We Need to Talk About Mexican Fenders

[@brunoantony9257]

You can have a Fender made in Mexico by Mexicans or a Fender made in California by Mexicans

[@SLOWPOKERODRIGUEZ2]

It truly is a golden age amigo 🥸🤙

[@pharmerdavid1432]

Or you can make a partscaster that will be way better and with features you like for less money.

[@JarickL]

It doesn’t matter who made it, much more important who sets and enforces the quality standards.

[@mikec8815]

Nafta screwed the US worker

[@CarsGuitarsAudio]

Well said !!!

[@EzraMF]

I live near the Ensenada factory and I run into Fender employees very often. I have spoken to some of them and they are very proud of their jobs and working for such a legendary company. I actually own the Jason Isbell and it’s my favorite guitar!

[@trailingupwards]

@@EzraMF Dude I want that Jason Isbell, even though I hate telecaster bodies. I'll probably turn it into a Jazzcaster.

[@booshting3520]

Ask them to take more pride in their fretwork

[@EzraMF]

@@booshting3520 Never had problems with their fretwork. Either way I think the new player series have rolled edges. Corona’s QC can be pretty dodgy as well, especially post-Covid.

[@booshting3520]

@@EzraMF Fret sprout on one, uneven frets on the other. It's a very common complaint for Fender these days. Other than that, they're great guitars.

[@EzraMF]

@@booshting3520 yeah I don’t mind doing some basic work on some of mine, but you kinda have to go custom shop if you want a flawless one nowadays

[@lucyfuir6386]

To everyone talking about resale value, Are you a guitar player or an investment firm. I do not buy guitars to resell them I buy guitars to play them until I am dead.

[@samuelmarquez3757]

I don’t think you have the full perspective regarding resale value. I’ve been in situations in my younger years where I had to sell gear to supplement income or cover an emergency expense . Thankfully I am financially stable and responsible today to not worry about this but I know it happens and it eases the pain of losing gear knowing you only lost a few hundred vs half the cost of the instrument. This has nothing to do with being passionate about the instrument.

[@markv.5962]

Same here brother. I have 15 and always will

[@lucyfuir6386]

@@samuelmarquez3757 I'm not talking about someone who has to sell something to pay a bill. I don't think you have the full perspective of what I was talking about. I'm talking about people who buy guitars to hold on for a year or ten and try to resell for a profit. If you're worried about resale value then you're buying the guitar for the wrong reason. My passion is deep too which is why I don't even think about resale value when I buy an instrument. Because I don't plan on ever getting rid of it if I buy it.

[@lucyfuir6386]

@@markv.5962 right

[@steveg.3022]

I’ve got mostly budget friendly guitars, many that I got used and fixed up. I’m totally invested in all my guitars. Not selling them. The money I could get isn’t a fraction of their value to me.

[@bluesky6361]

I bought a Mexican made Classic 50's Nitro Strat in Candyapple Red Nitro over gold base coat with a tinted maple neck and fretboard in 2016. I shielded the body cavities, installed Seymour Duncan SSL-1s in all three positions with a 3-way switch, and replaced the white plastic pickguard with a gold anodized aluminum pickguard. The guitar is dead quiet, plays fantastic, sounds like a real 50's Strat, and looks beautiful. It's hard to choose between that and my 2014 Gibson Custom Shop R8. I will be keeping both of them until I can no longer play and I am 70 years old now so maybe I have 10 more years if I am lucky.

[@bushcry1]

Rock on!

[@tjchad1]

I have an early road worn 50s with a nitro Classic Series 50s neck with a gold anodized PG on it. Favorite guitar. Also have a 2001 Classic Series 60s in LPB with a rose wood neck. I do not feel the need for anything else.

[@TomClarkSouthLondon]

*Once you got your screwdriver out, it was no longer a Mexican Strat!* 😮

[@zaxmaxlax]

Wait a sec, you bought a classic 50's strat to entirely modify it? Why didnt you just pick the mexican standard strat? 500 bucks at the time.

[@joeking433]

Yeah, those gold anodized pickguards really add some really pleasant mid range tones!

[@412willis]

I own 12 guitars. Three Telecasters, three Stratocasters, three Les Pauls, one DeArmond and two Taylor’s. I’ve been playing Fenders since the 1970’s and consider myself a Fender Guy. I’ve owned four different USA Telecasters but I currently own Mexican and Japanese Telecasters and they are my favorites. I’m not saying the American ones were not great guitars because they were but for some reason the ones I have now are my favorite. You can’t go wrong with USA, Mexican or Japanese Fender guitars. I consider them as equals in quality.

[@DanielleEmberley]

There's a long history of guitar building in Mexico. Read about the town called Paracho.

[@powbobs]

Yup, my best Flamenco guitar is from Paracho.

[@Patrick-ss9td]

The percentage of the population that play guitar in Mexico is also very high. I think it is much higher than in the U.S. or Europe.

