Is the Player Series really better than the old Mexican Fenders?

[@Philtration]

I walked into a Guitar Center in 2008 to look at acoustic guitars. I saw an Arctic White Strat with a beautiful maple fretboard on the wall and without looking at the price tag I took it down and started playing it. It felt and sounded perfect and I just played and played this guitar. As I stood up to put it back on the wall I flipped over the tag to see it was a MIM start and cost only $350. I was shocked at how good it was. Plugged it into several different amps and it just felt like this guitar had been mine forever and I walked out the door with it. 13 years later I still love it and I don't even bother to try out the new models. I already have my Strat.

[@TomClarkSouthLondon]

That’s great to hear 👍

[@jewelscoop3570]

Just picked up a MIM 97 HSS strat all white with rosewood fretboard in a trade for my washburn. It has some dings and chips but that makes me not worry about bringing it places. Best guitar ive ever played am im so happy its mine

[@justgivenofox9543]

Arctic white with a white pick guard and maple fretboard is what I’m saving up for

[@chrisrva710]

Just picked up a MIM ‘99 strat for $425. Talk about a deal it plays great

[@justgivenofox9543]

@@chrisrva710 I paid $450 for mine!! 2002 MIM, White with a white pickguard with maple fretboard. My first maple fretboard guitar and I freaking love it!!

[@JTanoalegre]

When I saw 20 years I said 1990 :), then I noticed 20 years ago was 2001

[@gregmiller7123]

It gets worse! Wait until your childhood rock heroes are dying due to old age and natural causes instead of overdoses! 😳🤔🤣

[@theceo1]

@@gregmiller7123 oh god yeah

[@stefanwhite3930]

Scarey isn’t it!

[@crusherbmx]

I thought 1980!

[@Nblade1979]

You missed the starting gun🎸🎼

[@konradhof7318]

The earlier Standards had small, vintage-style frets, which I didn’t like. I was glad when they upgraded to medium jumbo. Now I’d like to see the MIM Fenders lose the dark plastic tube that lines the truss rod channel on the headstock. 🎸 That’s one remaining feature that makes them continue to look cheaper than modern USA models.

[@andrewp8641]

I asked my local shop what the difference was between Mexican and American Fender guitars. He said “Mexican Fenders are made in Mexico by Mexicans. American Fenders are made in America by Mexicans.”

[@Zarok64]

😂😂😂

[@squirelova1815]

@@Zarok64 Actually, made by some of the SAME Mexicans that get shuttled to Corona from Baja to work in the American factory too.Why not?

[@HAMMERHEAD-g3h]

That is about 100% accurate. When I lived in California, I got to do a guitar factory tour. The factory was in fact full of Mexicans.

[@squirelova1815]

Ah, yes, and they're many of the same Mexicans from Mexico that come over to also work in the Corona factory too. As long as Quality Assurance is disciplined it matters not much to me.

[@kcsvantasticvoyages9729]

What kinda food are they eating then?😊

[@nickf9392]

Don't know about the guitars coming out of Mexico, but I have recently purchased three or four Fender necks made in Mexico, and they have all been great... no issues, all good, real good, mighty good, good for me, good for you....

[@Pastor_Grant]

As long as you cant feel the frets running your hand up and down the neck, jagged fret are common on MIM. My USA is smooth as butter. Thats my test.

[@rowdyjohnson6026]

Still have my 96 Mexican sunburst strat and she still performs live. I have other guitars, and some that were pretty pricey, but that Mexican strat has been of the most reliable workhorses I have ever owned.

[@forshigity5000]

96 tex mex strats are sleepers

[@PaulBradley-qi9ss]

Give or take a year or so, same story. Love my 90's Mexi-strat

[@ramencurry6672]

They are excellent. I have a 2004 Mexican Strat. After upgrading the parts and fret level, it’s actually better than my USA Strat

[@themeadowlarkminutewithpau8184]

@@PaulBradley-qi9sscorrection it’s a 96’ MIM strat

[@lesblack413]

Not about the guitar, it's about the player. Good players can make a tennis racquet sound great!! Don't blame the tools, an old tradesman once told me!!

[@ricardobarron8081]

I have a Player Series Strat which I've had for two years. Out of the gate it was perfect. No issues whatsoever and the playability was fantastic. Usually when I buy a guitar it requires some work. With this one all I had to do was play it. I got it for a little under $600 out the door. and I couldn't be happier. I might upgrade to locking tuners, but it's fine now. Nice playing BTW.

[@hopper1]

I put Fender locking tuners on my old '98 Mexicaster and couldn't be more happy.

[@gregmiller7123]

I have the Player series as well and besides putting Fender locking tuners on it, I switched the bridge pickup out and installed a Seymour Duncan JB Jr. mini-humbacker in its place. Basically turned it into a HSS version without doing any additional routing. Added more bite to the guitar and I couldn't be happier with it!

[@AliensWanted]

I just traded away a Player Plus series that was lovely, but the radius was not as comfortable (12" versus 9.5"). GC was having a sale and I tried literally every Strat they had under $1,000 and walked out with a maple fretboard Surf Pearl Green Player SSS, $649. Outplayed even a few American models I played to be sure. Manager pulled me aside and said "That one has some magic, good decision, it's my favorite one on our wall."

[@gmjsimmons]

Great job of trusting your ear about the pickups rather than buying the line that ceramic pickups are inferior. The old Mex ceramics had a warm and, in my mind, pleasant sound. Your old Mex fingerboard is a real-world relic and a testament to your dedication to mastering the instrument. Great playing.

[@kensolo6793]

I definitely liked the tone of the 2001 better, although there wasn't much difference overall. And yes, my older MIM's I have rewired so that my bridge pup is controlled the 2nd tone knob. It's an easy mod if you are comfortable with soldering. Great comparison and based on your comparison, yes there are some changes over 20 years but it seems to me still the same value overall between the 2.

