Price increases for Strats???

[Katastrophe]

So, I'm looking around a bit today, and I see that MIM Strats have gone up $30.00... What gives?

I've read on other forums that there may be improvements in the works... Anybody have specifics? I certainly don't mind paying $30.00 more for a guitar over the previous year model, especially if the company has gone through the trouble of making a better product...

[tremoloman]

Fender guitars in general have gone up a LOT in some areas. I bought my first American Deluxe back in 2004 for $949. Now they are selling for $1049-$1100+. American Standard Telecasters were around $700 when I bought mine a little over a year ago - now they are close to $1000! Ouch!

MIMs are still the best deal in town IMHO, I own 2 MIAs and 2 MIMs. Out of those four, I find the MIMs more fun. I find upgrading and customizing your guitar is half the fun. If I tear apart a $1,000+ MIA, most likely I’ll be devaluing my guitar. Upgrading a MIM will raise its value. If you screw up, it doesn’t wind up costing you much. Both of my MIMs are heavily upgraded and people who play them can’t believe how good they are with the upgrades I’ve made.

Squiers are also super deals… I’m really eyeing the Black & Chrome Tele right now… plenty of twang for the buck!

[Bigbear]

new mims, have thicker/chunky square style tremolo blocks, newer voiced pickups and better quality wiring... i've done a few mods on these new ones at the shop.

[Spudman]

Bear
Do the different trem blocks make any difference that you can hear? Feel?
Are the pickups alnico or ceramic?

[Tone2TheBone]

I agree with Trem. The MIMs are just fun guitars to mod. What do you guys think of a tortoise shell pickguard on the vintage sunburst body? :)

[Spudman]

Tone
Your avatar is freaking me out!

[Tone2TheBone]

Tone
Your avatar is freaking me out!

I can tell by the looks of you.... hahahaha

[r_a_smith3530]

I agree with Trem. The MIMs are just fun guitars to mod. What do you guys think of a tortoise shell pickguard on the vintage sunburst body? :)

I used to not like tortoise shell, but I'm gaining a much better appreciation of it these days.

[tremoloman]

The prices have gone up a LOT in the past year or two. I paid $939 USD for my 1st American Deluxe Strat. Now they are $1200! Ouch!

At least the color selections are becoming much better...

[Katastrophe]

I agree with Trem. The MIMs are just fun guitars to mod. What do you guys think of a tortoise shell pickguard on the vintage sunburst body? :)

With black pickup covers and knobs, and gold hardware, I think that would be a classy looking guitar! If I ever get the money to do a build project, that's a color scheme I was looking at.

It sounds like Fender at least accompanied the price hike with an upgrade. I can live with that.

[Bigbear]

new tremolo block is has extremely good sustain and due to the extra mass of the tremolo block you can now actually use the tremolo regularly and only have to tune after a few songs. The new pickups are alright also, they now sound warmer i find... but i'm not really a strat man.. the wiring is where the money is worth it here... no more stiff wires and low quality soder... the new pickups read an increase in output by 0.01 Ohms which changes the frequency a bit, wiring makes for less tone lost at the jack.

It was a much needed modification to the Standard strat... but didn't validate a price increase... i find the MIM strats were a little overpriced before, but now.... they are decent.

Now, i wanta see options on the TELECASTER Standards, GOD... same ol plain jane teles don't do it for me anymore... i want some fair options like the standard strat.