[@IsaacLausell]

“I dont know if there is big sort of heritage of building guitars in Mexico…(minute 4:04)” I would recommend reading about the Viceroyalty of New Spain of which the capital and royal court was in Mexico going back to 1521. Where there was a court there were artists, musicians and of course luthiers so I’d say the tradition of guitars being built in Mexico by far trumps Korea, Japan and most other places. Also considered that the city of Puebla has a tradition of luthiers that built 5 course guitars, lutes and theorbos that never stopped and kept going. For context it’s the Spanish tradition that continued in America and never stopped, it just continued evolving. While Mexico is not known as an electric guitar meca for brands other than Fender there is a wealth of electric guitar focused luthiers. While I am not Mexican nor have never lived there I have played and guess lectured in México which has allowed me the opportunity to see what they can do and they are really good. I know your impressions in favor of the Mexican Fenders is on point. I personally have a Mexican and an American strat in my collection and the Mexican holds its own and what ever differences there were eroded once I installed similar pickups however understanding the history of our instrument is important and Mexico certainly played a key role even on a global scale.

[@LKelly1111]

I bought my 93 American strat in a Mexican restaurant in Bali Indonesia then flew 5 hours home to Australia 😂

[@rkgaustin]

I met a Chinese woman in Berlin who only spoke Spanish.

[@adamelliott9581]

Wow that’s cool

[@ReVeRbx-fe5wr]

Fender literally has or have had guitars made everywhere. USA, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Indonesia, China…Did I forget any? Who cares where it comes from as long as it plays good and sounds good and looks good.

[@davidmahoney1248]

India

[@fvotava]

For a very short time, in Brazil at the 90’s.

[@therewasascene]

I like my Chinese tele :)

[@ghalston5641]

No to China made guitars. Sorry, I won’t give them my money, especially when other countries make as good or better for similar prices.

[@joeking433]

I only buy American made guitars.

[@beau692]

I think more people should be concerned about becoming a better player rather than whether it’s a Mexican or American strat. At the end of the day, we are all making the same money unless you are touring with a big artist paying more than a local bar gig. Asked the old guys, after going thru this debate for most of their lives, I’ve noticed most saying it didn’t matter and just get the one that feels right to you.

[@danieleidet7131]

The fact they brought back rosewood helps tremendously.

[@timholtguitar6999]

Agreed, pau ferro is an instant deal breaker for me.

[@JosephCompton66]

I bought a vintera 50’s telecaster. It sounds as good as my custom shop. Great gigging tool. They over Built so I got a deal at 700 us new.

[@joeking433]

Yeah, Custom Shop guitars don't sound very good.

[@cameronlesley2428]

i bought my mexicn strat in 1995. still; got it still love it.

[@thebreakfastmenu]

95 is the best year for Mexican Strats. I own one myself.

[@raygetoutdoors6151]

Does it happen to be a Deluxe Series? I have a 74 MIM strat.

[@trevorclarey3336]

I've been buying guitars for over 50 years & I think it makes more sense to buy a used USA Fender than a new Mexican for both resale value & quality I have bought many used USA Fenders for a lot less than the price of new Mexican or Japanese guitar , So a used USA Fender you can't go wrong the are always going to be worth at least what you paid possibly more .

[@zaxmaxlax]

That also applies to gibson aswell. There's no point in buying the newer stuff.

[@lucyfuir6386]

@@trevorclarey3336 you are a rare case. You must have the fender fairy following you. I have NEVER seen an used American fender sell for less than a new Mexican fender unless it was just the body, had a repro neck or minus the electronics.

[@trevorclarey3336]

@@lucyfuir6386 P.S. I don't believe in fairies

[@Julianuribe23]

@@lucyfuir6386Mexican fenders reach the $1000's, especially with signature and vintera models

[@kevinedgeman4259]

Ok.. so just how are you finding USA Fenders for $800-$1100? I've seen very few of those in that price range in 25 years of this. The difference really isn't that great between the two. And yes, I own some of each US and Mex guitars.

[@IvorThomas]

I had a Baja Tele and regret selling it, but made up for it by getting an Isbell Tele which is quite nice. It is mildly relic’d with very thin nitro and checking very nicely after a year or so. I really dislike those thick poly finishes… don’t really know why. It’s an esthetic thing I guess.

[@TheLochs]

I drove 4 hours to a gig last night.

[@reneebear3641]

very cool!

[@reneebear3641]

how’d it go?

[@TheLochs]

@@reneebear3641 Great, the band was really nice and played great. I was tired driving home but made it ok. Thanks!

[@Jim-ro5sl]

Do you need a faster car

[@lukaszohm5881]

same (Germany lol)

[@dylanlamarre3768]

I lost all motivation to listen to the investigative journalism after the intro solo. It carried me me into the clouds. I'll watch the latter part of this another day.

