Fender MIM are so cheap cause of no quality control

rgjmce

I heard thats why they are so cheap

feylya

Nothing to do with the cheap labour and cheap parts that are used?

rgjmce

feylya wrote: »

Nothing to do with the cheap labour and cheap parts that are used?

Yes but only a tiny bit

Doctor J

Who did you hear it from?

Ancient1

Heard it on the X.

:pac:

rgjmce

Doctor J wrote: »

Who did you hear it from?

It was on a review but can't remember what site probably musician's friend

Voodu Child

When a guitar is built to be 'cheaper' than another, they achieve this in lots of ways.

The simplest is to use cheaper labour. Also of course, cheaper parts, and cheaper processes.

Quality control comes into it of course - if you're trying to build a guitar down to a price rather than up to a quality, then obviously you don't allow the worker to sit there for ages getting things just perfect. He's told to get the part/guitar off his bench in x minutes.

The guy on the end of the line in PRS - if he comes across a minor problem, that's it, the guitar goes back to be re-done. Whereas the guy in Fender Mexico - well, he's probably told to only reject guitars if there's a medium/major problem with them.

So in relation to the original question - Fender Mexico are cheap for a multitude of reasons. It would be wrong to say they have 'no quality control' because thats a meaningless statement - I mean, they're not shipping out guitars with missing parts or necks hanging off them. The quality control (and its a pretty loose term) is probably a touch lower than a US Strat....that's not a groundbreaking statement to make, I don't think too many people will disagree with that. But I wouldn't say they have 'bad' quality control.

fish-head

Fender have been using cheap Mexican labour since they started anyway, California's always had alot of Mexicans.

Alanstrainor

Fender started out with the cheapest unskilled labour in the 50's and 60's, and look what you pay for those these days!
i have a MiM strat that i love, obviously needed a setup and i bought some parts to upgrade but i think it was a decent guitar for the price.

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I have a MIM and it's pretty darn good! I've played and US one too, and could not notice any difference. Perhaps the odd crap one makes it past quality control.

CianRyan

I have a MIM strat and its beautiful to play.
I have since replaced the machine heads to locking ones, and put an extra spring in the back and in a week or two i'll be putting some custom shop fat 50's pick ups in it.
But even with out all the changes they are lovely guitars.
And for the price its a great buy.

Some people say they find the neck a bit sharp, but really all it is, is is needs to be broken in. (played for a few weeks)

OK-Cancel-Apply

Very true, Cian. I played a brand new Gibson SG in a shop, and it felt rough as hell! All guitars must be played in.

Also, while I think in the past the frets of a MIM Fenders were a bit less filed at the sides, they do get the same U.S. treatment nowadays.

Sergio

Why dont you guys try a different brand of guitar that makes great instruments and has top notch quality control&customer service?

CianRyan

Colinboy wrote: »

Why dont you guys try a different brand of guitar that makes great instruments and has top notch quality control&customer service?

For example?

Alanstrainor

One word.
Bacchus.

CianRyan

Haha, they sprang to mind, but i thought mayeb he was talking about something less talked about on the forum.

I want one!!
Damn lack of cash...

darrenw5094

In the good old days, before the Mehico guys starting making the guitar, Fenders #2 factory was in Japan. I always thought that the parts were still made in USA, but shipped over and assembled in Japan.

Is that not the case with the Mexico plant too. I assume the #2 plant was now Mexico because it is just south of the USA border. Are the hardware, bodies and necks etc. made in the USA and then shipped south for assembly?

spoonbadger

rgjmce wrote: »

I heard thats why they are so cheap

Well done!.Did you figure that out all on your own? :P.

Obviously, that's kinda common knowledge. It's also down to cheaper labour and parts and different construction methods. Feylya was right, a whole 15 posts ago....

