Buying used MIM Strat.. What to look for?

[poodlesrule]

New forum member (busy, never had time for intro, sorry) here, and getting back to guitar playing.

A question; I am looking at a local used Fender MIM Strat, '04 or '05 make, that as seen little action, I am told. the pickguard delaminated a tad...??

What should I look at/inspect closely on this *particular* model, beyond the usual spots,neck, etc. BTW, seller says the pickguard delaminated a tad...??

I am looking at spending 200 bucks or so in it.

- poodle

EDIT: He said pickguard "peeling" in a corner (not delaminated, my term)

 

[duhvoodooman]

Will you be able to see/play the guitar before you buy it? Being a local guitar, hopefully so. This is particularly important if you don't know the seller. All kinds of claims can be made about guitars being "little used" that turn out to have had the living **** beat out of them. And photos can be misleading.

As far as what to look at--all the usual things. Condition of the neck is always paramount to me (straightness, freedom from twist, fret condition, etc.). Electronics should also be checked out, as they are often a weak spot on less expensive guitars. Confirm everything is fully functional and free from scratchiness, signal drop-outs, etc. Set-up issues are less important, because they can be adjusted, as long as there are no fundamental physical defects behind them. Check out the tuners--does the guitar tune & hold tune well? Are there missing parts, including less obvious ones like trem block springs? And if it's a MIM Strat, that should, of course, be indicated on the headstock decal, along with a serial number that corresponds to the claimed point of origin and date of manufacture.

 

[stingx]

Also of note if you are buying used...MIM models prior to '06 have the vintage frets and radius. Basically if you can play several, take the one that feels and sounds the best to you. Hardware can always be upgraded if you find a winner.

 

[ShortBuSX]

A question; I am looking at a local used Fender MIM Strat, '04 or '05 make, that as seen little action, I am told. the pickguard delaminated a tad...??

What should I look at/inspect closely on this *particular* model, beyond the usual spots,neck, etc. BTW, seller says the pickguard delaminated a tad...??

I am looking at spending 200 bucks or so in it.

EDIT: He said pickguard "peeling" in a corner (not delaminated, my term)

I havent seen a used MIM I didnt like.
How are you plaining on buying this Ebay or Craiglist, local news paper, pawn shop, music store, or friend?
I like to get em from Craigslist or some place you can eyeball it closely. Youre looking mostly for ways to knock down the price. I dont really even feel the need to plug it in, Im listening for fret noise around the first 3 frets and then further down towards the end of the fret board. But if your buying from an adult, ask em if hes done any mods to it(hopefully no) but then other than that, it should be totally properlly set up, intonated and worn in for you already, I like to think of it as "lightly relic-ed" AND you dont have to worry bout makin the first scratch, chip or buckle rash. But make note of its condition and look for ways to get a better deal if possible. I like to look at the neck pocket area where the neck meets, look for any cracks in the urethane...even though itll still last for ever with em, without is deffinetly better. Look for any neck blems on the back that you can live without.

But having said all the above, if it didnt buzz, Id pretty much buy it!
Just remember, youre getting a $600 guitar for $200, its really gonna be hard to get much of a better deal than that! The wear adds charecter and within a short time itll feel like your favorite pair of worn in jeans.
I kinda like the idea of the pickguard being mangled, but it also sounds like this guitar MAY still have the clear plastic left on it and it may peal right off to an almost new PG...if not and you cant live with it, just buy a new Fender replacement PG, theyre only bout $20.

BTW Ive got a 1999 and a 2000, I wasnt aware of the frets and radius differences...could somebody tell me more or show me the difference???

 

[stingx]

Short, all MIM Standards had vintage frets up until 2006 when they were changed to medium-jumbo, along with other changes such as pickups, etc.

I was partially incorrect as not all standards had the vintage radius though. It was very common for vintage frets on 9.5" radius. One other difference that bothered me was the fact that, even now, the width at the nut on MIM is 42mm (1.650”) vs. 43mm (1.6875”) on MIA. Exceptions being the Jimmy Vaughan, Robert Cray, and other non-standard models that are 43mm. I can actually feel that difference in spacing and it annoys me.

Edit: Ah...OK I found the changes made in '06...

"The addition of medium-jumbo frets gives the Standard Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jazz Bass, and Precision Bass a more modern feel and makes them easier to play. Made from traditional, smooth nickel-silver, these are the same frets installed in American Series Fenders. All the Standard series axes also now receive a healthy layer of noise-killing paint shielding in the body cavities. Combined with shielding tape applied to the pickguards and body cavity covers, it will ensure performances are a lot quieter. The Standard Series Telecaster now comes with souped up pickups for a hotter signal and a bolder voice more suited to modern music styles.

The Stratocaster has received a significant new piece of equipment for 2006: a redesigned tremolo block. This thicker bridge block increases sustain and tone by providing a more stable point of contact between the guitar and the strings. And finally, every Standard Series Fender will now include a gig bag, so you won’t be forced to immediately shell out more cash for a case or carry your axe around in that cardboard box it shipped in."

 

[poodlesrule]

Bah.

Saw the MIM I was considering.
Too much fret wear spots here and there: 1st, 2nd, 3rd string, first few frets.

I did not feel like signing up for a (minor?) fret dressing, something I do not know much about, except as seen on some good web tutorials floating around.

An other detail that bugs me, on Fenders in general: where do they get these rather poor quality Phillips head screws, like on pickguards...?

 

[Bloozcat]

Hmmmm...poodlesrule...now where did I see that moniker recently? Was it the Agile Guitar Forum...?

 

[poodlesrule]

Yep, you did..!

I need all the help I can get.
SX/Agile is a consideration, as well as Xaviere/Guitarfetish, as they are 30 miles away..!

 

[Bloozcat]

Yep, you did..!

I need all the help I can get.
SX/Agile is a consideration, as well as Xaviere/Guitarfetish, as they are 30 miles away..!

A few of us here have bought SX guitars and are happy with them, but they can be hit or miss in quality. Some have bought Xaviere's and are happy with those.

One guitar that's getting a lot of positive reviews since it's been introduced, is the Squire Classic Vibe 50's Strat. You can read about it here in the Squire section where there are pics of the guitar. There's a lot of talk about them at the fenderforum.com as well. At $299.99 it sounds like the one to get right now. I don't think I've read one negative review about them. People are saying that they're better quality than the MIM, and almost as well made as the MIA (I think that claim might be a bit of an exaggeration, though).

Sweetwater has them in stock right now w/free shipping.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/StratCV50SB/

 

[fensonpaulcaster]

I wouldn't worry about the pickguard..they're cheap and its no problem anyways.

MIM strats are amazingly well built..definitly comparable to the MIA, i'd say. I have one, and its amazing

But make sure to check the pickups and the hardware, those are are defintly what you gotta check after checing the neck and body ya know?


:rockon: Rock on bra