Test Report. Instead, the Mexico-made instrument is designed to deliver the most authentically Jimi-like sounds at an accessible, sub-Custom Shop price—largely via use of a reverse headstock and reverse-angle bridge pickup. Aside from the Gibson Les Paul and Fender Telecaster, there’s no electric guitar quite as iconic as the Fender Stratocaster. Since 1954, the Stratocaster has been a Holy Grail model that many guitarists aspire to own one day, taking their place beside Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson and John Frusciante. This way, you’ll get a better idea of which one might be the one for you. Read conclusion. This configuration is different from most MIM and MIA Strats, which have single-coil pickups (SSS) at the bridge, middle and neck. USA. Enter the Fender Mexican Stratocaster. That being said, Mexican Strats are still excellent sounding guitars. Don’t worry – I only coiled the cables for my Vox wah pedal review, to show how they connect to the pedal. The Fender Stratocaster is one of the absolute staples of the electric guitar. After years of playing a hand-me-down Yamaha RGX310, my family surprised me with the ultimate graduation present: the chance to pick out my own electric guitar. Jimi, of course, strung a right-handed Strat upside down, so the bridge pickup was aligned to the strings this way. Instead, the Standard series has the cursive, 70s-era logo. Humbuckers are so-named because they reduce the hum of single-coil pickups, creating a crunchier sound. By contrast, Standard Strats have a six-screw bridge, like the vintage MIA Strats. The only real downside to the Fender strat is the price point. There’s also a micro-tilt adjustment on the American Strat, meaning that it’s easier to shim your neck if you want to adjust your string action. This makes MIM Strats excellent mid-level electric guitars for almost every genre of playing, except for metal. Korea/India. Enter the Fender Mexican Stratocaster. Especially since I play guitar almost every day, I was happy to find one with a smooth, comfortable fretboard. Some of these links are affiliate links meaning we may earn commissions on purchases. Unlike the tuning pegs on American-made Strats, the ones on Mexican-made Strats are straight instead of staggered. Nonetheless, the single volume knob and the 5-way pickup selector remain the same on all Fender Mexican Stratocasters. The Standard series Strats have 21 frets, while the Player series have 22––just like the MIA Strats. The biggest difference in hardware between the Player and Standard series is the pickups. To find out how, check out our articles on creating your DIY Stratocaster and selecting the best Strat pickups. The only ones that, strangely, were counted among the Artists were the 1997 Jimi Hendrix "Tribute" Stratocaster, the 2015 Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster made in Mexico and the 2017 Monterey Stratocaster made in Mexico. If you want the best of the best, something like an American elite with the Fender name proudly emblazoned across the headstock will easily set you back over $1,500. But it’s never been anything that a simple saddle adjustment couldn’t fix. But at such a high price-point, Made in America (MIA) Strats are out of reach for many guitarists. This subtle flattening of the traditional c-shape makes it easier to move around your fretboard, especially if you have smaller hands. Design and hardware aside, sound is where Mexican Strats truly shine. They just don’t have that extra oomph that makes an American Strat an American Strat. On a closer look, you may notice some subtle design and hardware differences between the American and Mexican Strat. My Standard has a rosewood fretboard, which has an even warmer tone than pau ferro. Yet, only the Player series preserves the two-toned Spaghetti letters of the American-style Fender logo. Yet, unlike the American-made and Mexican Standard Strats, the Player series have one tone knob for the neck/middle pickup and one for the bridge pickup, instead of the traditional neck pickup knob and middle pickup knob. The new Hendrix Strat will be built in Mexico, and should be a decent Stratocaster with an alder body, a maple C-profile neck with a 9.5″ radius and loaded with medium jumbo frets. That sort of pricing just isn’t realistic for the budge… If you want stronger treble, you’re better off with maple. It also has a modern c-shaped maple neck. My Mexican-made Fender Standard Stratocaster HSS was the perfect choice for me, because of my budget and style of playing. However, both Standard and Player fretboards are exactly the same length. I’ll cover the differences between all these mid-level Strats. The Fender Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster captures the unique characteristics of Jimi's Olympic White Stratocaster, which he played at Woodstock in 1969. These popular mid-level Fender models offer the same classic look as the American Stratocaster at about half the price. Cina/Indonesia. Show all. A Tip of the Velvet Hat Purists will contend that Jimi-izing a Strat … But I didn’t just want a guitar that looked good. Since 1954, the Stratocaster has been a Holy Grail model that many guitarists aspire to own one day, taking their place beside Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Eric Johnson and John Frusciante. This video looks at the major differences between the MIM Fender Standard Stratocaster and the MIA Fender Standard Stratocaster. When you’re holding your MIM Strat in front of you with the bridge to your left and neck to your right, you can switch between the following: On HSS Strats like mine, the first and second positions produce even thicker tones, thanks to the humbucker pickup. Famous Fender strat players include Jimi Hendrix , Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, and … Like the MIA, it has a 25.5″ scale, an 11-hole pickguard and a contoured alder body that fits comfortably on your lap while you’re sitting and rests comfortably against your stomach while you’re standing. It’s pretty much a toss up between that model and the Gibson Les Paul as the number one iconic guitar out there. Especially on the Player HSS models, this creates more nuanced bridge tones. Yet, the biggest difference between the MIM and MIA Strat is the pickups. My biggest problem with my Strat is that it’s constantly out-of-tune when I play with a whammy bar. Players closely capture the bright, snappy charm of the MIAs, while Standards offer a warmer take on the classic Strat sound. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Watch this video for a closer look at the differences between the 2017 Fender Mexican Standard Stratocaster and the 2018 Fender Mexican Player Stratocaster. 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