MIM question

sticko · September 18th, 2003, 01:48 AM

Has anyone noticed many differences from year to year in MIM Teles? Like, would a 2000 be any different from a 2003(neck profile, body wood, routing, etc)?

Cooper · September 18th, 2003, 02:47 AM

supposedly, the 2002 and later MIMs are alder instead of poplar. other than that, i don't think there are any differences. and that's not really much of one, because their tone is very similar.

Mark Davis · September 18th, 2003, 03:34 AM

There are even some 1999 MIM STD's that are alder. Saw a funny post on another forum about how a guy was telling everyone how good his poplar MIM STD sounded. He assumed since it was a 99 it had to be poplar. Well he finally got around to removing the neck and found out it was ALDER! Ha Ha so thats why his poplar MIM STD sounded so good it was alder. LOL

Raymond · September 18th, 2003, 09:10 AM

In the early 90s, the body was poplar and the bridge was top loader. There are still 95 MIMs with the top loader bridge. The bridge transition was around 1996.

After that, they decided to go with the strings-through the body bridge, which has been the standard since. The body had been also poplar until around 2000. What happens is that the price of Alder started to drop by the late 90s so it would not surprise me to see a 99 MIM with an Alder body because the factory would use whatever poplar they still had left in stock plus the new Alder purchases.
They've settled for Alder now because of the price. I'm pretty sure though that if poplar's prices go down again, they would use it.

September 18th, 2003, 01:48 AM	#1 (permalink)
sticko Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: They don't call it the Bluff City for nothin' Posts: 424	MIM question Has anyone noticed many differences from year to year in MIM Teles? Like, would a 2000 be any different from a 2003(neck profile, body wood, routing, etc)?

September 18th, 2003, 02:47 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cooper Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Asheville, NC Posts: 498	supposedly, the 2002 and later MIMs are alder instead of poplar. other than that, i don't think there are any differences. and that's not really much of one, because their tone is very similar. __________________ I said, "I don't think so, Scooter!" And I was wrong.

September 18th, 2003, 09:10 AM	#4 (permalink)
Raymond Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Herndon, VA Posts: 2,417 3 Photos	This is what I know.... In the early 90s, the body was poplar and the bridge was top loader. There are still 95 MIMs with the top loader bridge. The bridge transition was around 1996. After that, they decided to go with the strings-through the body bridge, which has been the standard since. The body had been also poplar until around 2000. What happens is that the price of Alder started to drop by the late 90s so it would not surprise me to see a 99 MIM with an Alder body because the factory would use whatever poplar they still had left in stock plus the new Alder purchases. They've settled for Alder now because of the price. I'm pretty sure though that if poplar's prices go down again, they would use it. __________________ "That's a hard pill to swallow, buddy; when you find out what the blues is all about"

September 18th, 2003, 03:34 AM	#3 (permalink)
Mark Davis Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield Ca. Age: 58 Posts: 12,740	There are even some 1999 MIM STD's that are alder. Saw a funny post on another forum about how a guy was telling everyone how good his poplar MIM STD sounded. He assumed since it was a 99 it had to be poplar. Well he finally got around to removing the neck and found out it was ALDER! Ha Ha so thats why his poplar MIM STD sounded so good it was alder. LOL