[@Meynze]

My first guitar was a Fender MIM Classic Series 50’s. I still rock it nowadays, and I must say that there is nothing wrong with its build quality. Recently, I decided to unleash it full capacities : I completely overhauled the electronics, changing pots to CTS and with a CRL USA 5 way, I grabbed hand wound pickups on reverb made by a luthier in Croatia (Q pickups) and those are excellent and very inexpensive, although if you want genuine Fender it is not hard to find Pure Vintage pickups at very good prices. This change alone made it a completely different feeling guitar, and trust me, it’s not at all expensive to do just that, for less than 200 bucks you can get an excellent set of PUs and top-tier electronics. As I evolved as a player, I decided to swap the maple neck with a 60s neck in roadwork lacquer finish, and I decided to repaint my guitar in Tahitian coral. The result is stunning and now I sincerely believe that a MIM strat is only held back by the components they are using. Take a MIM strat, replace the electronics, replace the hardware, and you’ve got yourself and excellent instrument.

[@davidbarlow431]

I've got a player tele and strat. Both needed fret levelling and nut work from new but boy whait worth it! They play like butter and sound great. Would I personally sound any better on their US counterparts at three times the price? Probably not. Incidentally, i heard a few months back that the US fenders no longer have "made in the usa" on the headstock, just "corona california". Apparently, there is a minimum percentage of a product that has to be made in the usa before you can claim it as such. US fenders no longer meet that minimum. If this is true, the logical guess would be parts being produced in Mexico and shipped over the border more likely than parts from say Japan.

[@swatchcovers5401]

Have had my Mexican blacktop jag for over 10 years and it’s my favorite guitar still, so many memories.

[@karmadave]

As others have said, whether your Fender guitar was made in California or Ensenada, it was likely built by someone of Mexican decent. To me, the most important features are the QC and parts. These make the biggest differences in my humble opinion 😃

[@Edwardneff]

You are spot on...qc and parts makes or breaks the deal.

[@Rael0505]

I absolutely love that shade of green

[@anthonybrock9435]

From Glasgow: I just bought a Player II Strat. Coral Red. Put OC Duff Texas Roadhouse Specials in it. Replaced the white pickgaurd with a vintage tortoiseshell. It plays so much better than the two MIA's I played in the store in Edinburgh. No contest. By the way, laddie, your playing is beautiful. As we say in Glasgow, Top Drawer. 🎸🎸

[@lasombra_br]

I have a Player Plus Strat and it's the guitar that converted me to Fender. The Modern C neck profile is perfect for me and the weight is very good.

[@DanielBobke]

The MIM guitars are quite good. You will notice some differences in materials compared to the American models and at times the fret work or other QC may be a little lesser with the MIM, but you will also find that there are QC issues with the American Fenders as well. All factories have failure/issue rates - including American factories. My question is always VALUE - not so much price. For about 50% of the price to the lowest end of the American made Fenders (American Performer), you can get a MIM Fender. From what I have seen, you are not getting double the quality or materials in an American Fender over the MIM, so the value tips towards the MIM. Yeah - you get a hard case with the MIA guitars as opposed to a gig bag with the MIM, so there is some additional value there but I still think the value prop is higher for the MIM guitars. Another option to consider is a MIJ Fender. For less money than a MIA, you get equal or better (quite often better) quality than a American Fender from a MIJ model. In addition, the MIJ models are a bit more adventurous and interesting with the specs.

[@PeterWasted]

Two conflicting concerns determine if a particular guitar is good, bad or indifferent. Firstly is the quality of the parts. That includes the wood and paint, as well as the pickups, pots , wiring etc. A Mexican made guitar is aiming for a lower sale price which is achieved not just by lower labour cost but lower parts cost. However, it can be argued that any adequate set of electronics, will be fine in the "right" guitar. The second concern is Quality Control. As well as sourcing lower cost parts, the Mexican made factory will have quality systems in place that reject fewer instruments, or parts of instruments. Fender, along with the other guitar companies, are quite shy on publishing their acceptance criteria - but they will exist. I'm sure Corona has higher standards than Ensenada and it is obvious that there are even lower standards on their far eastern made instruments. BUT Quality Control only removes the grossly bad instruments. All the factories will be passing the fortuitously good examples. The trick when buying guitars is to make sure you get one of those, regardless of where it comes from...

[@sagittated]

Spot on. I think you could plot the quality of a certain series on a bell curve. The professional ii instruments will have a higher/(better quality) bell peak than the performer, which will be higher than the Player, which is higher than the CV, which is higher than Affinity. There will be some crossover due to the individuality of the instruments, which will lead people with a small sample size to say something like "my classic vibe Tele is actually better than the American made ones, and the Mexican ones are all crap!" And really, most just need a good set up and some love to be great in the hands. But overall, the better guitars are the ones that cost more, given enough examples of each level.

[@PeterWasted]

@@sagittated Agreed. It's not just the median point that differs though. Quality variability will change the standard deviation or width of the bell curve. Then a quality control procedure will make efforts to chop of the lowest quality guitars in the tail of each curve...

