Was very impressed with a MIM Tele today!

[1stpitch]

I have 2 MIM Teles and 4 MIM Strats. I love them, but I might be a little biased. I would not like the fat neck or the noiseless pickups, but that's just me.

 

[2HBStrat]

I like MIM Fenders.

 

[Chuckster]

I love Antigua. Do you have pics?

2012 FSR... I swapped the stock bridge for a chopped Gotoh. I kept picking the side of the stock bridge.

 

[loopfinding]

‘
Anyway, there might be a reason that thing’s on sale...
‘

because it's a used model, no longer current prod, with a 12 inch radius and has noiseless pickups. all things off the beaten path.

all things being equal (well setup functional guitar) there isn't even remotely a consensus on what makes a guitar a dog.

 

[AxemanVR]

because it's a used model, no longer current prod, with a 12 inch radius and has noiseless pickups. all things off the beaten path.

all things being equal (well setup functional guitar) there isn't even remotely a consensus on what makes a guitar a dog.

‘
I was going off the OP’s comment: “Staff said it was an immediate trade in”, which I took to mean that the original buyer “immediate knew they didn’t want it”.

All I’m suggesting is to not let the initial excitement of finding something shiny and new cloud one’s better judgement...



‘

 

[John C]

I have never owned a MIM Tele, and have never really considered one as any time i played one in a shop it just didn't feel great.

Today however, that definitely changed. I went to my local GC and saw this beauty in the used section for $619. Staff said it was an immediate trade in that had almost no hours on it (owner didnt like the noiseless pickups). Virtually new. This was by far the heaviest Tele i have ever played, but man did it play good. The frets were perfect and the neck was nice and chunky. Felt notable bigger than my American Performer.

I know very little about these guitars and to be honest, didn't know this model existed. Here is some pics i snapped. I am very tempted, if still there, to snag it for the price. The only downside to me was how heavy it was. But these days i mainly play sitting down.

Ill also add they had the new Player Plus in stock. The one in aged candy is super nice looking in person.. Looks very good.

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Nice one; I always liked that color on these.

And as an FYI this model (and series) was just replaced by the Player Plus series about a month ago - Fender is sticking with a roughly 4-year product life cycle these days, although the MIM Deluxe series lasted over 5 years.

 

[Frisco 57]

I've used MIM bodies and necks on my last two builds and I'm very impressed on how well their stuff fits together. They even provide predrilled pilot holes for some of the hardware.

 

[nickmsmith]

2012 FSR... I swapped the stock bridge for a chopped Gotoh. I kept picking the side of the stock bridge.

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Really nice!

 

[AxemanVR]

I've used MIM bodies and necks on my last two builds and I'm very impressed on how well their stuff fits together. They even provide predrilled pilot holes for some of the hardware.

‘
I decided to go with a brand new from Fender “Classic Series 60s” MIM Strat body on a build I did earlier this year and the quality is exceptional in my opinion (at an affordable price point as well).

I like how they don’t include the pickguard screw holes so I could use the earlier pattern mint green ‘62 pickguard on mine.

The only downside I can see is a lack of finish options, otherwise they appear to be top-notch imo (solely based on the one I got of course)...


‘

 

[the velvet catfish]

Ya know an hour or two down the road from Fender headquarters doesn't mean much. I have a Vintera Roadworn Tele in Lake Placid blue that's a top shelf guitar in every aspect. Wish I could have said the same for my AVRI. Pumpkin color and sticky neck. The one in my avatar.

 

[the velvet catfish]

I like my Vintera Roadworn Tele so much, I bought its brother in a 60's Vintera roadworn Lake placid Strat. It's also fantastic!

 

[Grandfunkfan]

I have never owned a MIM Tele, and have never really considered one as any time i played one in a shop it just didn't feel great.

