of the Japanese reissues, especially the '51 P-bass, are just plain beautifully put together, and reasonably priced.
Being a Fender guy thru and thru i offen play fenders when out looking for magic MIMs and MIAs and a few MIJs. I find for the most part i like the MIM the best and own two. I do need to say you have to be choosy in finding good vs best ones but they are great basses and i find few dogs as i did 3 years ago in the MIM line.In the MIA line i find some great basses and some that i say...no way when i play them and look at the price tag. In MIJ i find good ones all the time although the Jag out shines the Geddy in my book dont ask me why i just dig it more.
For me a good MIM is the best value in a Fender since most MIJ come close to a MIA in price. Rolled fretboards are nice but it wont make me a better player. MIA have better parts and pups and a lilttle better woods but i go by sound and feel and i just dont see a MIA beating my MIMs that i hand picked at least not for the $$ diffrence. A about the weak bridges?...where is it weak and what/how is it?...this is something i have never seen or heard of.
For me a good MIM is the best value in a Fender since most MIJ come close to a MIA in price. Rolled fretboards are nice but it wont make me a better player. MIA have better parts and pups and a lilttle better woods but i go by sound and feel and i just dont see a MIA beating my MIMs that i hand picked at least not for the $$ diffrence. A about the weak bridges?...where is it weak and what/how is it?...this is something i have never seen or heard of.
I guess the only people that will really know about the Marcus Miller signature basses is Fender and Marcus Miller. Marcus has stated clearly that his 4 string Fender Jazz is a 77 with a BAII and Bart preamp (Sadowsky installed) and all else is stock.
I guess what the MM4 comes down to is a 77 revamp with a preamp, guard and BA on it. If that's what he plays to get his sound, he's willing to let Fender put his name on it and people love to buy them, no one loses. There's a lot of bass for little money.
See his website for details on his involvement in developing the 5 string. They are specific about what he was involved in. I can't see it being any conspiracy.
I guess what the MM4 comes down to is a 77 revamp with a preamp, guard and BA on it. If that's what he plays to get his sound, he's willing to let Fender put his name on it and people love to buy them, no one loses. There's a lot of bass for little money.
See his website for details on his involvement in developing the 5 string. They are specific about what he was involved in. I can't see it being any conspiracy.
I have always been a big fan of the Mexican basses. Everyone I've owned was a real player and I never had any issues to talk about. BUT...I recently got an American Deluxe Jazz FMT and there is a huge difference.
For example, the fretwork on the Deluxe is some of the best I've seen on any bass. You can also tell the woods are of a much better quality. I mean mine had 1/8" piece of quilted maple on it, not a cheap thin laminate. The hardware is also a big step up.
Is my Deluxe worth the extra money, I think so. But that still does not make me think any different about the MIM basses. For the money they are great instruments.
For example, the fretwork on the Deluxe is some of the best I've seen on any bass. You can also tell the woods are of a much better quality. I mean mine had 1/8" piece of quilted maple on it, not a cheap thin laminate. The hardware is also a big step up.
Is my Deluxe worth the extra money, I think so. But that still does not make me think any different about the MIM basses. For the money they are great instruments.
I own two MIMs and two CIJs. Each has something that I really dig...the 60th Anniv. P MIM has the tone, the P Deluxe MIM has the feel, the CIJ P has the craftmanship and is built like a tank but a bit heavy, and the Geddy Lee...well, you know. I've played maybe four MIAs while window shopping. There was only one that I thought was worth the money. It had everything in one package. If I had a thousand bucks it would be on my wall right now. Otherwise, I can definitely get by with the MIMs.
When I first started playing. I knew nothing about mexican or american. A bass was a bass to me. ONe sounded better than the other when I compared them. Well when I first started doing this purchasing around. My bro always got an American and a mexican for me to compare. I always thought the mexican sounded better. At this time I knew NOTHING about bass. All I know is what sounds good to me. I love my 60th jazz. I played with some other bass players that had all types of bass in there collection. I still like my sound better. The quality tho is much better on Americans tho. But whats more important quality or sound?
Bass by bass basis (man, that is poetry). The MIAs are typically better sounding, but i have played a few MIMs that sounded better than most MIAs I have played (there was a particular ash Jazz that was just a monster in every regard, in the good way)
I think MIA sound better and are crafted/finished better than MIM.
I prefer CIJ to MIM also.
Just my opinion.....
I prefer CIJ to MIM also.
Just my opinion.....