[@sagittated]

@@PeterWasted Agreed. And then if you go through a quality reseller, the guitars go through another quality check. Like Sweetwater does their inspection (over a certain price point) and will reject a few more. Local music shops will have their techs/luthiers set them up, too, improving them further.

[@Janine.Najarian]

I've loved every Made In Mexico I've ever played and I love supporting Mexico in every way I can MIM ride till I die Viva Mexìco 🇦🇲♥️🇲🇽

[@richcharvel7162]

I have a MIM Fender (partscaster/"beater") Strat that I put together 20 + years ago. It probably gets more play than my USA Fender Strats. It plays, sounds and feels great. I love it.

[@imayad]

Out of all my guitars my MIM Nashville Deluxe '17 was the best purchase. Totally love it for its price, looks and playability. Bravo MIM 👍

[@michelleneeds4165]

I love my Baja Tele, got it a couple of years ago used for £330 I call that a bargain!!! Customshop Pickups and those extra positions. Ive played it every day since got it.

[@Biggles-gm6tm]

I bought a 2nd hand 60's reissue MIM strat and was hugely disappointed with the tone, didn't sound anything like a strat. So I changed the bridge block for a Floyd brass number, realigned the neck to make sure the strings were right over the pickup magnets (the scratch plate round the neck was badly fitted pushing the neck out of line) and changed the pickups for Bareknuckle scatter wounds. May have spent £300 quid on top of the £300 purchase price but I have one amazing sounding guitar now, unmistakably Fender strat. Worth every penny.

[@fcariani]

My first awesome guitar was a 2001 Mexican Strat. These days I gravitate to either Fender USA models or Squiers. If I go to a random guitar center, I seldom find a Mexican Fender that inspires me, but I’m likely to find a unique Squier with a odd, seductive vibe. They both have the thick poly, but by and large I even find the Squiers to have better fit / finish. The exception is the Vintera series where some models are truly special. But once you get closer to $1k in price, or above that, you are in a range where you are competing with the USA product. (I bought my American Original telecaster for $1300…)

[@JustinQuinn-r5m]

I bought a Brad Paisley signature model Tele w/ maple neck. I’ve had it for a couple of years and it’s become my favorite guitar. It’s got a light weight paulownia wood body, great pickups ( Twisted Tele neck & Vintage 64 bridge) a soft V neck ( 9.5) w/ med jumbo frets, brass saddles and Classic slot tuners. It’s a great Tele! Made in Mexico. What’s not to like?

[@lordgeronimo72]

I've owned dozens of US and imported Fender guitars and basses over the last 30 years - The Ensenada factory is doing great work. Bought a Vintera Bass VI late last year and a Charvel Pro Mod SoCal 2 last week - excellent fit and finish on these, and if the specs are to your taste I'd say the Charvel is the best sub-$1000 guitar you can buy (not named PRS)...

[@oldgoat6423]

I recently bought a Vintera II 60s Jazz Bass. It plays like butter and sounds terrific! It's true that the Mexican models can be a little rough on the fit and finish, but with a little TLC they can clean up into wonderful instruments. I've got around 60 basses, including $6000 custom shop models and some original 60s instruments, and this one feels and sounds exactly like one of the 60s originals. Perhaps not the classiest instrument in my collection, but as a tool for making music, it's the best bass I ever had!

[@CliveBarnesMusic]

I just bought the Mike McCready this week. I own a 60 Limited Edition Custom Shop Strat, and the McCready, honestly, holds its own alongside it. No hyperbole here. It's a cracking guitar... The wait list was brutal long, though.

[@IamtheFerryMan]

I want to check one out. Mike inspired me to play in the 90s and they look great. Problem is, I own an American Elite strat, Pale Moon Ebony strat, and a Japanese Aerodyne Special tele 😂

[@CliveBarnesMusic]

@@IamtheFerryMan you got the Strat thing covered, man..!!

[@IamtheFerryMan]

@CliveBarnesMusic Truth! Strats are a hell of a drug though!

[@Po1itica11yNcorrect]

I've got two made in Mexico Fenders: a Limited Edition Player Series Stratocaster with Custom Shop Fat 50's pickups and a roasted maple neck. The other is a Limited Edition Player Series Telecaster with Custom Shop Nocaster pickups and a roasted maple neck (see profile pic). Both are fantastic guitars. No issues at all.

[@EricMLopez]

"I don't know if there's a huge heritage of building guitars in Mexico" That CANNOT be a serious statement

[@Janine.Najarian]

ikr it goes way WAYYY deeper than Henry Garza and his strats.

[@AlexVonCrank]

If this is a return to form, when did they depart from form? I have always known Fender Mexico to make excellent guitars.

[@tedpikul1]

I don't know if it's the same plant, but I've been pretty happy with a bunch of MIM Charvel DKs, which are Fenders, more or less.