[@andrewcharleton3951]

A very well put together and informative video. Just bought a Player in sunburst and I must say I am very impressed. Still would have liked a USA Pro but they are getting very expensive and the Player is a lot of guitar for the money.

[@lucaswallo8127]

Yeah

[@Gma7788]

Wrong way to think about it. The image of your guitar will appear to be a wooden guitar with a spotlight on it.

[@ASM881]

I just purchased a new player series made in Mexico P. It’s the best bass I’ve ever had, it’s crisp, clean, well made and it can give you all the classic tones you want from THE definitive Bass. When you hold it standing up with a strap, you feel the power of that true American classic.

[@277southtombob]

I’ve bought several MIM Strats over the years and I’ve been very happy with all of them. I tend to swap around pickups on most Strats anyway and set them up since I use heavier strings than the 9s they come setup for. The only real difference between a US and a Mex standard when you customize them is the 5 minutes it takes to smooth the fret ends a bit on the MIM (and I have put brass tremolo blocks on a couple but American Strats don’t come with brass blocks either). I will say I have a Am Standard with Fat 50’s that’s pretty much stock except for a pick guard swap which is just cosmetic.

[@277southtombob]

@M Tech I miss the MIM Standard. You could pick them up used for $250-$300. I never liked the pickups on them but they were a great base for customizing. I guess the Classic Vibe Squier has taken their place although the CVs tend to have great sounding pickups.

[@voodoochild1975az]

Sort of a way I think of them. MIA I judge by what it is. MIM I judge by what it could be. I like working on guitars. I've done it for fun. Something kinda zen about it. Queue up some music and do a set up, or some soldering... So when my brand spanking new MIM Strat had a dry rough pao ferro board (as they all do now it seems), I shrug and reach for my 0000 steel wool and F-One oil. I have solved that problem permanently fretboard is as smooth as glass, and perfectly oiled now. Well polished and oiled pao ferro makes rosewood look ugly by comparison. I actually hate the string tree on my Player Strat. It's binding on the E string, probably B too. But... the MIA style string tress are 2 in a pack for $10, in stock at my local GC. The set up was OK at best out of the box, but I forgive that, how can Fender know how I want it set up before I buy it?!? It's a roughed in set up I'd say. I finished the set up is all. Got it nice too. Really solid fretwork. LEVEL and well polished from factory, so I got the action spooky low with no fretting out. The thing is, if I bought a brand new MIA, I'd still have to do a set up, even if, the MIA has better action out of the box. I run 10s or 11's, not 9s. That change means everything on a Strat goes out of whack, bridge pulls up too high and everything goes off. So I'm committed to a set up anyway. May as well polish the fretboard and oil it while I change strings... and if a string tree bothers me, why do I care when the $10 official Fender part solution is hanging on a wall a few miles away? The fix is an extra $10 and an extra 5 minutes next string change. Shrug. I really don't care about it, even as it annoys me.

[@slimkickens]

My 02 standard strat is one of the nicest guitars I've ever played. I can't judge it on sound, as I've long since replaced the pickups, but it feels so good in my hands

[@MN-de]

These are both really nice sounding guitars. Slightly different but good sounding. For me -as a bassist but i think it is similar with guitars- more important is the overall feel and playability. Especially from the neck

[@mattmarcz7574]

I have a 2004 MIM. Upgraded everything, except the neck and body. It has fender yosemite pickups and a fulltone brass block, locking tuners, USA pots, tusk nut. Sounds and plays incredble, sustains for days

[@Little3888]

Interesting. If we're only talking about the neck and body (ignoring electrics and hardware), is there much difference between your 2004 MIM Strat and US Strat? Is the MIM poly finish a thicker or thinner than a 20 or 30 year old US Strat?

[@timwhite5562]

I've worked as a luthier for 15 years before moving to amps. The only thing i didn't like about the MIMs were the thick polyester finishes. It's actually been a deal breaker a few times. I find the more recent ones have a much better, thinner finish. No, i don't find that lacquer finishes have a better "tone" than polyester. I do however find quiet a difference in feel and response. I can feel the guitar playing more on thinner finish. I think the big problem with these arguments (along with Rosewood vs maple and things like that) come from miscommunication far more than any actual difference of opinions. We use ubiquitous terms like "tone" "bright" "warm" etc, without there being a consensus on what they actually mean. I find "tone" being used when feel or response is a far more accurate description. Another is "nitro vs poly." The argument started in the late 60s and into the 70s and was specifically about Fender, and was actually "lacquer vs polyester." Now people lump polyester and polyurethane together, and they're VERY different. When a urethane finish is done well, not only can it sound as good as Lacquer, but can actually sound better because you can use a much thinner coat than you can with Lacquer. The differences that I find are not something you'd likely be able to differentiate by watching a video or listening to a sound clip, even with the best headphones and recording. It's mostly in resonance, attack and sustain which is far more noticeable when you're playing it or hearing it in person. All the compression that happens in Recording, coupled with how it sounds from listening through speakers pretty much levels all that out. There's no better example of this than when you compare drums in a recording vs live. If you've only ever heard a snare drum in a recording you'd likely find it sounds almost nothing like when you hit the snare yourself or are in the same room. When I first really started listening to music that was something i couldn't understand; why do drums on an album sound so different than live? I was unaware of compression. You can have a drummer in a recording lightly tapping a cymbal with that Tss, Tit, tss tss (think jazz) and then slamming the snare, and the volume you'll hear it's pretty much exactly the same. This certainly isn't the case when you do it live. The only difference you may be able to judge listening through a recording is going to be in the EQ curve. This is also why i find trying to find out how a pickup will sound is really only marginally better than just reading a description. At least for everything beyond the difference in EQ. *Jesus. I need to stop using voice typing. Just a minute or 2 of talking ends up being the length of a novel.

