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Comments
The wood selection on US product is better, most of the hardware and pickups on US is made in the Corona factory. US made is just better all round in terms of materials and specification.
The build quality is comparable. We've been making guitars in Mexico for a long time so the guys there are very good at what they do.
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On the standards the biggest thing that struck me is the bridge, it is cheaper and has a closer string spacing and hole spacing on the MIM's. Although some cheap USA's like the Highway One etc have the correct hole spacing but close string spacing and the MIM Classic 50's and '60's series have both, the holes and string spacing the same as a USA, but a cheaper bridge.
Other than that and obvious hardware differences I really don't think there is that much in it to be honest.
Perhaps the wood is better on the USA's although I don't buy that looking at some of the grain of the neck and parts of the bodies of USA's. Certainly the pickups and hardware are a lot better, that is a given.
But you can make a great guitar out of a Classic Series I think. Those USA bridges, decent pups and tuners ain't cheap though.
Also paint, I assume USA's use nitro over a poly base, where as MIM are all Poly.
My favourite necks are MIM.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Noticeable differences for me was the weight (Mexican bodies have always been heavier), as mentioned the rolled board edges and of course pickups.
Electronics is an interesting one as my old MIA Deluxe Strat ran Vintage Noiseless pickups which I didn't care for a whole lot. Don't get me wrong, they were great pickups but tonally not for me. My MIM Sambora runs a DiMarzio PAF Pro in the bridge which is a killer pickup. The hotter single coils aren't that great, a bit dull and lacking clarity. The 57/62 pickups in my 60th Anniversary MIM are simply killer pickups in every position.
I can't say I spotted a great deal (if any) difference in build quality between any of my Strats, they've all been bang on.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein