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MiM - A test of time

I talked to a guy who said he's been to both the Mexican and California plants. He felt the MIMs had more "hands on" that the Cali ones. He equated this with better QA on the theory that if someone felt/saw a flaw it would be caught.

They are more hands on because the labor is cheap, but at the end of the day they have to work with what they have. The QC criteria for both are different and someone at the MIM plant may not be allowed to reject something that would normally not pass QC at the US plant.
 
Probably even longer... You won't be able to go through that thick poly finish unless you strip it. Have a MiM Classic '60s Strat going on 23 years and it still kicks strong (only mod is Texas Special p-ups) actually holding better than my 2008 Highway 1 Tele with that thin finish.
 
Yes, It would survive just as long IMO. The only possible difference you'll see over time would be a change in intonation/action. The MIA has graphite reinforced necks, which makes it a but sturdier. The MIM lacks this. Honestly though, I haven't noticed a super huge difference between my MIA and my MIM/MIJ. I live in Indiana so humidity changes a lot, and I just always keep an Alan key in my bag.
 
Wood and metal is going to wear at the same rates no matter where the wood and metal was assembled into an instrument.
On the other hand I guess you could argue that if you wreck a 30 year old Corvette its worth fixing. But if you wreck a 30 year old Toyota you buy a new car. So in 30 years when your bass needs new frets or some kind of repair its a no brainier to repair the MIA, but maybe you would have to consider cost whether a MIM or MIC or Squire is worth the repair.
 
i've seen and played acoustic guitars from 1911 through 1936, and my husband owns a 1936 kalamazoo acoustic. solid body electrics are less fragile, so i expect a MiM fender (or made anywhere, really) will outlast me if it's not dropped from a distance, used as a bat or run over with a car.
 
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