[@ThatMattGoodMusic]

Agree with you on the finish thing - my 2010 MIM feels really dull and lifeless compared to pretty much any other of my guitars!

[@Ndlanding]

I don't mean to interrupt you, but...

[@carlosa.sencion6516]

@@ThatMattGoodMusic A big part of that lifeless and dull sound comes from the bridge, the factory installed zinc block doesn't help the guitar sonically.

[@engell3707]

@@Ndlanding 😂

[@Ndlanding]

I've just come back and patiently re-read your post. I couldn't agree with you more, and although I'm not a major jazz fan, I do go to some small gigs and the tones you hear are never heard on records. And I mean all of the instruments, and even how the sounds interact.

[@poodlerooney]

Great review and really great playing! Thanks for playing with a clean tone.

[@Ndlanding]

I heard it as mostly distorted or at least crunchy/broken-up.

[@Planted_Jungle_Daddy]

Both are great guitars! I have a Player Series in the Surf Green it needed a set up at first but that is not uncommon for most new guitars. I replaced the pickups with Fender Yosemite pickups which are in the Fender American Performer. I love mine! (I also own a Sunburst Squier Strat which I put Fender Tex Mex pickups into and I love that guitar too!)

[@jameswhittington4405]

Great comparison between the two. I think you covered all the bases. The video answered all of my questions. Nice job! 👍 Thanks.

[@RaZeRx09]

Just got my own player series the other week and love it! Out of the box it did have an issue with the nut making a sitar-y sound on some strings. But after I got a shop to clean up the nut, I've had no other complaints.

[@asambatyon]

I think the old mexican strats really cut some corners that the newer don't. I have a 1999 HSS mexican strat and what I noticed was the following: 1. The reason the neck wears like it odes has to do with how thin the lacquer coat is. I noticed when I sanded the back to add some tru-oil. The 2019 took a while, the 1999 was through in seconds. Also, once refretted, the new coat of lacquer is going strong. 2. The frets just wore off so fast, that I crowned the frets twice in the last 5 years (there was a very long period of time where I did not play) and then I had to refret it. It is the only guitar I have had to do even a crowning job. 3. The trem block sucks, big time. It just was cut in half with very little mass, and one couldn't even add a spring to lock the trem-arm because it was a hole. I switched for a massive trem block and to my surprise, was the single most noticeable change to improve the tone of my guitar. I couln't even believe it. 4. The wiring was bad. I had an HSS but it was wired like an SSS. It just made the humbucker position sound awful and it was the main reason I went into the rabbit hole of modifying guitars. Something that doesn't seem to bother me much, is that the body of those old mexican strats was neither Alder nor Ash, but Poplar (I figure that out while checking old fender listings). That being said. I still love that guitar, and with the modifications I made, it became my favourite clean tones guitar. But the newer are built with better quality components.

[@KyLesCaster]

The trem block point you made makes no sense. The modern Player's series has the thinner block compared to the fullblock the Mexican Standard's had. Literally walk into your local guitar store and take a look.

[@markbrown7103]

I bought a Sunburst Strat in 1976. I paid $350 for it with a hard shell case to boot more. They’ve really gone up since then. Wow.👍🏼🎸😀

[@jonsnow7092]

$350 in 1976, is about $2000 today. right around the price point of the higher end American Stratocasters, like the American Vintage series.

[@schnepf13]

Hey Jules, I also have a MIM Strat from '01 and a Player Strat (same Tidepool color!) that I bought in February. Both great guitars overall. I do prefer the sound of the new Alnico pickups and I think the newer 2 point tremolo bridge on the Player is an improvement. But the old MIM remains my most comfortable guitar to play. I had originally planned to sell the old Strat after getting the new one, but now I'm having trouble parting with it after all this time. Will probably experiment with some different pickups and will eventually take it in to the shop for a refret!

[@rhythmjones]

As always, the improvement of the pickups included in low and mid-priced guitars over this period makes all the difference, not counting price.

[@Gma7788]

If there's enough of you whingers out there, manufacturers will make a change. But you're not improving the product. You're just being given a different product.

[@lespauldisciple3349]

I have four Fender Strats, all MiM. I have an SSS' Standard from 2013, an 'HSH' Standard from 2016, the 2017 Hendrix Monterey Strat and a 2019 Player Series. And I love all of them. But... The Monterey sounds the best. Whatever pickups Fender used in the Monterey (Vintera 60's perhaps?), they should've put those in the Player Series. I guess I'm an outlier but I thought the "new and improved" Alnico V's in the Player just sounded thin and clanky. I replaced them with a set of the ceramic pups that came in the now discontinued MiM Standards and haven't looked back. Those ceramics are really versatile. And they sound great on a Marshall DSL with the gain cranked. Remember folks, if you don't have at least three Fender Strats then you're just not trying hard enough. #FENDER4EVER

[@russelllucas1043]

I agree, the new alnico 5 sound thin and weak.

[@squirelova1815]

Oh yes, I am so VERY glad that I grabbed a usually $800 Fender Blacktop HH at a 'clearance' sale price of under $500 before they disappeared and then grabbed a Standard HSH model before they vanished from the catalog as well, also on sale, with the "Super Switch" wiring in it too. I doubt I could ever part with them since they are such really Superb instruments all around and especially both being a "steal" of a Deal. They are both as well made and performing as my 2013 American Standard in Quality and sound, just different of course.

[@markgarner2725]

I have a limited edition HSH Strat in 'ghost silver' with the Blacktop pups. (It came in white, black and ghost silver. Is this the model you bought? Mine came out shortly before Fender ended the MiM Standard Series and introduced the Player Series. Somewhere around 2016. (This coincided with the replacement of rosewood for pau ferro on MiM's.) The Blacktops sounded great with distortion, but the clean sound was rather underwhelming, so I completely rewired it as an HH with the Dimarzio Rhoads set (Super Distortion and PAF) and installed a single coil in the middle for cosmetic reasons so I could reuse the stock pickguard. To say it sounds incredible would be an understatement. I call her "Stormbringer." One neat aspect is that the published specs when I purchased it listed a pao ferro fretboard. You can imagine my surprise when, after a few years, the originally light colored fretboard turned black. Yep. ROSEWOOD. #SCORE! People hear "Super Distortion" and immediately think 'shred' but that pickup sounds awesome clean. Just ask Al DiMeola. (I didn't set out to clone Dave Murray's '57, but that's what I ended up with.)

