Do Mexican Fender Strats have full thickness bodies??

[jtees4]

Don't have one handy to measure...thanks.
********************

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=789610

[Squier]

MIM and MIA Strats from 1990/1991 - current -- all have the
same body dimensions including the same size neck pocket.
The only difference is how the body is/was routed.
Sometimes the MIA's and MIM's differed (and still do)
was to how the pickup body/cavity routes are done.
Sometimes the MIA or MIM had/have the 'swimming pool route'
where the other has separate/individual pickup routing.
Sometimes there are pre-routed for HSS (even though they
may outfit the guitar with SSS pickups/pickguard) and
some have SSS individual routing.. etc and etc.
But yes - exact same dimensions.

[Nil]

On 01 Sep 2012, Squier <squ...@strats.net> wrote in alt.guitar:

> MIM and MIA Strats from 1990/1991 - current -- all have the
> same body dimensions including the same size neck pocket.
> The only difference is how the body is/was routed.
> Sometimes the MIA's and MIM's differed (and still do)
> was to how the pickup body/cavity routes are done.
> Sometimes the MIA or MIM had/have the 'swimming pool route'
> where the other has separate/individual pickup routing.
> Sometimes there are pre-routed for HSS (even though they
> may outfit the guitar with SSS pickups/pickguard) and
> some have SSS individual routing.. etc and etc.
> But yes - exact same dimensions.

But the trem routs and/or the bridge anchor screw holes are different,
aren't they?

Also, do you know if the neck pocket is a bit different between
Japanese and American Fenders? I have a Japanese Strat neck, and I had
to use a shim to get it to sit right in a USA body, so I think either
the neck pocket is shallower, or the neck is slimmer at the heel, or
both.

[jtees4]

Thanks, thought so but wanted to be sure before I pick up an MIM
locally. Don't really care about the rout but good to know anyway for
the future, although a swimming pool rout could come in handy if I
change my mind about things...like I always do.
********************

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=789610

[jtees4]

Only guessing, maybe Squier will chime in with a definite answer...but
I do think you are correct that the screw holes are different. I've
read that some neck pockets are different even among some American vs:
American Vs: Mexican Strats . I think Stew Mac talks about this
somewhere on their site, but I can't find it now.
********************

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=789610

[Squier]

In article <XnsA0C1C806...@wheedledeedle.moc>, Nil <redn...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:

> On 01 Sep 2012, Squier <squ...@strats.net> wrote in alt.guitar:
>
> > MIM and MIA Strats from 1990/1991 - current -- all have the
> > same body dimensions including the same size neck pocket.
> > The only difference is how the body is/was routed.
> > Sometimes the MIA's and MIM's differed (and still do)
> > was to how the pickup body/cavity routes are done.
> > Sometimes the MIA or MIM had/have the 'swimming pool route'
> > where the other has separate/individual pickup routing.
> > Sometimes there are pre-routed for HSS (even though they
> > may outfit the guitar with SSS pickups/pickguard) and
> > some have SSS individual routing.. etc and etc.
> > But yes - exact same dimensions.
>
> But the trem routs and/or the bridge anchor screw holes are different,
> aren't they?

Yes - good point - I tend to forget all the details sometimes.
The American MIA'a from 1987-2007 had 'offset' stainless saddles
and corresponding bridges (except the hardtails which were discontinued
in 2002/2003). And then of course were the American 'Highway 1" series
in ummm... around 2000 (discontinued in 2010) which also had different
saddles/bridges than the American Series.
And so yes, the MIM Fender Strats from 1987 - 2007 had different
saddles/bridges than the American guitars. Of course since 2007 fender
now has MIM and American strats (with the exception of American Deluxe Strat)
all have the same bridges/saddles.

But to the main point of the question -- the MIM's and MIA are the same
body dimensions.

>
> Also, do you know if the neck pocket is a bit different between
> Japanese and American Fenders? I have a Japanese Strat neck, and I had
> to use a shim to get it to sit right in a USA body, so I think either
> the neck pocket is shallower, or the neck is slimmer at the heel, or
> both.

The MIJ Fenders do have slightly different neck pockets than MIA/MIM strats.
In fact the MIJ Fenders from 1980's were way different and mostly shallower
and narrower (many MIJ's had 1 5/8" nut and tapered out thinner at the heel)
rather than the MIM's and MIA's with 1 11/16" nut which tapers a little larger
down at the heel.

