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-   -   Why MIA Fender costs more than CIJ or MIM (http://www.sputnikmusic.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348431)

Radiobass81 07-08-2005 10:15 PM

[QUOTE=Eddie-the-Trooper]:mad:

I have a drill...

Go buy a MIM or CIJ and ill make it string through for you, you will never use it, but you actually have the "option"....

and.. since fender japan usually have reissues, the majority of their basses is equiped with american pickups, so im not gonna say anything on that...

Both My Basses have fine fretwork, i cant see how it could be better? :confused:


Stop calling my basses bad ****it! :mad:[/QUOTE]

I'd actually try putting E and A through body and D and G top loading :p.

And I've never called a CIJ bad, just said MIA's have higher quality.

This will be my last post discussing this with you, as we are talking on MSN as I type. :)

70 Cam Guy 07-08-2005 11:33 PM

[QUOTE=Eddie-the-Trooper]

this time i actually mean it: americans... :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

:lol: Reminds me of the Harley riders that tell me to buy American when the Harley's have all kinds of foreign parts installed. Global economy here people. I'm all for supporting the local guys but there's a limit

And yeah, I like CIJ and all (owned a CIJ guitar) but the price to import them is only like $100 less than the MIA basses. Considering what MIA basses sell for used, there is no point unless it's a reissue or artist you want. Japan knows how to make some quality instruments but Fender MIA and MIM cost much less over here than they do elsewhere

xfreakofnaturex 07-24-2005 01:31 PM

[QUOTE=PainKiller8191]dude....look at the price differences though...i mean:
[url]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=122/g=bass/search/detail/base_pid/515201/c_lv=1/[/url]
and slap the word "america" on it:
[url]http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/fg=122/g=bass/search/detail/base_pid/511390/c_lv=1/[/url]

is
"Graphite re-enforced necks
Bi-flex 2 way truss rod
Die Cast tuners
Bridge that allows string-thru-body or top load stringing
Better pickups
Better electronics (potentiometers)
Much better fretwork
Better grade of wood for the body and neck
Comes with a hardshell case
Straplocks"
that really worth double the MIM/MIJ/whatever the first one is!?!?!????????
i need an answer quick it would either save my life or force me to wait and work another year or two[/QUOTE]

I thought the MIM has american parts, but is just put together in Mexico.

I don't think I'd ever buy a MIA, unless I have a ****load of money, I'm gonna try out that MIM and if I like it, save up for it. At least that one's affordable, unlike the american...

Radiobass81 07-24-2005 02:13 PM

^MIM has mexican parts.

Maybe you are confused with the Highway series; Mexican parts assembled in america.

xfreakofnaturex 07-24-2005 02:52 PM

I'm talking about that one particular bass

Thunder Fingers 07-24-2005 02:56 PM

what is the difference of it being assembled in america if its made out of the same parts?! :confused:

Hey, Radio, you still think mine pups are worse than americans? :lol:

xfreakofnaturex 07-24-2005 03:07 PM

well, I don't have a clue. The name maybe? Meh, if it's good, I'll buy it, if it's not, I won't. I don't really care where it was made and it's not like I'm a pro anyways

Vater5B 07-24-2005 03:13 PM

I never got the Highway series... I have yet to play one that felt $300 better than my MIM Tele or my sister's MIM P-Bass...

Radiobass81 07-24-2005 05:41 PM

[QUOTE=HeavyBassDude]what is the difference of it being assembled in america if its made out of the same parts?! :confused:

Hey, Radio, you still think mine pups are worse than americans? :lol:[/QUOTE]

Seeing as most are reissue pups, they are even. Tone-wise they are completely different. I prefer modern tones for the most part (unless it's a P).

I thought we talked about this at MSN a while ago :p.

Janelectro 07-25-2005 05:54 AM

[QUOTE=HeavyBassDude]what is the difference of it being assembled in america if its made out of the same parts?! :confused:

Hey, Radio, you still think mine pups are worse than americans? :lol:[/QUOTE]
When it says Made in USA on it they can sell it for more money :thumb:

Radiobass81 07-25-2005 10:54 AM

^^ In that case, I'd probably say it's true. It SORT OF makes sense; they pay more for labor. Why they make the same bass in two places, I wonder...

Also, I just remembered, the finishes are different.

Yeah, big difference :p.