[@squirelova1815]

@@markgarner2725 Ah yes, Thank You for the DiMarzio recommendation as I already do like Ibanez Infinity pups that are supposed to be DiMarzio inspired and I wondered if a So Cal Charvel with DiMarzios might be worth owning too. I don't think my Black HSH "Standard" MIM Strat was a Limited Edition but I did purposely avoid any Floyd Rose models only because I prefer the SuperVee BladeRunner replacement bridges that never wear out but it's nice to have an easily replaceable metal Floyd Rose nut too instead of worrying about worn nut slots. I actually ordered the "Standard" HH Strat , from Guitar Center I believe, ( instead of the HSH ) but, Luckily...GC made a Big "Mistake" and sent me the HSH with the Pau Ferro board which I much prefer anyhow (less porous and less prone to drying out and crumbling) and THAT "mistake" turned out to be the PERFECT guitar instead actually, since I had the superb MIM "Blacktop" in HH already, see? I was "over the Moon" with delight when I realized what I had in my hands with all of those "Super Switch" switching options! So, btw, I now have not one but Two Ibanez AZES40's just because of their 25" scales and Dyna-MIX9 switching options too plus they are only $350 (?!) and come with an ultra durable one piece "Mono Jack". I find that anything Perfectly Great at a Low price usually disappears rather quickly from catalogs, no? My regular "lowly" MIM Standard HSH to me is just like having a 'Custom Shop' 9.5" Radius American made So-Cal Charvel with the 'Football' jack up top (that suits me better sitting down) and a Pau Ferro board to boot. The Blacktop pickups sound really Excellent to me and are/where somewhat of a Legend on forums. Some people get all excited about Classic or Luxury cars (Yaawwn! Just give me a Toyota 4Runner all day long) but I really only get ecstatic over well crafted, Versatile Amps or guitars that don't cost more than a mortgage payment. That's why a Roland JC-40 looks like a Pirate's Treasure to me: Lighter, smaller, Affordable, sounds Awesome, takes all pedals and is like Terminator tough without fancy light bulbs to re-bias.

[@markgarner2725]

@squirelova1815 Mine doesn't have a Floyd. It has the standard trem unit. (I'm not a Floyd guy.)

[@Adam_T]

Mex Standards had varying QC too , even down to a neck which wasn`t fully level in the pocket on a 2006 tele I had (it was down to lacquer which had run in and hadn`t been cleaned away before the neck was fitted) , bad fretwork etc . "made in Mexico" and the serial number moved to the back of the headstock around 2009/10 on the standards and the QC seemed to improve about the same time . I like the way they all use the same CTS pots and open switches as the USA models .. Routing on the player series is perfect and amazingly clean , Standards / Classics (and even 90s USAs) can look messy under the guard and in the trem routing ..

[@Sean-qw3lw]

From the sounds, I prefer the later model. Some of the new top end MIM Fenders like the Vinteras look interesting also. Nice playing btw.

[@Gma7788]

So you like a clear broadcast sound product. The other is a fuzzy broadcast sound. Vintage AM radio sounds.

[@frlfda]

This matches my experience and observations almost perfectly. I had a '96 Mexican, and now have a '21 Player, neither is better or worse, just different. I actually kind of lean towards the older ones really.

[@robblair3703]

I really liked my 2005 MIM Standard Strat, but the Player Series adressed every single criticism I ever had of it, so whilst I remember my old one with much fondness and do wish I hadn't sold it, there is no doubt in my mind that my current Player Series Strat is a much better guitar. That is subjective, of course. I prefer the trem set up, I massively prefer the pickups, the tone control on the bridge pickup is an addition that the old ones were crying out for, the 22nd fret makes it much more usable and I like the glossy fingerboard better than the old satin finished ones.

[@noska6877]

If you prefer the vintage style, get a Vintera strat. They're only around 100 or 200 more than the player series and you get the bent steel saddles, vintage tuners and vintage voiced pickups with some beautiful colors.

[@rattlehead001]

That’s good to know. I still miss my 2004 MIM strat that I sold years ago. I wasn’t fond of the pickups especially the bridge. I may have to get myself a Player series soon.

[@prinskipperskipple]

I like to float my bridge, and I like the sparkle of AlNico pups (although I don’t mind ceramics as well)-it’s player series all the way for me. If I didn’t have a classic player I already love, I’d pick one up. Great comparison video, and I do like that vibrant burst on the old MIM 🔥

[@bobmurphy3061]

I upgraded the pickups in my 2015 MIM Strat and it made a world of difference. I installed the vintage 50s type and new pots. The guitars fit and finish were superb and now it plays great.

[@Childofbhaal]

I also have a 2015 MIM Strat and it’s killer. I put custom shop ‘69 pickups in it and its awesome. I’m going to sell it though I just got a G&L ASAT and that’s all the guitar I’ll need

[@calvinevans6347]

I agree. The player series is a slight upgrade and is simply more articulate than the other.

[@justme8108]

That's the old strat sound.

[@peterkovacs1108]

I have both too. One is not better or worse than the other, they are different. Both have great tone and play really well. With the utmost of respect, Many of these videos are made for the "Strat Boffin". If you are a normal guy who just wants to play a great guitar then either of these are perfectly acceptable and would be playable in any arena in the world and produce an excellent sound. One must not listen to all the BS regarding these guitars, they are all very good guitars. The manufacturers are out to get ya !