[@dbt816]

I heard another KZbinr state the opinion that if Fender only made guitars in the US and Mexico, they would be in better shape from several perspectives (consistent quality being one). This makes a lot of sense to me, but good luck arguing with product managers about it 🙂

[@andrewdavies2109]

Well the only other "proper" fenders are made in Japan. These have a great reputation and are really popular. Soooo... Are they talking about the squier line? So these are so much cheaper. The top end of those seem good. The lower end (sonic and so on) not so much. But what do you expect at that price? So this KZbin expert says, if fender only made expensive guitars, they might have better quality? Or are they arguing that either the US or Mexico factories should also make the Squier line? Squier's cheapest models are $120... Wherever you make them, if you want a guitar at that price, there's almost no room for finish and set up.

[@timetraveler_0]

​@FreeEngland1 He's making up stories.

[@J.C...]

Fender only makes guitars in the US and Mexico. And they have 3rd parties build Squiers other places. Squier IS NOT A FENDER. All Fenders are built in NORTH AMERICA.

[@pirated8557]

Just got a vintera 2 Telecaster deluxe. Can’t fault it apart from needing a PROPER set up . Plays superb and sounds great on par with my USA Tele’s.

[@toddman26]

I purchased new, a 2015 MIM white Standard Strat with maple fretboard and my buddy has the exact same but his is American. Neither of us could tell the difference between the two except for tone as he had noiseless pups. I paid $500.00 CAD, just before they jumped in price... it's a fantastic guitar.

[@danosnanos1817]

Got my player II Jazzmaster yesterday from swetwater. It is a vast improvement. It is on PAR with the TVL jazzmaster I owned. I really see no need for any upgrades. Just sounds and plays great. Note, I do roll the tone off on all my jazzmasters.

[@DingDong-fq2mo]

I have a '97 California Series Strat, from when they were first dipping the toes in Mexico. Says Made in US, but the paint work was done in Mexico. It's held up very well, and I love it. I can't say anything about the consistency nowadays, because I've not had many in the hands, but of what I have, there's been some real gems. If i were in the market, I'd probably be trying some of them as a priority.

[@timchalmers1700]

I bought a MiM 2021 Fender Player Strat and I like it. It plays great and sounds great.

[@brandonbutler8808]

I bought a made in Mexico 2019 player telecaster during the pandemic, it definitely needed a setup, I love this guitar, it’s my only electric (all my other guitars are acoustic) for my next electric I’ve thought about the player 2 series but if I already own a made in Mexico guitar I would think about just going for the American made.

[@davidshepack2484]

My MIM Tele didn't have a grounding wire on the bridge pickup...it had a glob of solder grounding it, that must have broken off in transit. I installed a grounding to the potentiometer. Cost cutting???

[@tonedowne]

I have a road worn tele. Sonically it is absolutely on point. It rings like a bell acoustically and the bridge pickup screams, even though it is low output. The only thing I don’t love is the rolled edges mean the stings are right on the edge of the fretboard, so too muck vibrato on either E string and I end up pulling the string off the neck completely. On and the thing with aged parts is that they wear out quicker. The whole control section is a bit wobbly now.

[@jeffanderson8384]

My MIM 50's modified Vintera Telecaster is awesome. Great playing, great neck, great tonal features.

[@b_ryc]

I have an old mexican tele in that sweet midnight blue color... It was already great, but this year I swapped in a gotoh vintage style bridge and the greg koch fishman pickups. I truly cannot imagine the guitar sounding any better at all, it is phenomenal.

[@SidBonkers51]

As almost all guitars are now made with the help of CNC (computer numerical control) machines, one might argue that those made in the far east and Mexico are actually better than a hand crafted custom shop guitar. Tell me I'm wrong.

[@mr.bluenotedoobop]

I’ve seen the California factory tour, those guitars are Mexican made as well 😊 Mexico has a lot manufacturing in general, they can do all sorts of work, from cheap quality to high end.

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

The quality and build of Mex Fenders is at its peak. Over the last 5 years I bought a good few including some quirkier models such as Noventa Tele and Strat, Lead II and Lead III, a Cabronita, Vintera 50s Tele and I’ve Custom and Esquire Teles from the Classic series. I’ve also been collecting USA and have 4 Highway One models, 2 American Specials and a Clapton Signature. I prefer USA overall as they hold their value and sound better. The poly finish on the Mex is thick and when it dings it cracks horribly. Ironically you really have to protect them more than USA models because of this. The USA has a thinner finish and Highway Ones are nitro which I absolutely love. There’s not much in it really but I like the USA models and use them more. I wouldn’t buy anymore Mex made because they’re getting very expensive and I can get used USA for the same price. The Players are great value but with 6 saddle Teles and 2 point Bridge Strats they’re a dealbreaker for me, but so are American Special and Performer Strats with that big stupid headstock!

