Fender Telecaster USA. What does "USA" mean?

Maybe you should watch the video.

 

Really?

As good as you can get? I played a MIA Strat in my local store last year that was freaking terrible. It was a beautiful looking guitar (one of those shades of blue that just makes you think 'damn, that is nice') but when I played it the fret ends were so jagged and sharp I thought I was going to shred my hand.

Maybe if someone is shallow, many others don't give a toss.

No, it doesn't. I cannot stand the necks on MIA Standards (I don't like the size, the profile, or the modern specs). AVRIs? Sure, but those are on another level altogether.

 

MIM and Made in USA are ok if you can't find a MIJ.

 

Total waste of time that video.

 

I agree with you; anything is good enough to be used professionally. Its not the axe but the wielder. My point is that a USA grade instrument is simply a better built instrument - You can call that whatever you want!

 

Once upon a time, and this may be an urban legend, when I was young and things Made In Japan were considered not so good.

The ever resourceful Japanese re nameD a town Usa and could, with truth & confidence stamp the manufactured items

Made In USA.

I never really believed this until just a couple of years ago I met a you woman designer from Japan who's name was......... wait for it Usa.

Gary

 

From my trip to the guitar shop on Saturday, I would say it's better appointed. Better tremelo system, better tuners, maybe pickups and electronics too. I didn't plug it in.

I know this thread is named Fender Telecaster USA ... but on Saturday I was looking at Strats in particular so that's what I'm thinking about here. In 1991 or 92 I bought a Fender American Standard Stratocaster, brand new. I spent days at the guitar shop, playing every guitar in the shop before I settled on the Strat so I got a chance to see what else was there. The MIM models were pretty new at that time and they really didn't have the fit and finish of the American models. As you approached them from a distance you could see they were definitely below the standard of the USA models. From my recollection they had crap cast hardware, the wood lacked character and had a lacklustre finish; they were entry level. Fast forward to 2016 and it's a completely different story. The MIM Strat I played on Saturday would have mopped the floor with the 1992 American Standard I used to own. The American Strat beside it as I'm told has better hardware and if I had been looking at solid colour guitars the American one would have had a more carefully build slab for the body. These were sunbursts and both looked exceptional. YMMV.

 

USA MIC MIA MIK MIJ !!!!!!!

 

MY MIM was nowhere near as good as my MIA's. Overall IMO... The MIAs are the better instrument! ( I.e they have better timber, hardware, pups and construction. etc)


Yet... Hold on!


What I said was just a base statement... A lot of factors are in play. A) the MIM Telecaster I had was not that good (the construction of the neck was poor and the timber of the body wasn't the best.) I've heard MIMs have come a long way since... instead of 2 out of 3 being garbage, (as it was in the early 2000s) it's more like 8 out of 10 are decent instruments.

I also got to believe the way people here at Tdpri rave about the top MIM guitars (like the Baja...) I got to think they are of quality.

Here is the problem… If you’re into telecasters, then you know Leo got it right the first time. Because MIMs telecasters come with 50s specs and MIAs come with “modern” specs… this doesn’t mean squat to a guy into telecasters… in fact having vintage tuners, vintage bridge, vintage voiced true single coil pups etc. Probably will be seen as “top shelf” Fender stuff to most of us.. (I know it is with me… MIM or MIA…doesn't matter )

debate aside...... I was told Fender took all the old 1950’s and 1960’s jigs and metal dies buried in the back of the California plant… and took those down to Mexico (probably everything is CNC’ed now, but they had to start somewhere.) In so many ways a MIMs dimensions/specs are more vintage than 99% of the MIAs

Comes down to if it feels good and plays good... then its a good guitar!

 

Can't argue with that

 

Her sister Uma is very pretty.

 

False: http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/usa.asp