MIM vs USA jazz bass

[electracoyote]

Someone else on this forum summed up the difference like this:

MIM - made in Mexico by Mexicans
MIA - made in Los Angeles by Mexicans

So true.

MIA, slightly better components.

I guess you'd have to have a golden set of ears and a real sensitive touch to hear and feel the difference in real-world applications. I don't notice it that much, especially in the mix. But that's just me, we're all different.

Anyone remember the EB MusicMan S.U.B.? Sometimes, the difference in price points is a little slimmer than you'd expect; I think that's the case with the contemporary MIM and MIA Fenders.

I will readily admit, in a world where so much is made in other countries so suddenly like we've experienced here, there is a sense of pride in owning a USA-made product.

 

[TripleDouble]

Of the three trillion of each I've played or tried they range from (out of "10")

MIA: 6.5 ->9.5
MIM: 4->8.0
and
MIJ: 3->9.5

Ok, maybe 50 or 60 in total.

My current favourite bass to play is a Chinese Squier VM P, though realistically it's just a 7, but I just like it for some reason, it has a real no nonsense vibe to it. And I have a MIM telecaster geetar that is just awesome and sounds and plays as good as anything after $120 in new pickups..

Year, condition, and luck all play into it.

Decide with your ears and your hands, and even your eyes, excluding the name of the country written on the thing. Oh, and don't ignore your wallet's opinion either! Going broke or into debt for an instrument never sits well with me...not to say I haven't done it...

 

[RiZzBot]

Is the the Fred Sandford Replica model? Haha. Sorry I couldn't resist that one

 

[joebar]

for me, this is the best reason to justify the MIA-the graphite rods
perfect set up on mine and no dead spots that irritate me

 

[Ziggy OLeary]

The right bass is the one that you like the most. Could be MIA, could be MIM, could be Squier, could be some other non-fender brand.

Forget about price for a minute, play basses until you find one you like, and then buy it.

aMEN brother. That's exactly what I did. Just played an ibanez that I loved. Sounds great, feels great and fits me like a glove. Thanks for the tip

 

[Ziggy OLeary]

Thanks for everones Input. I think I have become a label snob. I've seen amazing players playing the biggest POS instruments and I've seen dudes with $5000 basses that couldn't hang if their lives depended on it. I want a bass that feels good in my hand and makes me want to play foremost. You can always upgrade pickups and bridges. I went to GC and played everything and among all the $1800 USA models and the stingrays and ricks I found a shocking model that was so easy to play and had an amazing range of tone. Ibanez SR500. Played 5 different versions of that model and they all felt great. Just bought one on reverb for $340. Can't wait. More later

 

[MobileHolmes]

Good advise Mobileholmes I'm all about feel. I think I'm getting hung up on the " made in the USA " sticker. I'd rather save $600-700 bucks and put it towards a better amp

I had an experience that really drive this home a couple years ago. I was looking for a tele and found a big mom
And pop with a whole mess of teles, and a bored employee who helped me do a blind tasting. I said I was looking for an American but he threw an MIM in the mix. I didn't like it as well as the MIA, but without looking at the headstock, I just figured it was an MIA. Also, there was nothing objectively wrong with it, it was just warmer/darker than the others, and could well have been someone else's favorite on the stack.

These were teles, this was maybe 2004, so how it plays into current basses I don't know, except to say it is worth playing a bunch with an open mind