[@nicolasdelcastillo6497]

The older Standard has ceramic pickups that are more punchy. The Player has Alnico which has more of the classic snap but less mids. That's. It.

[@matthewrevell2706]

The two point trem is a big change.

[@carlosa.sencion6516]

Newer MIM are objectively better: bigger bridge block, better pickups, shielded cavity paint and better wood selection.

[@chancemiller9340]

@@carlosa.sencion6516- The bridge block is massive in the Player series compared to the other Strats currently made. Pretty much everything about the Player series is better than the 20 year-old model.

[@jimmyjames2022]

I love me the chimey Player Alnico 5 pickups. I have Pau Ferro and it is as slippery as ebony for me. Enjoyed your Strat comparison and playing demos!

[@HK_Musician]

Perfect video showing side by side the sound difference. That's all I came to hear. Thanks 👍

[@LucaLindemann]

Great demo. I prefer the old Mex pickup, but i think the general improvements on the new one, I think I'll look for the second one. At least, a change of pickup is not that crazy... Great video and playing 👏🏼👏🏼👍🏼

[@williamdevlin366]

Great stuff man!!! I dig them both. The blue one sounds mellower to me but I’m 60 with tinnitus. It sounds a little bit warmer but 100% YOU on a Strat regardless!!! Thank you!!!

[@continentalaquatics2725]

The newer one sounds better. The pickups sound warmer, yet it still retains that Strat “spank” that it’s known for.

[@baadtaste1337]

The sunburst one is warmer? But the new one might have more clarity... (hmm its Mp3)

[@terrygore115]

Both are great guitars and I have both. For me the Players Series are better. Amongst all the upgrades the Players Series received over the Standard my favorite is the dedicated tone pot for the bridge pickup.

[@stephanvenner2939]

After all the years I needed an Upgrade.My old Standard Tele was really worn Out so I bought me the Player Series one.The handling is the Same but they sound clearer and more defined.

[@samsmart111]

wow what a big difference in the sound of these two guitars. To me, the player sounds much much better. Much more like i expect a strat to sound. And btw, love your soulful playing!

[@TomJakobW]

Much brighter and more pronounced!

[@finishin.my.coffee8780]

I had a MIM Strat, bought new in 1999. I bought another brand new in 2018. The 2018 was way better built, heavier, and sounded better than the 1999.

[@calvinevans6347]

Is that right? Because all others, so far, disagree. Good to know, however.

[@finishin.my.coffee8780]

@@calvinevans6347 Maybe I just lucked out. I don't know. But the 2018 one was just better in so many ways.

[@MrInfinite43]

They switched to alder in 2006 and alnicos in 2018

[@philipelstone4850]

I've got a 1999 MIM strat and it's better than my American strat.

[@nicksavanah5966]

I've got a player strat, tele and jazzmaster, lucky for me and all 3 are perfect, well done Mexico.

[@GameLevelEditor]

Great demo comparison! I'm onboard with the appearance of the headstock on the player and the addition of the extra fret. Satin vs gloss maple neck, 6 screw vs 2 point trem and pickup types becomes more a preference thing depending on the tone, setup feel your after I suppose.

[@Ndlanding]

When you say you are onboard, does that mean you are a jack tar?

[@おいしいパスター]

THE. THE. THE. JUST THE. JUST THE. JUST THE BEST. Just THE BEST GUITAR COMPARISON VIDEO IN THE WORLD! Thank you. Just one thing for me, a tone knob for the bridge is a huge upgrade when it comes to a single coil bridge. Even strats that are worth my 2 month rent are total garbage if they don't have a the tone for the bridge single coil. the player strat = perfect in that regard.

[@KRAZEEIZATION]

Early MIM were dogs, from 2000 on they’re fine once you upgrade the pups. The latest MIM are fantastic. The only thing is the frets are getting bigger! I find myself playing MIM 9/10 even though I’ve 4 USA Fenders. I prefer the sound of your 2001 guitar here. I like the medium frets on that era.

[@jeffmckinnon5842]

In 1999, I bought my first MIM strat. The frets wore out in 6 months of heavy use and Fender did nothing to resolve the issue. I didn't try another one until the Classic Series came out many years after. I still have no interest in those older Mexican strats for that same reason. They couldn't have built just one with soft frets.

[@bartlettpsj]

@@jeffmckinnon5842 actually I have a mim 2001 also the frets very low. I loved playing that guitar but frets wore and needed a refret - which local repair shop wanted $350 - so I just bought a new neck for $199. It’s good but original neck better.

[@davidwright9550]

I’ve got a ‘99 MIM that was my first Strat, and it is as good today as it was when I purchased it. I own a couple of high end Strats ( Jeff Beck ) being one of them, but the MIM still holds its own with all of them. I love it!

[@PaulBradley-qi9ss]

I have a MIM strat from 1994 and same thing. Sounds great. Just a workhorse. I love that thing.

[@bellinghammond]

Just got a Lake placid blue 99 mim squier strat. The neck is fantastic. Did you happen to change out the bridge on yours? if so, to what?

[@TauRiOneill]

They both sound great along with your playing. I’d say the burst is a little darker and higher output while the Player sounds more open, more “Straty”. Especially in the 2 and 4 positions. They both have their uses.

[@gothops154]

The pick up heights are visibly different between the two guitars, that probably has something to do with it too

[@Gma7788]

But you'll have to deal with the 2 different images these guitars make.

[@MultiSpeedr]

The Newer strat sounds a little nicer to me for most things...

[@chancemiller9340]

It's definitely superior... in almost every way.

[@musenw8834]

With more warmer tones definitely.