[Squier]

AFAIK - and from personal experience - you can bolt on MIM neck
to MIA strat body and vice versa without any issues... at least
from 1987 MIA (MIM did not start until 1990/91) and 1991 MIM to current production.

The ONLY caveat here is the American Deluxe Strat (1999 - current) which
had a different neck bolt pattern because of the different body pocket/neck heel.
American Deluxe Strats have the more offset/enlarged cutout at the body pocket
area to make playing up at the higher frets easier.

[Squier]

people used to knock the swimming pool route and claim something silly
like it doesn't give 'vintage tone'.. blah blah... gimme a break.

Personally the swimming pool route makes wiring up whatever pickup
selection you want easy and it makes rewiring very easy and open inside
the body. And obviously you can do things like SHH or HHH or whatever
unique you want that you couldn't possible do with the standard SSS routing.

[Nil]

On 02 Sep 2012, Squier <squ...@strats.net> wrote in alt.guitar:

> The MIJ Fenders do have slightly different neck pockets than
> MIA/MIM strats. In fact the MIJ Fenders from 1980's were way
> different and mostly shallower and narrower (many MIJ's had 1 5/8"
> nut and tapered out thinner at the heel) rather than the MIM's and
> MIA's with 1 11/16" nut which tapers a little larger down at the
> heel.

The neck in question is from an '86 Japanese Fender Strat. The guitar
itself was kind of dire and I either lost or threw the body away. The
neck, however, is quite nice, and I still have it. It's the same width
at the heel as my American Fenders, but it seems to be shallower front-
to-back, which is why I had to shim it for the strings to break over
the bridge properly. I was wondering if that was usual, or if it was
just my particular sample.

[jtees4]

I only have one strat currently (a Squier), but I have three different
pickguards with different pickup combinations ranging from SSS, HSS
and even just H! The Squier does not have the swimming pool rout but
is routed for HSS so it works for all of them anyway, but the wires do
sometimes get in the way because of the extra wood under there. My old
Lotus Strat had a swimming pool rout and definitely made things easier
and sounded just as good. So to me...a swimming pool route is a good
thing, saves a bit of weight too.
I have owned at least ten strats over the years, Japanese, American,
Highway 1, a few Mexicans, a few Squiers AND looking back...the
Mexicans were the best for me, I especially miss a white one that
looked and sounded great. My Squier is nice since I modded it, but it
just does not have the same "crispness" that a Strat needs for me...so
I am picking up a MIM later today. I think it has to do with the
saddles, bridge and nut...but I don't want to get that detailed into
upgrading a Squier + all the parts I've used on the Squier will
transfer to the MIM...like locking tuners, and the entire pickguard
and pickups.
********************

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=789610

[Squier]

that's normal. MIJ necks from the 80's have different tapers
from top of neck to heel. So shimming is almost always needed.
Sometimes you get away with shimming MIJ's onto MIA's and sometimes not.
The real problem is bolting on MIA necks onto MIJ bodies.
it's a complete re-work of the MIA neck heel and/or the MIJ body pocket
and even then, the MIA neck sits up too high in the MIJ body so you have
to sand/plane the MIA neck heel down so that the MIJ saddles aren't up so high
that there us barely one bit of the saddle screw to even adjust it.

[The_Chris]

On Sun, 02 Sep 2012 00:27:06 -0400, Squier wrote:

> people used to knock the swimming pool route and claim something silly
> like it doesn't give 'vintage tone'.. blah blah... gimme a break.
>
> Personally the swimming pool route makes wiring up whatever pickup
> selection you want easy and it makes rewiring very easy and open inside
> the body. And obviously you can do things like SHH or HHH or whatever
> unique you want that you couldn't possible do with the standard SSS
> routing.

Honestly, I do believe that less wood is less preferable. I hate how 90%
of the Strats made come with their crappy trems - when I would much
prefer the wood associated with a hardtail... I would think it's cheaper
to make hardtails too.

[Flasherly]

All those tremolo springs and associative hardware, though, are what
gives stratocasters their appeal. Maybe a few thought to block it all
out, into something else, but there's a majority out there that'll
swear up and down that the bridge assembly is what the trademark
Fender strat "jingle/jangle" is all about. And then there's a whole
routine and maintenance to setting one up properly, I'll hazard -- if
you don't care to drive bomb, then simply remove the wand --
respective to a valid emphasis beneath. Least that's about as far as
I got, before when into other opinonions about slapping up a slab of
wood into one.