[@raygetoutdoors6151]

Hi, You play well. I have had a few Mex. Strats over the years. I have had since it was new MIM Deluxe Series Strat. Sunburst with Maple neck. It is now 20 yrs. old. Came with Fender Noiseless picups which I like. Needs a new volume pot which will get done here soon. A friend of mine has 3 MIM Player series Strats. We played in church together for many years. The Deluxe Series is what became the Players series around 2018. My Strat just ages like fine wine as they say. Have you ever played a Deluxe series Fender? Ray, Oklahoma

[@RotterStudios]

I had a fender player series, mint, played it for 2 minutes then sold it at a loss a couple months later. Fender ultra feels much better....to me.

[@johnnathancordy]

The ultra is a bit more super-stratty right?

[@SixStringHarmonies]

Ensenada has always done good work. Some of the nicest Fenders I've owned were Mexican FSR guitars. I'm stuck because I get along better with Gibson scale instruments, but I prefer SCs and Fender, in general. Much more friendly on the wallet. What really confuses me is why the brass at Fender doesn't take on the 24.75" scale length market? Gibson/Epiphone pretty much own this market, and PRS is no help with their 25" scale. I don't know about other players but those of us with smaller hands/fingers get along a lot easier with the shorter scale. There are also tonal issues between scale lengths at hand, as well.

[@ksharpe10]

Perhaps a Jaguar??

[@bournetorun4109]

I’ve got a Mike McCready Mexican strat and it is very well made. After I set it up it plays beautifully, and I love it. All it needs is a term bar spring and it will be where I want it (the bar is at bit too loose for me). I own and have owned several Fender USA strats and teles and this lives up to their standards.

[@StratBurst92]

I have had my Made In Mexico Fender Precison Bass for 4 years now Still plays great and have had no problems.

[@ro307805]

They’ve been making acoustic guitars in Mexico for 400 years

[@johnnathancordy]

Are there electric instruments being made there outside of the Fender factories much? That's one thing I don't think I've heard/seen much of except for like Charvel/Fender stuff?

[@ro307805]

@@johnnathancordy no, but they have a long tradition of making guitars going back to Spanish conquistadors. I would love to see that though, instead of Chinese guitars

[@alexcrayfish]

Taylor and Martin also build loads of their more affordable models in Mexico and they are pretty nice.

[@DannyDKNYC]

I’m very pro American everything. But the tail end of the original Roadworn series was unbelievably good. Once they tamed down the relicking, they perfected it. My guitar with a few changed parts is as good as any 6000 custom shop fender. You can look for a guitar your whole life before you find it. My 50s Roadworn tele I’m keeping for life.

[@fredsmith5791]

I bought a made in Mexico Fender Strat about 2-3 years ago and it was so bad that i sold it within 2 months! The deal breaker for me was the fret ends sticking out from the neck by as much as 1/8 of an inch, all the way up & down the neck! That's when i purchased my Eric Johnson Strat and never looked at another Strat made in Mexico ever again!

[@paul_domici]

I have a few MIM Fenders and they're amazing!!!I get them with Vintage Noiseless pickups and they sound great!!!

[@joerobertson795]

How is there a hang tag AND a giant hunk out o the finish? There appears to a circle impression in the finish at circle impression @1 o'clock from the divot? Did it ship like that?

[@JohnHorneGuitar]

There was a time I wouldn't have considered a MIM Fender. Now I have a Baja Tele that has been a workhorse and I have a late 90's "California Series" strat which I understand was a collaboration between the US and Mexican facilities at a time when the US facility was being retooled (or something). I've done some customization to both of these guitars but nothing crazy.

[@eugeneadams7433]

I had Mexican Blacktop Telecaster. Surprisingly, electronics were not grounded on the factory, so the hum didn’t calm down when I touched the strings with my hands as it is usually expected. That was confusing, but I fixed that issue. Other than that it was a great guitar.

[@chubbyoo7]

I liked my mex strat

[@glenngertz9429]

You can purchase an American made Strat or Tele made by Mexicans or a Mexican made Strat or Tele made by Mexicans . There is little difference in the guitars .

[@simonwilliams4514]

My experience is (surprise surprise) you have to take every guitar on its own terms. A couple of years back I picked up a player Jaguar, Strat and Tele at the same time, the Tele was great, the Jag was good on the neck pickup and the Strat was soulless. Purchased a Vintera 1 gen, a Fender American made and a Vintage (brand) Strats and the Vintera was by miles the best Strat I’ve ever played but (over a £1000 difference in cost) preferred the Vintage over the American made Strat both unplugged and plugged

[@compucorder64]

I don't like the Player Series guitars. My Strat & Teles are both Vintera gen 1 too. And they're both damn good. They're better than the well regarded 80s Tokais (which was on a par with the Baja Telecasters). And also better than the early 90s MIJ Fender Strat I had before. Fit & finish are similarly very good, but pickups/sound is better with the Vinteras.