LewsTherin 07-25-2005 05:25 PM

I think the Highway 1 series is for the nationalists who refuse to buy non-american made items, so they make basses out of mexi parts in California, say it was made in america, and sell it for more money.

70 Cam Guy 07-26-2005 12:06 AM

[QUOTE=Radiobass81]^^ In that case, I'd probably say it's true. It SORT OF makes sense; they pay more for labor. Why they make the same bass in two places, I wonder...

Also, I just remembered, the finishes are different.

Yeah, big difference :p.[/QUOTE]

Labor is just part of it. The manufacturing methods may also be different because of the way the US necks are made and the different parts involved. Part of your labor force costs includes training. Training on quality control issues, assembly, etc. The US series have more consistant quality in terms of fret finish, fit/finish and assembly than the MIM instruments do. Part of that is related to training and part it is related to your work force involvement or morale/pride for the product.

There is a lot of things that add up to make the US basses better and more expensive than the MIM basses. Besides the electronics, reinforced necks, you get better tuners, threaded neck angle adjustment, better wood, and much better overall quality.

I am not discounting Japan either. These people are the original people to use quality and lean manufacturing practices that Deming envisioned. They know how to make a great product, and it shows. The prices, however, of the MIJ (:p) instruments in the US are not far behind the MIA instruments and don't get the ultra stable necks the US basses have. Then you look on the used market and see a US Pbass or Jazz bass for $600 or $650 USD. CIJ basses are pretty much forgotten. I realize the price difference elsewhere is considerable, but not really here

Thunder Fingers 07-26-2005 03:28 AM

the wood in my bass is JUST A GOOD as MIA... just so thats stated...

70 Cam Guy 07-27-2005 12:11 AM

[QUOTE=HeavyBassDude]the wood in my bass is JUST A GOOD as MIA... just so thats stated...[/QUOTE]

It says so on the bass does it? :confused: :p

seriously, there's no way to really know about company practices without actually being employed by them. Marketing can spin anything

AcerbicCunnt77 08-10-2005 07:21 PM

[QUOTE=PainKiller8191]i-cant-sing, you're just being stupid now, t[B]here alot of alright squiers out there[/B], every brand name's got its lower quality insturments and higher quality ones....

as for radio, show me a mexican with a J humbucker...only in america:)[/QUOTE]

I have a pretty **** good squier. (luckily) when I took it in to get re-setup the tech guy said my squierp sounds better then his MIAfender p.

--edit I cant believe d-amn was bleeped.

Mild_child 08-10-2005 09:24 PM

what exactly is the'better fretwork'?

70 Cam Guy 08-10-2005 11:38 PM

some frets are sharp, some are nicely rounded (filed) and blended into the neck, sometimes their are chips of wood off the fingerboard where the frets are installed (saw an Epi goth like this)

The most common thing I see is where the edge of the fret comes past the edge of the neck and has a sharp edge on it. I notice it now because I nearly cut myself doing a slide on some random bass in Guitar Center

PaulSimonon 08-11-2005 11:48 PM

That has more to do with the store not caring than the place it was made... The humidity changes as it's shipped, wood shrinks, fret ends become exposed. The store doesn't care, and you, the consumer, must suffer for their poor business practices. Good stores always let the instruments aclimate to the humidity of the shop, and then setup and dress their instruments.

AcerbicCunnt77 08-16-2005 01:11 AM

are mim heavier then mia or cij?

AcerbicCunnt77 09-02-2005 08:47 PM

semi-bump cos no one answered my question

70 Cam Guy 09-02-2005 10:27 PM

sorry I missed your question before...

My MIM Pbass actually weighs slightly less than my MIA Jazz and I vaguely remember an MIA Pbass in the store feeling heavier than my Pbass.

I'm not sure if that's a normal thing or just coincidence

AcerbicCunnt77 09-03-2005 11:11 PM

hmm, maybe cos mim have that nasty hole under the pickguard, i would imagine a jazz weighing more then a p bass in general because the offset body shape = more wood, no?

70 Cam Guy 09-04-2005 12:28 AM

[QUOTE=AcerbicCunnt77]hmm, maybe cos mim have that nasty hole under the pickguard, i would imagine a jazz weighing more then a p bass in general because the offset body shape = more wood, no?[/QUOTE]

I hadn't thought about the different body shape. I am pretty sure the US Pbass I picked up in the store weighed more than my mexi model because I made a comment to the sales guy. Maybe someone else will chime in

Next time you're in the store, check it out if you remember

DarkGothComy 07-12-2006 11:53 AM

My jazz is made in korea...Where does it fit in with all this?

