Guitar: American vs. Mexican Standard Fender Strat

[hemi68charger]

Hey gang...
I'm looking to get my 1st Fender Stratocaster. I know top of the line is the American Standard, but heard that the Mexican built versions aren't too off in quality as the American? I'm looking to get a good used version at some point in the near future.

[Ghoste]

I have both and I have to admit the Mexican one isn't bad at all.

[Dino]

I've had a few and both are good quality guitars.  Some people prefer the sound of one over the other, I like both.  My current one is a fairly rare bird: a mid 90s Korean made Squier ProTone Fat Strat with locking tremolo and nut.  It has 2 single coil pickups and a humbucker and it sounds better than any strat I've ever played.  Fender pulled it off the market when sales of their Fender Strats declined due to the high quality of the cheaper Korean guitars.  I used to play it through a nice Fender amp and later an effects board.  Funny enough I usually play it without effects because its true tone is so nice.  I just wish I had time to actually play it...

Here's some info in it, bottom of the page, the black one.  http://www.21frets.com/squier_jv/theprotonepage.htm

[69CoronetRT]

I had an American Standard tele and a Mexican made. The Mexican made one actually played a little better than the American.
They are what they are but the Mexican made guitars are a pretty good value.

[maxwellwedge]

Whichever one plays better, sounds better and feels good to your hands and ears is the better of the two...for you.....try a whole bunch of them.

[Ponch ®]

Once again, a Mexican taking a job away from a hardworking American guitar. 

[Bob T]

Once again, a Mexican taking a job away from a hardworking American guitar. 

Classic 

[68CoronetRT]

I've had both in the Jazz Bass flavor. IMO they are both nice. You can get different pickups if you dont like the sound anyway .

[BIGBLCK11]

Like maxwell said, best to try them out.

X2 on the older Fender Squier, nice guitar for the price.   

[69DAYTONASE]

I've played both and the quality of the fit and finish of the frets are noticably better on the American Strats, but it has been a few years.....   

[tsmithae]

I work with these and the Americans are still the higher quality unit.  Honestly tho, the Mexican units are not bad pieces.  They are mass produced and hence the considerable price difference and the variations between guitars within the same model.  You could get a gem or something that is mediocre.  The American units will be hand-made and the fit and finish is going to be superior.  That doe not mean the Mexican pieces are bad by any means, just mass produced and less QC.

When it gets down to it, if you like what you are playing and hearing, that's what matters at the end of the day.  Having a professional set up which ever you get is a REALLY good idea though.   

[Brock Lee]

The American Standards are just as mass produced as the Mexican models. The Mexico factory is setup exactly like the US factory, everything down to the CNC carving machines are identical. You want "handmade", you have to go Custom Shop.

Here are the major differences between the two:

Hardware:
The Mexico facility buys the bulk of its hardware (yes, even Fender branded stuff) from Ping in Korea.
The US facility makes most of its hardware in house. Items like tuning keys are sourced either from Gotoh (Japan) or Schaller (Germany).

Pickups:
Each factory winds its own pickups. The Mexico plant tend to wind pickups with contemporary materials whereas the US facility aims more towards reissue/traditional materials. This really isn't as big a deal as most snobs will make it out to be. Labor is saved in bobbin assembly. The US factory also winds a larger array of styles using varying materials. The Mexico plant offers variations using the same materials.

Wood:
All wood sourced passes through Corona California. They sort the wood and choose lighter, more visually appealing, and wider planks for the US factory.

Final assembly/setup:
Mexican guitars do not have quite the same amount of labor put into the final fretwork and setup as US models. Not all Mexican units are bad and not all US units are better, on average though US models have a little more attention paid to fret dressing, fret ends, etc.

Finishes:
The US facility typically uses a Polyurethane finish (nitrocellulose on reissues). The finish is wet sanded with various fine grit papers and buffed to its final luster.
The Mexico facility uses Polyester. They do a one step level sanding after color and a few clear coats, then one final application of Polyester designed to flow out as it cures. Lots of labor is cut with the process. It creates a decent looking finish, but not quite as slick as a cut and buffed finish.

I would play both and buy what you prefer. I have sold the Mexican models since they came out in the early 90's and have occasionally owned them. They are good guitars if you are on a budget and are open minded about what you are looking for tonally. Being Fenders you have numerous options in the aftermarket for upgrading parts to tailor to suit.  

PS- You also may want to keep an eye on some of the really low priced US models. Lines like the "Highway 1" series were essentially Mexican guitars with just enough US labor to qualify for a "Made in USA" label. The hardware, pickups, bodies and necks are the same as Mexican models, but feature finishes done in the US , the better fretwork of the US lines. This is not ironclad as some years vary as they toyed around with different amounts of US and Mexico labor to legally qualify for the "Made in USA" label.

[myk]

There's no difference.  Why?  A talented guitarist can make a broomstick sound great.  On the other hand, you could take the greatest guitar ever made, put it into my hands and watch Jimi Hendrix roll over in his grave as a result. 

Don't sweat the small stuff, just play...

[Brock Lee]

There IS a difference. However, the differences are mostly subjective. Otherwise, things like Ping hardware (which is made with cheaper metal alloys and looser tolerances) can be changed when they wear out. Fret work can be fine tuned with a simple level/dress. Pickups can be swapped if the stock offerings don't do the job.

Every component in a guitar colors its sound to a degree. While there are indeed great players that can play the hell out of a broomstick, bad tone is still bad tone. Just because some guys spend more time chasing tone than practicing does not mean there isn't any truth to it. They just take it to an extreme.