[@ericolson326]

At risk of driving up their prices still further, I recommend everyone try out the long discontinued Road Worn Player series. Nicely broken-in feel, but without the cartoonish disfiguring. 😄

[@Mexxx65]

I have a road-worn Mex strat, wouldn't part with it for love nor money.

[@TheBurdenOfModernLife]

That intro tune was fantastic!

[@jasonashcraft4299]

I have a Player II Jazzmaster on the way and used to have a MIM Telecaster from like 2016-2017, one of the better guitars I've owned. I wasn't crazy on the pickups but that's something that's obviously easy to fix if you take the time to do it.

[@JoeyJoJoJr51]

Biggest difference in my experience (own/have owned around 10 USA Fenders and probably 15 Mex) is the nut is consistently better on the US guitars. I have had to replace several Mex nuts straight out of the box, but the US ones have all been spot on. If you can get past that minor inconvenience, the Mex guitars are very good.

[@Chiller11]

I bought my son a Mexican Strat in around ‘93 so it must have been a fairly early instrument from the Ensenada factory. Got him a small Peavy amp and he took lessons from a local pro. He went to Sweden 12 years ago and I inherited the Strat. It’s a fun guitar to play.

[@JTB--]

Tried a new Fender Acoustasonic Player (made in Mexico) from Reverb and the Fret edges were like razor blades. Returned it immediately

[@powbobs]

Those Acoustasonics are garbage.

[@kcbc9037]

That most likely had to do with the massive humidity change from where it was to where it went. Sounds like fret sprout. Also yeah those Acoustosonics aren’t good period

[@JTB--]

@@kcbc9037 You're probably right. Some of those guitars are probably sitting in a warehouse someplace without temperature control. I've tried many guitars and never had frets that sharp. They literally made me bleed. I'm used to PRS guitars which put in the time and care. I ended getting a slim body Ovation of all things as my acoustic. It's a great guitar

[@hughbarton5743]

And remember, y'all: Leo was an engineer. He considered, correctly, as to the opportunity to expand production by adding factories as needed. And, of course, using high tech gear and skilled staff.So, he could create some of the greatest guitars.. from lumber...

[@garywaddell6309]

I have the Nashville Tele but think I need more vintage style pickups to get that nice deep blues sound, almost a humbucker style but not humbuckers, any recommendations?

[@davideatwell6577]

Change the bridge pick up to whatever suits you, re - wire the pickup with its' own volume as in my opinion the middle and neck pickups are OK. I have one in Daphne Blue which is just nice in almost every way, they could have painted the headstock though

[@BetweenJobs_Music]

I have the opposite opinion of the previous commentor, but that's fine. Do whatever you want. I like the orginal TexMex bridge pickup in my late 90s Nashville Tele. I tried lots of other pickups for a more traditional Tele sound and came back to that one because it just sounds great for the rock stuff I play. Roll the tone back a bit and you are into Gibson territory, but with a bit more twang. I have settled on a Fat 50's strat pickup in the middle and a 65 Pure Vintage in the neck. The Fat 50's gives great "quack" and midrange, but low output for clarity. The 65 has a little more clarity and scoop, which is what I prefer in the neck. There was nothing wrong with the original full TexMex set though.

[@garywaddell6309]

@@BetweenJobs_Music My Nashville Tele has the Noiseless pickups and I think that may contribute to "veil" that happens over the tones. Interesting to hear about your choice of pickups, I've considered those Fat 50's as well. I don't know if my late model Tele has that TexMex but I don't mind the bridge pickup though. I miss the tones from the neck and middle. I'll also check out that 65 Pure Vintage as well, thanks for your input!

[@hybridnoisebloom]

I have several Fenders made in Mexico, and several other guitars with parts made in Mexico. All of them are above average quality. I'm a fan.

[@africanguitarandworldmusic]

Paracho is the home of guitar manufacturing in Mexico. Some of the world's most renowned luthiers are based there, manufacturing hand made Classical, Flamenco and other acoustic guitars.

[@diecinuevemx]

I used to live near the factory many years ago as Ensenada is my hometown but now I live in Hanoi, Vietnam. I had a few friends working there during that time and around bars and venues you'll see Fender instruments everywhere. I don't know what's the situation of the factory atm but I remember they used to assemble amps there as well. If I'm correct, the Hot Rod lll series were made there. Also in the city of Tecate (in the same Estate), there's a Taylor guitars factory.

[@charlesbolton8471]

Yes, Fender still builds a lot of amps there also.

[@JeromyTimmer]

I’ve got. MIM Player Plus Nashville Telecaster. Plays and sounds great. The rolled fret edges feel great and the noiseless pickups sound great. Build quality is top notch overall.

[@gregmiller7123]

I’ve also got a Player Plus Nashville Tele and I love it. My Strat is the original Player series and after I put a Seymour Duncan JB Jr. pickup in the bridge position it is also really nice.