Mexico has pants labour laws compared to the U.S. which knocks some of the price off.
MIM fenders are made with cheaper parts (6 point bridges vs. 2 point bridges, bent saddles vs. cast saddles, ceramic pickups vs. alnico pickups).
Also, tacocasters skimp on the features. They use sh*t-thick polythene finish which is practically pourable plastic. They dont roll the neck edges. They dont need to rout for the 2 point bridges etc.

But kudos to you for figuring out teh conspiracy .

Ravelleman

darrenw5094 wrote: »

In the good old days, before the Mehico guys starting making the guitar, Fenders #2 factory was in Japan. I always thought that the parts were still made in USA, but shipped over and assembled in Japan.

Is that not the case with the Mexico plant too. I assume the #2 plant was now Mexico because it is just south of the USA border. Are the hardware, bodies and necks etc. made in the USA and then shipped south for assembly?

I don't think that was the case. The guitars made by Fender Japan aren't actually made by Fender but rather by another company under licence. Most of the bodies, for example, are made with Asian wood varieties, which are very similar to their north American counterparts.

And as far as I know, only the necks used on Mexican Fenders come from the California plant. The necks are cut there and then finished in Mexico. Someone may want to clarify this though.

fish-head

Alanstrainor wrote: »

One word.
Bacchus.

Ross Mc

spoonbadger wrote: »

Well done!.Did you figure that out all on your own? :P.

Obviously, that's kinda common knowledge. It's also down to cheaper labour and parts and different construction methods. Feylya was right, a whole 15 posts ago....

Mexico has pants labour laws compared to the U.S. which knocks some of the price off.
MIM fenders are made with cheaper parts (6 point bridges vs. 2 point bridges, bent saddles vs. cast saddles, ceramic pickups vs. alnico pickups).
Also, tacocasters skimp on the features. They use sh*t-thick polythene finish which is practically pourable plastic. They dont roll the neck edges. They dont need to rout for the 2 point bridges etc.

But kudos to you for figuring out teh conspiracy .

Hey no reason to be so hard on the guy, he just asked a question

Dord

Ravelleman wrote: »

I don't think that was the case. The guitars made by Fender Japan aren't actually made by Fender but rather by another company under licence. Most of the bodies, for example, are made with Asian wood varieties, which are very similar to their north American counterparts.

And as far as I know, only the necks used on Mexican Fenders come from the California plant. The necks are cut there and then finished in Mexico. Someone may want to clarify this though.

True on both counts. Fender outsources the production of Fender Japan to another company in Japan. I think this is Fujigen now??? But it has changed throughout the years. Most of the Japanese guitar companies do this, save for the big ones like ESP, or another exception like Bacchus (owned and made by Deviser).

For Fender Mexico the necks are made in the California and finished in Mexico. The Mexican plant apparently has the capabilities to make the necks if Fender US wish them to.

Here's a factory tour of the Escenada, Mexico factory.
http://reviews.photoweborama.com/allthingsguitar1/fendertour/index.html

feylya

Dord wrote: »

True on both counts. Fender outsources the production of Fender Japan to another company in Japan. I think this is Fujigen now???

It was back in the early 90s but I believe they've moved on. If the Fujigen made Fenders were anything like Fujigen's own, they must have been incredible.

Dord

feylya wrote: »

It was back in the early 90s but I believe they've moved on. If the Fujigen made Fenders were anything like Fujigen's own, they must have been incredible.

Oh, yeah I just checked that out. They were made by Fujigen until '97. Now they're made by Tokai and Dyna Gakki. Apparently Dyna make the export guitars.

Interesting fact... the necks on the Fujigens were made by Atlansia who are owned and run by Nobuaki Hayashi, the designer of the Aria Pro II SB. :pac:

feylya

And the necks are rather awesome.

Dord

feylya wrote: »

And the necks are rather awesome.

Yes, yes they are. :cool:

Sergio

CianRyan wrote: »

For example?