[@ericlewis217]

Have a Standard Sunburst/maple from '03, Changed tuners to vintage and the trem block from thin to thick, otherwise its the same. The pickup cover has aged beautifully. I have no desire to buy another from the standard/player series. Nice overview here. thank you

[@rushrulz65]

20 year old had a little higher output and a little more zing. Players just has a smooth blues sound. Each set of pickups would sound amazing for most anything but each might have a niche where it would fit just slightly better than the other. Have a Players strat SSS and love it. The maple neck is perfect. Traded away my Am Pro Tele recently on an acoustic as I rarely played it any more. Yeah, players is really good.

[@lenduckworth99]

I am a guitar tech who works on lots of Strats. Mexican has definitely improved massively from about 2016 onwards. There are many ways that the Mexican guitars are now better than the US Performer series.

[@kidwajagstang]

I’d love to see a comparison of this new Player guitar with a 20 year old Deluxe series Mexican Fender and with the Mexican Custom Shop designed series from the early 2000’s

[@rich655]

The new Player series of guitars are fantastic! I own 3 Player Plus Top Stratocasters and they are amazing! The quality of Mexican Fenders has improved exponentially! Aside from the Players I own several other MIM Fenders and they too are fantastic!

[@nasticanasta]

sounds to me like you got played

[@jasondorsey7110]

@@nasticanasta not necessarily, I own 3 mustang pj basses, all with different pickups, it's nice to have options in an instrument you like the playing feel of, but if you spec all three to sound identical, then it wouldn't make much sense to me

[@adoregospelguitars504]

A very honest assessment. I liked the opinion on alnico vs ceramic pick ups. Thanks

[@jonathanaspinall736]

Great video, just picked one up last week, used but not used if you get me - still had the film on the scratch plate. Great playing by the way!

[@crowhaven200]

I much prefer the 6 screw trem over the 2 pin. And I float my trems. And use them. I have several of both styles, I haven't found the two pin works better. It drives me crazy when people say the 2 pin is better. I don't own a player series, I am comparing with my 2012-2013 MIM's with USA Made strats I have. I always gravitate back to my MIM strats. I am very happy to have them. I like the ceramic pickups too. One reason is the pole pieces on the MIM's I have follow the neck radius, they are not staggered like the vintage single coils.

[@PartScavenger]

I've owned three mexicans and they are nothing compared to the new Player Series. The new ones are so much better made. My old ones required so much work to be playable -- frets not level, sticking out, wiring issues, input jack getting loose, etc.

[@RhysHoneMusic]

I love the warmth of the older one. To be honest the sound so different that both would be good for different circumstances

[@sirhc2242]

Came here from the Squier Tele comparison video and subscribed! Love this style of video. I personally really like the old MIM Fender logo, just because it reminds me of the first Fender Strat I ever played, which obviously was an early ninties. Would love to have either of these Strats!

[@JulesGuitar]

Thanks, really good to hear you enjoyed watching

[@SwainBjornstrandt]

The player has a nicer sound to my ears, brighter and cleaner. Great vid man. Cheers!!!

[@VPicksGuitarPicks]

I agree the new one is a bit nicer. However, I would replace the pickups with ceramic. I heard an immediate difference. Just my taste. At first I thought it was pickup height because they are not adjusted the same. Great video. I very much enjoyed it. BTW, You are a great player! Also, never heard it called a "spaghetti logo". That's a good one. ; ^ )

[@glenkepic3208]

I loved the MIM Strat's. Played one in a shop in '96 or so,,, consignment/used shop for a store. Blk/RWB. Great ! 'Not for sale'. Rental only. Suggested going to the main store. I did. Not in stock. Stop by another shop and buy a MIA Peavey Predator DX (Turbo)in black and a gb, strap and all for $225. Needs a 5 way switch these days but otherwise one of the best gear buys of my life.

[@daleandrews3698]

Brilliant vid, thank you! I have a 2001 mex sunburst/maple neck, I've upgraded the electrics and pickups and plays as good as any of the many USAs that I own.

[@joacimabinger5455]

I just love my 1991 MIM with original Squierbody, it's so warm and rich sounding... :)

[@giovannimancuso8651]

Really? My 1991 MIM white strat was pure shit it even had paint errors and yes it had the squier body. Thank god I got rid of that shit

[@jameshawkins6760]

@@giovannimancuso8651 That's interesting. I've got a 1994 MIM white strat "Squier Series" and the only complaints I have are that the tuners aren't very good and I had to fix the input jack a few times. I thought the Squier Series was only made from 1994-1998. Is this different from your 1991 MIM with Squier body models?

[@giovannimancuso8651]

@@jameshawkins6760 We're talking about an odd Fender/ Squier from the very first year of production at the ensenada facility in Mexico, those were made out of poplar korean squier bodies, the one that you mention are indeed fenders with the small logo in the headstock that says squier series. coming back to the 1991 Fender / Squier those are pure garbage in my opinion

[@philsequeira3180]

Been on my mind, I have a 2001 SSH MIM that I bought new. Thanks for the side by side!!

[@BikerBry]

The nut on my Player series was actually cracked - I had it replaced with a bone nut and all my Fenders get locking, staggered tuners, no problems and a great upgrade. Also, I replaced the coat hanger string tree with a Graphtech tree.

[@Mexxx65]

Mind, dropping a link, to the Graphtech tree you ended up going with, on your Player?

[@pedropinzon9163]

Mexico has ceased to be Fender's entry-level range years ago: that place is now occupied by Squier, which has ceased to be treated as an alternative brand to become fully integrated into the Fender catalog and its website. Although there are substantial price differences between US, Mexican and Squier guitars, many believe that it is more a marketing issue than a real quality issue. In fact, the passing of the years has narrowed the quality gap between production in the USA, Mexico and Asia in such a way that many see Fender's operation in the USA and Mexico as an unfeasible affair in a few years, mainly due to the disadvantages in costs.

[@brightwings7788]

I am surprised at how different the guitars sound from each other. I like both for different reasons. Hard to say one is better than the other, but I think I like the older pickups a little better. Nice video.

