Originally Posted by: Lordathestrings[font=trebuchet ms]
Ignore that crap about American-made Strats being better. If a Stratocaster is really what you want, get a Jap-strat and replace the pickups. The body and neck are much better on the MIJ strats and Teles, and you'll save enough on the purchase price to cover the cost of the pickups.


Remeber - Eyes shut - Ears and mind open.[/font]

Yes, I am going to have to disagree w/ you on this on. But American stats have ash or alder bodies, which is a harder wood and will make a fatter, fuller sound. Though, yes you can buy the Mexican (don't make Japan strats anymore) and put pick-ups in that will half-a$$ way get you more of what an american will sound like. Next are the way the body is made. The Mexicans are made with pompler (? on spelling) wood and what it boils down to is ply-wood, no good. Two, the Mexicans are a 3 peice body and those peices have to be glued together, and that will kill the full sound that goes with an American. Now as for the necks, I hate rosewood anyway so I'm not going to argue w/ that, Rosewood is a good sounding wood to use on the fretboard but very soon you will have to have the frets dressed (that goes for ANY guitar) But the feel of an american neck is much sweeter than the Mex if anyone here has owned an american knows what the hell I'm talking about. And Last but not least set-up. One can set-up an American much finer than the Mex, Korean, whatever, this is one of the places your money is kicking in. A good Luthier will make sure that the insturment can be tuned to many differerent players prefferences and with a mass produced inturment such as the strat, it just has to be that way.
And yes from 96 to 98 the Mex and Jap strats where better cuz Fender was slacking on the job for awhile, if someone wants to know about that ask and I'll enlighten, just this is enough for one post. LOL