-
You know, I have a really tough time finding new bands.
Joan Jett

[The_Chris]

Well, the way I see it - Fender has been cutting costs for years... Why
not cut the obvious offender and just make more hardtails? I mean, if
they're making HSS strats, or HM Strats, the jingle/jangle is all gone.
Hell, I don't have ANY Strats with Single-coil humbuckers, so, it's lost
on me :) I love my '84 Jap that I converted to a hardtail (the correct
way) and put a Duncan Distortion into - Beefy McBeef! :)

[Nil]

On 02 Sep 2012, The_Chris <cab...@nospam.com> wrote in alt.guitar:

> Well, the way I see it - Fender has been cutting costs for
> years... Why not cut the obvious offender and just make more
> hardtails?

I do like Strats with vibratos, but I agree, they should have more
hardtail models, too. My main guitar for years was a late '70s
hardtail. I wish I had never let it go.

My substitute for the past few years is a 3-pickup Telecaster (put
together from various parts) wired up similar to a Strat:

http://rednoise.vacau.com/temp/Tele.jpg

I have a more conventional Strat, too, but I play the Tele most of the
time these days.

[jtees4]

Well...the 2003 MIM Strat is in da house! Wine red, absolutely mint. I
forgot how pretty that color is!
I knew I was getting a case, but didn't know or care what...but this
is what I got:
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/kaces-grafix-hardshell-electric-guitar-case/547822000306000
Graphix aside...it's a really really heavy duty case, well made and
strong as hell. I have a Fender USA case anyway to keep the guitar in
(not nearly as nice as the Ace case actually)...but they belong
together!
Guitar has replacement tuners on it, I know GFS but I'm not sure which
ones...otherwise 100% stock. I will be putting my locking tuners on it
anyway, so it doesn't matter.
Needs a set up, the trem is set up all wrong in my opinion...but I
always have to tweak any guitar that I get because I just like things
a certain way that most people probably would not like anyway.
Very happy camper at the moment.
I have bought, sold and trade a bunch of things from this same guy
locally...he's a good honest guy (as am I).
********************

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=789610

[Flasherly]

On Sep 2, 3:44 pm, Nil <redno...@REMOVETHIScomcast.net> wrote:
>
> My substitute for the past few years is a 3-pickup Telecaster (put
> together from various parts) wired up similar to a Strat:
>
> http://rednoise.vacau.com/temp/Tele.jpg

That's a Nashville Tele (or close, nice touch in the white binding,
stands out in a good way, and a semi-transparent wood appeal, hint of
sunburst, or tastily thereabouts). I've got two exactly like it,
plains, both in Candy Apple original Fender rosewood and another white
maple neck from a California knock-off outfit, who allowed me to pick
a 'mind-messing,' 4-lead Duncan hotrail front and center. Doubt I
could handle Fender's model up with an added acoustic bridge modeling
and piezoelectric crystal in each string saddle (Tex Mex in the bridge
is whiney enough). When working on a project "conventional" strat --
doubt there's going to be much else more demanding to mine than
replacing the frets with stainless steel (hell, I think I wore out
some nylon frets in 1/4 time -- whamy bar, of course, goes over the
shoulder).

[Nil]

On 02 Sep 2012, Flasherly <Flas...@live.com> wrote in alt.guitar:

>> http://rednoise.vacau.com/temp/Tele.jpg
>
> That's a Nashville Tele (or close, nice touch in the white
> binding, stands out in a good way, and a semi-transparent wood
> appeal, hint of sunburst, or tastily thereabouts).

I bought the body on eBay about 8 or 9 years ago, not sure what model
it was from originally. The neck pickup cavity is large enough to
accommodate a humbucker, which I might try someday. This is its 4th
neck - I have 3 Strat necks that have spent time with the body, but I
decided I wanted a real Tele neck to complete the look. I bought this
neck about 2 years ago, and it's a beaut - almost the same profile and
feel as my beloved Strat Plus's neck. It's a keeper.

I love Teles with body binding. It really enhances the simple geometric
shape. One of the prettiest ones I've ever seen is this guy on youtube
who does song demos:

http://youtu.be/0UxSe6KBOPI

The Gretsch-like orange with front and back binding just sets my little
heart a-flutter. I don't usually like tortoise shell pickguards, but it
looks just right on this baby.