[@robeckvidz]

Just picked mine up today in 3 colour sunburst and have spent a few hours giving it the once over. Needed a little bit of work: the low E and G strings weren't intonated properly. Easily fixed. The hi E and B strings also pinged like buggery at the nut so I used some Nut Sauce to solve that problem. The whammy bar is very loose so I now have the Fender springs on order to make it more usable. Apart from these minor setup issues, I am over the moon with this guitar. The pickups are exactly what I was hoping for - chimey, twangy, bright and fairly low output - classic Fender. The neck is very comfortable and the action is surprisingly low. The fit and finish are beautiful so, all in all, I'm very pleased with the Player. I almost went for the cheaper Squier CV 50s which I know is also an excellent guitar but I'm glad I splashed the extra cash.

[@An2oine]

They both sound great. I like the six screw bridge. I actually like the ceramic pickups. I like the new control design.

[@maddmatt55]

I’ve got a FSR player Strat that has Custom Shop Fat 50s pups!! Absolutely amazing sound - I’ve had a Custom shop Strat and my player sounds just as good!!

[@tuckerlane7995]

I think the player is SIGNIFICANTLY better

[@JulesGuitar]

You’re probably right, maybe I’m biased by my 20 year relationship with the standard 😀

[@Orion1205]

@@JulesGuitar I don't know what these guys are talking about. To me the newer one sounds way more like it's processed or something to sound too perfect. The older one sounds more snappy and organic to my ears.

[@christoguichard4311]

Nah.. disagree.

[@michaelsingley5641]

Like both. Like to have a variety of guitars that are not the same. Different tools in the box. Good job.

[@reverbchorusdelay]

The pickups sound much better in the new one. That said, having owned a few player series guitars I’ve never bonded with one with how it feels. I think the Squier Classic Vibe stuff feels and looks better. But that’s personal preference as I prefer a gloss neck and vintage tuners.

[@peterklein5861]

Haven't tried the strats but definitely agree with the teles.

[@GameLevelEditor]

After some mods Squier Classic Vibes can rival or exceed "some" Fender series strats and I've owned vintage strats from the late 60s, early 70s and a few modern ones. I did some fret work, replaced the potentiometers, 5 way switch, pickups ( your choice I went with the dimarzio area series ) a genuine fender tremolo / full sized inertia block. A few hundred extra to accomplish what I felt needed addressing to make it just right. The nice thing is you don't have to do it all at once but over a duration of time.

[@hermnnsingh1538]

@@GameLevelEditor can you recommend upgrades to make it sound bluesy, warm, open and clean, like not sharp clean you know, the warmer bluesy kind

[@Baci302]

How it feels is sooo important to me too. We can always change the pickups/electronics.

[@smelltheglove2038]

My problem with my classic vibe strat is that one of my bridge screws was stripped when I got it home. I like to float my bridge but now I have to drill out the fucking screw. I’m fucking hot about it too.

[@MarkFeaGuitar]

Just picked up a new "B-stock" Player. I've got 5 or 6 Strats. It's very Stratty. Quality is ok - some minor things I haven't experienced on my US guitars, so I can't rate it too highly, but it does play well. It does seem more susceptible to the right amp set-up though. Maybe I've just gotta get used to it! Good video mate!

[@sofakingphat8087]

When I am shopping for a new guitar, I always consider what the resale value will be in 20 years. I feel like if you buy a quality guitar it should last you 20 years without any severe complications or modifications. I find myself looking for made in Japan guitars because they have a better resell value and honestly the craftsmanship is much better. I often visit pawn stores and do price checks. The maid in Japan models always sell for more. 8:33

[@Fawkes1978]

Hello, Try putting a small spacer under the string tree. You can use Eric Clapton signature or 50s and 60s vintage headstocks for reference. The B and the high E do not need that much break angle over the nut.

[@calvinevans6347]

Thank you for the suggestion! I will investigate.

[@Fawkes1978]

@@calvinevans6347 You're welcome. You can also check Henning Pauly's video on the player series Strat and Tele. He replaces the original one with a Graphtech string tree. I think Friedman guitars use Graphtech as well.

[@steveburrows101]

Thank you for this, great comparison. I listened hard throughout and consistently preferred the sound of the new Player series - but my everyday goto is an "Elite" strat with the Gen 4 Noiseless pups.

[@lurkerfromthebay]

I’ll always love the old 80s-00s headstocks with the serial number and series all on the front

[@Geetarman69420]

Me too

[@rafaelyacub]

At 7:32, you mentioned that both guitars are made of alder. However, several articles state that Mexican Strats used poplar until 2002. Since your Mexican Strat's serial number starts with MZ0, indicating it was made around 2000-2001 with Poplar. I am just a little bit confuse about this 😁🙏

[@Spartanm333]

Thanks for the intel - nice to see a then and now comparison in real terms. I am considering a player Telecaster at the moment although I have a set of upgrades lined up to bring it to where I want it including Tonerider pickup replacements. I would add that the nut and action pretty much need setting up on all new guitars - even (actually especially) a £2,500 Gibson ES335. The nuts are left high at the factory so that they can be adjusted down to the players preference - if they were cut low ready for what many view as a fast action, players who prefer a high action (for blues for example to dig in as Robben Ford suggests), they would have to replace the nut. The other thing a high nut (and bridge) hides is fret issues from irregular fret level and a neck on which the relief has moved, maybe due to 4 months in a factory box. Generally nuts are not cut that well and guitars ship with light gauge strings. On a Tele for example they might ship with 9s / 10s when almost every blues / rock / jazz i.e. traditional player will want 11 or 12s. These heavier gauge strings will bind in the nut channels so its a necessity to re-cut the nut in any respect and if the nut is cheap plastic (various brand names used) its worth replacing this with a bone nut or Graphtech. Brass and Titanium are alternatives although they change the tone significantly so not recommended unless you are investigating this. I have titanium (and saddles) on a CS Gibson SG and it sustains to heaven but is a little too clean and cutting for subtle playing. The Player series can be used by stage musicians with relatively cheap mods* and a first set up. £45 for a first setup with a decent local luthier (not the selling shop) is a sound investment. He will advise on what is and isn't important and blow some of the myths (like the value of vintage wiring). It is a proper guitar and this investment avoids the risk to expensive vintage or custom shop guitars due to damage on theft. Amped up with a band in front of a crowd, no one is going to criticise the nuance of the tone on your player due to cheaper Alder rather than say mahogany or maple in the woods. * Nut, strings, tuners and pickups (optional to tone / taste). Tuners if you are going on stage - you want rock solid tuning. The stock ones are OK for home, practice.