[@scarcam]

I've had lots of Japanese, Mexican and US Fenders. The only issue for me with the Mexican ones are the tuners, every single one I've owned have packed up due to the heavy strings I use, a set of Gotohs and your sorted.

[@jr0706]

My Strat is a ‘91 MIM. Back then, the body and neck were made in CA and sent south to Ensenada for finishing and wiring it up.

[@Wingman52]

I have a 2017 Fender Special Edition Tele, Butter Scotch. This one had the PU selector moved the back of the switchplater with Volume & Tone forward. I bought for a bit more than $400 back in 2018 I think fom oe of the big internet music retailer, no case. Anyway it's a great guitar. I put Glendale compensating saddles on it which I think was good move, it's very stable tuning-wise. I had to replace a tone knob, which has never happened on any other guitar I've bought new or used and there have been many. Easy, cheap fix. I love the pickups on this thing, they're very quiet, but pretty hot. I replaced the neck PU with a Lollar just to try it. Immediately put the stock PU back on. Great guitar, highly recommend it.

[@shaunw9270]

I own 2 mim Strats , the Jimi Hendrix signature and a 60th anniversary Classic Player 50's . Both great guitars especially the anniversary which has a very thin nitrocellulose finish , thinner than on my US '52 reissue Tele.

[@elducko1951]

The distance from Ensenada to Corona is approximately the same as From Chicago to Indianapolis. I have a Vintera II Bass VI and it has every bit the same build quality as my 1999 AVRI '62 P-Bass!

[@charlies3287]

My only issue with Fender Mexico guitars is that Fender "re-labled" them as the "Player Series", doubled the retail price on them. Other than that? Nothing really.

[@sgholt]

I have a couple MIM and a couple US they all have their own qualities...I have learned how to setup my instruments properly, fret dressing, crowning and soldering :p

[@guitarsfunmods3986]

I think the PRS factory in South Korea is not producing PRS SE guitars anymore. And actually the factory is not owned by PRS, but it is Cort factory. But maybe im wrong, maybe some PRS SE model are still made in South Korea

[@Ronno4691]

My 2001 'MiM' Stratocaster cost me £120.00. It was pre-owned, with a full set Seymour Duncans installed. Which probably reduced the aftermarket price from £360.00 or so! At the time - 2003 - it felt like THE best guitar I ever played and it's a tone monster now having had hours and hours of tweaking and TLC c/o StewMac 😂

[@kosmonument2682]

I recently picked up a Mexican Tele with an ebony fretboard and Vintage '64 pickups. It is basically American-level in spec and the quality is great. For most people, there is no need to pay double.

[@steveliberty]

I've had a couple of Mexican Fenders, but not recent models. I had a Classic 50's telecaster and a Classic 60's Stratocaster. Both were very good quality, and setup nicely for the most part. The Tele had a minor wiring problem which I corrected myself. No issues on the Strat. In my mind, there were only 3 significant differences between those Mexi guitars and the American counterparts. Poly vs Nitro, pickup quality (the Mexi pickups were not bad at all, but perhaps not as good as the American made pickups), and features - the specific Mexican models I had offered basically vintage spec features while most of the American made guitars had more modern features (2 point trem for example). I liked them but eventually moved them along. Then, the last time I decided to buy a Strat, I tried some of the Player original series models. I felt that they were rather inferior in several ways. I ended up buying a used American Vintage Reissue (AVRI). Great guitar, but rather heavy. Then again, I can handle moderately heavy Les Pauls, so it doesn't really bother me. I've never weighed my Strat, but I would guess it is mid to high 8lbs. Speaking of weight, I bought a LP Custom new in 1974, and it was a boat anchor - right around 10lbs. That one is gone for a variety of reasons.

[@thomaswagner6495]

I buy Mexican Fender bodies and use Warmoth necks. Depending on what I'm looking for I use either Fender or DiMarzio pickups. Works for me. Not looking for resale. Not saving any money either. 500 - 600 bucks for the necks I want makes all the difference in the world to me.

[@famousguitars]

I have a Nashville Power Tele that was built in Mexico, and also a Mexican Strat. Love them both!

[@adamdes0t0]

There was a stigma when I was younger about Mexican made stuff but probably not for any good reason. I just picked up a powerhouse strat made in Mexico and it feels great.

[@GlennFordism]

I had a Korean strat which was fantastic quality. I only got rid of it because of the v shaped neck. Glad I held onto my ‘84 Ibanez Roadstar. Good as any strat

[@gilbertduenas6031]

The building you shown isn’t the actual corona factory itself it’s offices and storage for some materials. The entire factory is that building, the big building directly behind it, and the one on the other side of the parking lot

[@scaredypicker]

I really fancy trying the Jason Isbell Tele which is Mexican made. As far as I can tell, one of the best value guitars out there for the features

[@jameslonglove]

I have a player plus nashville telecaster and it's really fantastic. It's Satin neck and rolled edges feel great. It has lots of specs I like.