Today however, that definitely changed. I went to my local GC and saw this beauty in the used section for $619. Staff said it was an immediate trade in that had almost no hours on it (owner didnt like the noiseless pickups). Virtually new. This was by far the heaviest Tele i have ever played, but man did it play good. The frets were perfect and the neck was nice and chunky. Felt notable bigger than my American Performer.

I know very little about these guitars and to be honest, didn't know this model existed. Here is some pics i snapped. I am very tempted, if still there, to snag it for the price. The only downside to me was how heavy it was. But these days i mainly play sitting down.

Ill also add they had the new Player Plus in stock. The one in aged candy is super nice looking in person.. Looks very good.

View attachment 910870 View attachment 910871 View attachment 910872

I have to agree the mim teles are pretty good. I was thinking of getting one and changing the pickups out with some vintage style ones. I went and tried a mim tele just to see how it felt and loved the tone with both pickups selected. I'm not a big tele guy but I preferred the time to the American ones. It's a little rawer sounding. All the twang and bite of a classic tele. I'm getting one when they get my color on stock and I'm sticking with the stick pickups, at least for now.

 

[Steve T]

I love this. MiM, built like a tank, high quality hardware, great pickups and really good neck. Had a few MiM’s and a few US Tele’s, not much difference really. I think this is better than my last American Standard.

 

[Billm67]

All of my strats and tele's are MIM. I always end up changing the pickups out so the MIA stuff doesn't make alot of sense for me. The strats all have Callaham bridge blocks, fender locking tuners and upgraded pickups. I have a Nashville Tele similar to the one that started this thread. I can't stand the noiseless pickups but really wanted a Nashville Tele. I got a set of Paisley pickups from Dawgtown and now it's a great tele.

 

[JIMMY JAZZMAN]

My go to Telecaster is of Mexican origin. But she's a gem. No complaints and sounds great with all effects.
Ole'.....

 

[PJ55]

I’ve had a number of Mex Teles (and other models) since the early 90s, not long after they came out. One of them is now more than 25 years old and I suppose technically an antique. Great woodwork and necks, some I’ve upgraded pickups on, but now days, the stock pickups are better. Here’s the oldest one I have and probably the best. Congrats on discovering the awesomeness of the Mex Fender guitars. They’ve gotten a bit pricey, but worth it. I think I paid half for this one, than they cost today, from a dealer in Nashville, a wall-hanger at his shop.

 

[dvh2]

Here's my MIM Tele. Everything is great! Except the pickups, I put Seymour Duncan "Hot Tele" pickups on ALL my Teles. Just like 'em.

 

[Arfage]

I have never owned a MIM Tele, and have never really considered one as any time i played one in a shop it just didn't feel great.

Today however, that definitely changed. I went to my local GC and saw this beauty in the used section for $619. Staff said it was an immediate trade in that had almost no hours on it (owner didnt like the noiseless pickups). Virtually new. This was by far the heaviest Tele i have ever played, but man did it play good. The frets were perfect and the neck was nice and chunky. Felt notable bigger than my American Performer.

I know very little about these guitars and to be honest, didn't know this model existed. Here is some pics i snapped. I am very tempted, if still there, to snag it for the price. The only downside to me was how heavy it was. But these days i mainly play sitting down.

Ill also add they had the new Player Plus in stock. The one in aged candy is super nice looking in person.. Looks very good.

View attachment 910870 View attachment 910871 View attachment 910872

I've watched the MIM Fenders get better with each generation. They've become great guitars. I'm glad they have more 12" radius guitars than ever right now. The Nashville tele is a great guitar.

 

[76standard]

The Mexico plant turns out some great stuff. Their necks can be quite good.

Here's my MIM, a little bit upgraded.

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Mine is an upgraded 2005. Looks a lot like yours.

 

[ChicknPickn]

Mine is an upgraded 2005. Looks a lot like yours.
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Indeed it does. Mine has a thick, glossy coating of polyester. And you know what? I love it. For a while, I had an Allparts fat neck on it, but I recently put the original C neck back on it. And I think it will stay that way. My pickups are Bill Lawrence noisefree stacks.