[@spencerfreed6947]

Fender offers the Performer Series now that's an American made entry level at about $1200. I bought a Performer Tele in their Penny finish. Other than it being a poly finish (I'd prefer nitro) it's a fantastic guitar! Especially with the new Yosemite pickups and Grease bucket tone circuit. The neck has nicely finished rolled frets and a Satin finish. Mine didn't come setup properly and it had a small chip in the nut, so Sam Ash refunded me a few hundred dollars to avoid me returning it. As a result I got lucky and mine only ended up being just under $900 out the door. Doing side by side comparisons with the Player, Vintera Roadworn and Performer Series, I definitely noticed distinct differences. To me the Performer definitely felt a step above and the pickups really shined. Great video!!!

[@appetiteforguitar]

Really great video! I've got the newer MIM strat and I love it. It excels at clean tones. But.... I've been drawn to playing more rock overdriven tones recently and I've found it a bit timid. To my ears your older MIM sounds a lot more aggressive for overdriven lead stuff. Interesting! Pickup position can make a difference so maybe adjusting the height can give some extra bite on the newer MIM. Both lovely guitars and sound very good though.

[@retiredguyadventures6211]

That's one of the reasons I got an HSS Player strat.

[@leonarddaneman810]

2018 Player is what you have there (with the extra fret and alnico p/u's) . . . I bought a 2016 'Deluxe' with Rosewood fret board. In the second half of 2016, they changed the neck, added microadjust, sculpted neck joint, two-point bridge, 1st Gen Noiseless pickups, better(?) nut, . . . and now it is a U.S. only guitar. Your Player may have the 'plastic' synthetic bone nut messing up setup. Minor point, the truss rod access may be wood, or plastic . . . as for the two-point bridge, the advantage is probably easy calibration of two screws, versus having to check carefully six screws on the 'vintage' setup.

[@benpowersguitar]

I had a 2004 MIM Strat for 13 years. Great guitar. I have a 2024 Player and it's great.

[@crypticreality8484]

I have a 2013. It has a gloss neck, and the MIM and serial # on the back. The logo on a black Fender with a yellow outline. Besides the fret and alnnico, it seems rather transitory between the player and your old one.

[@nerfnerfification]

Enjoyed the video greatly and your nut issue was something that happened with my brand new US made strat back in 1972 - so it's not new. I use mexican strats now and to me colour, headstock are irrelevant - feel and sound are all. On the sound basis surprisingly I prefer your older strat - sounds more like a strat to my ears while the other sounds more trebly. I doubt if I'll be buying a new one, baring accidents or theft, as the three I already have will probably see me out (in my late 60's) but it's nice to know what to look out for and how things now are. Thanks for the video.

[@travisstubbs8854]

I have a 2002 mexican strat that I would choose over any guitar, it just has that it factor for me. It just feels so right, I was in love from the first time I put my hands on it.

[@WillieD7]

I’m surprised that I preferred the older pickups in so many of the excerpts. The new ones have an edge on the cleaner parts and are definitely more “quack-y” in the intermediate positions but the breakup tones all sound better on the ceramics.

[@patriciaydiegoormaza-marti2446]

Yeah, I absolutely agree. The old Strat's pick ups have a darker and warmer sound whereas the new Strat's pick ups have a brighter sound that is not bad but, it is not as warm as the old one...

[@canufathomit6728]

Completely agree. Also, the ceramic (older) pickups have a much better bass response.

[@TBT1073]

My only complaint after the arrival of my player strat was the nut for the E6 was cut, too close to the edge of the fretboard. That was something quality control should have caught.

[@lesblack413]

Should never happen!! Where is the quality control they brag about?

[@simonhudes]

Great video! I think I preferred the more articulate sounds of the newer one... just sounds closer to an American standard to me, especially the neck pickup.

[@j.jester7821]

I was lucky enough to buy a couple of early mim stratocasters from the music store I worked for in the 90s. in fact, the first model that were shipped from fender had made in usa on them. But the mim stamped was exactly the same. I chose the mim strat it had a better feeling neck. Apparently the early mim strats were supervised or made by the custom shop. the custom shop workers trained the staff in mexico.

[@anthonysablan8650]

My man, your tone is INSANE. Super think yet articulate. I’d love to know what amp you’re using. I play my strat with a Vox AC15 and I don’t think I could ever get that tone in a million years.

[@Fotosaurus56]

My twenty year old MIM still has the stock potentiometers. It has Fender Alnico pickups, PIO capacitors, tone mod for bridge pickup, Callaham block, stainless steel saddles, graphite nut, five springs, aluminum shielding, strap locks and locking Schaller tuners. And needs new frets....

[@pzolsky]

I had a 2000 MIM standard. I’ve never stopped regretting selling it.

[@elproff007]

Nice comparison. Both guitars sound really good in your hands. Props on including inflation corrected economic analysis. 🙏🎸😎

[@MrSpeed-lt8gr]

The Player isn’t exponentially better than the Standard. But the 4 things I really love about the Player are 22 frets, bigger frets, tone pot for the bridge pickup and 2 point vibrato bridge. Those are just subjective things I like. Both guitars are really well made.