I play only musicman guitars now as i find their quality control and customer service top notch.any musicman ive played are always finished to the very best quality and come setup ready to play.
Like karl hungus here i too am the proud owner of a BFR John Petrucci model and i bought it new sept 07.about a month ago i spotted a small hairline crack in the finish near where the neck joins the body.seen as i found the fault in october and my warranty was up since sept then i thought i had no come back.i contact EBMM customer service and they not only extended my warranty by a month but they also are making a brand new body for my guitar at the moment and will fit it when it arrives the uk all free of charge.

now there CUSTOMER SERVICE if i do say so myself;)

CianRyan

Thats bloody great customer servis! :O

Hmm, i will have to look into musicman when buying me next guitar.
Xmusic have one or two dont they?

Sergio

Not sure if Xmusic have some of them.i find in ireland though the price ive been quoted for MM guitars are always crazy compared to the uk.defo check em out though and you wont be disappointed.

Mr. Presentable

You need also to see the obverse. It's not that Mex Fenders are cheap so much as that US ones are expensive. The prices prey on snob value to a degree, and perceived quality. But ask an American about things generally made in the USA and they will prefer foreign - even Mexican!

fasty

MIM Fender guitars are mostly fine. To be honest I think Fender's quality control overall could be better. I've played plenty of lousy American made Strats and Teles over the past year.

A mate of mine's got a MIM Tele and all he did was put in some new pickups and get it set up properly and the thing sounds great.

CianRyan

So i think what we've got is...

Out of the shop they are not always the best guitars going, but with a bit of TLC, try can be bloody lovely guitars.
Even matching their american counter parts.

OK-Cancel-Apply

Sure Squiers are grand! Just plonk in some new pickups, shielding, new tuners, new selector switch, lock off the trem, file down the fret edges and away you go!

Alanstrainor

Damn this forum and it's GAS inducing ways! I've been doing a bit of research on the squier classic vibe 50's strats and they're supposed to be savage. Might be tempted to get one as a project guitar! Can't go too far wrong with 300 yoyo's...I'll be heading out to xmusic again to try 'm out, see what all this hubub is about!

fish-head

Screw the Strats it's the Teles that get my blood boiling.

OK-Cancel-Apply

Anyone here have a Highway One series? I saw a Highway One strat on thomann for €666. Looks like they've come down in price.

Ravelleman

Indeed they have. They're €550 on soundslive.co.uk ...

Byron85

Need some advice. Which would be better value for money, a Mexican Strat with a Dimarzio in the bridge or an Epiphone Les Paul Custom with Emgs.

Obviously it depends on what i'm going to be playing, but just in general, how would the 2 compare.

CianRyan

Well since i HATE les pauls, and all epiphones, bar a few ouf their hollow boddies and i am a strat man all the way, and i mayself use dimarzios in my strat...

Well i'll let you guess. :rolleyes:


EDIT:That is just me though.

Alanstrainor

T.W.H Byron wrote: »

Need some advice. Which would be better value for money, a Mexican Strat with a Dimarzio in the bridge or an Epiphone Les Paul Custom with Emgs.

Obviously it depends on what i'm going to be playing, but just in general, how would the 2 compare.

Which is better, apples or oranges?:pac:
There is no comparison.

CianRyan

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Which is better, apples or oranges?:pac:
There is no comparison.

Damn right there is no comparison, apples ftw!

Darkstrike

CianRyan wrote: »

Damn right there is no comparison, apples ftw!

+1, apples = awesome!:D

CianRyan

Only one exception.

>

Darkstrike

CianRyan wrote: »

Only one exception.

Ah, but thats Apple & Orange, not apples & oranges, in that scenario, Orange every time!:cool:

CianRyan

The orange picture has to be one of the best picures ever.

Orange+gretsch+girl=yum

OK-Cancel-Apply

CianRyan wrote: »

Well since i HATE les pauls, and all epiphones, bar a few ouf their hollow boddies and i am a strat man all the way, and i mayself use dimarzios in my strat...

Well i'll let you guess. :rolleyes:


EDIT:That is just me though.

Les Pauls are cool in many ways, but I cannot comfortably reach the upper frets, so I've ruled them out forever.