MIM Standard Fenders?

robgilmo

So I am thinking I will be looking at buying one, either a Tele or a Strat, I want a maple board so the frets seem smaller.
What are your views on these guitars guys? Any problems associated with either of them? They are not cheap at 527 quid so I want to do my homework first, I will be trying a few out hopefully next week end , I tried a Tele out on Saturday and even though it wasn't plugged in I was really quite impressed at how easy it was to play.

darthed1981

I tried out a MIM tele in Red last year, was a great guitar.  I own a MIM Strat from 2003 but that is too old to be a fair comparison.  Perfectly decent guitar though.

If them not being cheap is a concern, may I recommend you audition a Squier Classic Vibe as well?  I actually chose my Squier CV Tele over the MIM one as I preferred the neck, though I thought the bridge pickup on the MIM was a bit better.

dazzajl

If you want to be happy and more importantly, stay happy with your major purchase, get yourself along to a big store and play all they have in your price range. 

Usually one will will just speak to you more than the rest and it’s often not the one you’d expect. 

There are certainly lots of very fine guitars that come out of the Fender plant in Mexico. 

Jack_

Buy mine, rosewood board, but it's an old one so vintage size frets, hence no need for illusions.

Oly White.

Fuengi

I've got a 2009 MiM Olympic White maple board Strat, it's a cracking guitar. But, I only paid £220 for it used. 

If I was looking at a new electric now I would definitely see what else was on offer around £500 - £600 - the new Shergolds look good and like the Yamaha Revstar range would be hard to overlook. 

robgilmo

If I could find one for that kind of money I would be well happy. I will certianly check out a few different brands but I do have a nagging for a Fender.

HAL9000

I've got a MIM Std Strat, and have just bought a used 2016 MIM Std Tele. Both excellent guitars. The Tele was second hand but, I suspect, never used. Still had the original Fender hang tags on and I'd challenge anyone to find a mark on it.

I know a handful of people that regularly gig MIM Stds and they are certainly up to the job.

robgilmo

Jack_ said:

Buy mine, rosewood board, but it's an old one so vintage size frets, hence no need for illusions.

Oly White.

Im afraid you are a bit too far away from me fella, Im up here in Suffolk.

Jack_

robgilmo said:

Jack_ said:

Buy mine, rosewood board, but it's an old one so vintage size frets, hence no need for illusions.

Oly White.

Im afraid you are a bit too far away from me fella, Im up here in Suffolk.

I post, but I understand you may want to try before you buy.

It'll be up in the classifieds once the weather/light gives me the opportunity to get some photos.

punchesjudy

Have you thought of buying used? You can sometimes pick up US strats or Teles for what you're planning to spend on a new MiM..  Hell, I'd sell my American Special Tele for less than that, huge frets though so that's a no go for you it seems. 

strat1990

I've got a few Mexi Strats and they are excellent. Buy one, replace the pickups if you want in time and then you've got yourself an even better guitar. 

Another option is to buy a second hand American Standard, they retail about the same as a new MIM. 

hobbio

I recently bought a Classic 50's, I tried 4 or 5 MIM strats plus a 1989 USA and the MIM I bought won hands down on sound and feel.

guitarfishbay

Had a few Mexican Fenders, my only real criticism is the standard line benefits from a pickup swap. Otherwise they’re decent guitars.

zepp76

If it's small frets you're after look for one of the 50's classic series Strats, they have skinny frets but a 7.25" fretboard radius so I don't know how you'd get on with that. Great guitars though.

robgilmo

I was hoping to test drive a classic series 50s Tele this week end, I really like the look of the Blonde ones, is a 7.25 more rounded then? Is it very noticable?

dazzajl

robgilmo said:

I was hoping to test drive a classic series 50s Tele this week end, I really like the look of the Blonde ones, is a 7.25 more rounded then? Is it very noticable?

Very much depends on how you like to play. If big bends up at the top of the neck are your thing then you will really notice the notes choking out. If not, then it might well feel very comfortable. 

I think the 7.25 radius and vintage frets suit a tele really well. 

suspiciousminds

I have a mim 2015 std tele in lpb.
Its a great guitar - toyed with the idea of swapping the neck pickup out but havent yet.
plays really good.

munckee

dazzajl said:

robgilmo said:

I was hoping to test drive a classic series 50s Tele this week end, I really like the look of the Blonde ones, is a 7.25 more rounded then? Is it very noticable?

Very much depends on how you like to play. If big bends up at the top of the neck are your thing then you will really notice the notes choking out. If not, then it might well feel very comfortable. 

I think the 7.25 radius and vintage frets suit a tele really well. 

I have 7.25 radius on a tele and prefer it to my 9.5 radius strat 

Funkfingers

Given the brief, IMO, the Classic Player series models will have the fret sizes and neck profiles to satisfy the demands of the OP.

Pre-owned examples of the Classic Player Fifties Stratocaster and Baja Telecaster should be within budget. If you are lucky, the pickups may have already been upgraded.

Samgb

I have a MIM 2015 Tele. ABed it with several more expensive teles including an AM Std and chose the MIM for weight, neck and general feel. My only reservation looking back is that the bridge pickup is a more 'modern' sounding pickup than your classic tele. So i would consider an upgrade there and it is on my to-do list. It is a great guitar though, love it.   

robgilmo

So whats wrong with the pickups? My budget is what I can sell my two current guitars for put down as a deposit and finance on the rest so even a classic series is pushing it a bit, a Baja will be a bit too much. My Epiphone LP Standard has a lovely neck, the frets are nice and small, the action is low and the neck is quite slim, if I could put that neck on my Tele I would be a happy camper. The thing more or less plays itself.