Mexican or American made???

[elgranluis]

I got drunk with a local Fender sales rep(whose name I won't mention) once.After several Irish whiskies he said "Look the damn things are made in America by Mexicans and made in Mexico by Mexicans!".

He may have been kidding but he's got a point.

true, nevertheless. Been true since leo ran the company really (remember tadeo gomez, and all those seventies necks stamped by torres?).

It's just a matter of time... musicians are always after the sound, but fender makes their profits from people who are after the headstock decal.

It's all good for me, hell, it's great, cause fender is making mazing basses for cheap, and people who can afford to pay 1300 bills for the usa model believe they are getting their money's worth.

And although I dont own a mim (would love to), ive owned enough of the "expensive" stuff to know that a pricetag really doesnt mean much when talking quality, or sound (apart from exotic one offs).


Finally, I bet that if anyone here in the form plays 10 properly set up basses, (one being the us model) blindfolded, will be unable to tell which one is the "expensive" one. So, if you cant feel the difference, or hear the difference, or play the difference, whythe heck would you pay the difference?

 

[Jim Carr]

More of a reflection of exchange rate, really. That was the sole reason fender started production in japan in the first place, or anyplace for the matter.

No. IMHO, you are incorrect, it is much more than a reflection of the exchange rate, as it is reflected in the price of locally grown food and other simple necessities of life.

see, [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

--which I excerpt, paraphrase, and update slightly here:

"It really hit home for me when we did a market exercise to examine the costs of staple food items here in Mexico City compared to the earnings of a Mexican worker ... say a nurse. A nurse working in Mexico makes around 66 pesos for a nine-hour work day (which is around 30 percent more than Mexico's minimum wage and the equivalent of $6.00 USD in 2008). At the grocery store, he or she would pay 72 pesos for a whole chicken and 11 pesos for a liter of milk. At these prices, that nurse would have to work 11 hours to buy just these two food items -- more than a full day to buy a chicken and some milk!

If we compare that to the earning power of a U.S. worker who makes minimum wage (which is nationally $7.25 per hour in 2009), that would mean that that same chicken and milk in the United States would have to cost $79.75 -- or 11 hours of work. "

Wages are lower in real terms in Mexico. That is a fact.

 

[MetroBass]

MIM: Underrated

MIA: Overrated

 

[MNAirHead]

MIM: Underrated

MIA: Overrated

I'm an ower of both types - my vote would be to look into one of the Fender type basses.. there are much better values in some of the copies, clones and botiques.

 

[blendermassacre]

played both, and just can't see myself ever forking over the extra 800 or so bucks. There's just not that much of a difference. Is there any difference? yes. but not enough to buy another mim.

 

[Rudyboy98]

Hello all:

I have a great friend that actually works for Fender in their Corona plant. He goes to Fender's Ensenada plant quite often, and does say that the quality of the MIM Fenders have improved significantly.

In general, the difference in the MIA over the MIM instruments is most likely the cost of labor. You have to pay American workers much more than their Mexican counterparts. That's basic economics for you.

However, many of the parts in the MIM are shipped from the U.S. to their Ensenada plant for assembly, installation, and/or setup. Initial Q.A. is done in Ensenada and Final Q.A. is supposed to be verified upon the return of the finished goods in the U.S. The Fender tag you read should have two stamps on it (last time I checked) if it is "Mexican made". That's not a guarantee, but I believe I am right.

Is one better over the other? Depends on your ears, eyes, and hands. Try both in a "blind test" without checking the manufacturing/stamp, with same color basses on the same amp and EQ settings of your choice. Play the basses with fingerstyle, slap, and pick if you like. Then after you are absolutely positive about your choice, check the MIM or MIA seal.

I am sure you'll be surprised. No way to beat a "blind test" I say.

Beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder.

Cheers!