NavyBass 07-12-2006 02:03 PM

[QUOTE=DarkGothComy]My jazz is made in korea...Where does it fit in with all this?[/QUOTE]

It must be a Squier. That would be their low end.

DarkGothComy 07-12-2006 02:57 PM

[QUOTE=NavyBass]It must be a Squier. That would be their low end.[/QUOTE]

It's not a squire, I'm positive. It's a jazz 24, not your usual jazz, thats probably why

NavyBass 07-12-2006 06:33 PM

[QUOTE=DarkGothComy]It's not a squire, I'm positive. It's a jazz 24, not your usual jazz, thats probably why[/QUOTE]

Oh, OK. Those aren't bad at all. I'd put them in between Mexican and Japaneese ones.

The reason I said it might be a Squier is because some early Squiers were made in Korea.

Rowan S 07-16-2006 01:19 PM

I was gonna buy a Jazz Bass Standard, then modify the **** out of it.. Strip it down, and replace everything on the body, and stick a D Tuner on. do you think i should buy a MIA, for the better quality wood, neck, truss rod etc etc

Rawb 07-17-2006 11:33 PM

[QUOTE=Rowan S]I was gonna buy a Jazz Bass Standard, then modify the **** out of it.. Strip it down, and replace everything on the body, and stick a D Tuner on. do you think i should buy a MIA, for the better quality wood, neck, truss rod etc etc[/QUOTE]
Well, I honestly can't even count on MY own modifications...

Yes, get the American. Have you ever tried one? Man, having a squire as a beginner years ago, and then trying an American at a music shop realy made me realize that every freaking penny is worth it. I'm saving up for one myself.

MIA's allllllll the way. :thumb:

PainKiller8191 07-18-2006 06:33 PM

yeah MIAs are quality....although the first one i played was a lemon so it took me a while to convince myself to try another one

that S-1 switch is really cool and useful

Rowan S 07-19-2006 09:08 AM

Well basically im replacing EVERYTHING on the body, and one of the tuners.. Is it still worth it?/

Just so you know im like..15 next month, so i dont have money right now. Im saving up, and selling my electric guitar and everything for money towards it. Unless i buy a MIM which are still great qaulity as far as im concerned, and then when im older upgrade it or something..

andrewm 07-20-2006 09:34 PM

Nice post. I gotta get me an MIA, my teacher has one and the playability is much better. Oh, and the 60th Anniversery bass is amazing.

Rowan S 07-23-2006 03:43 AM

in that case ill got out and try the MIA and the 60th anniversary.. see what i think. would playability stay the same if i changed the bridge to a BadAss II?

i think im gonna be saving for quite a while :rolleyes:

NavyBass 07-24-2006 09:18 PM

[QUOTE=Rowan S]in that case ill got out and try the MIA and the 60th anniversary.. see what i think. would playability stay the same if i changed the bridge to a BadAss II?

i think im gonna be saving for quite a while :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

You don't really need to change the bridge. It's a string-through-body bridge. You really won't be gaining anything by changing that bridge to a BAII

Rowan S 07-25-2006 12:41 PM

well iv allready bought it. BAII's give more sustain clarity etc. and look pretty cool aswell i reckon.

Killer Fridge 07-26-2006 06:04 AM

[QUOTE=Rowan S]well iv allready bought it. BAII's give more sustain clarity etc. and look pretty cool aswell i reckon.[/QUOTE]

Apart from the looks, the rest is pretty much un-noticable. If you think you can hear a clear difference, then thats exactly what it is - you think you can hear it. The Placebo Effect *makes wooo00OOO00ooo noises*

NavyBass 07-28-2006 07:43 AM

[QUOTE=Killer Fridge]Apart from the looks, the rest is pretty much un-noticable. If you think you can hear a clear difference, then thats exactly what it is - you think you can hear it. The Placebo Effect *makes wooo00OOO00ooo noises*[/QUOTE]

Not completely true.

On the older Fender basses, the ones without string through body bridges, there will be a difference.

I did an experiment using an Oscilloscope. Everything being the same with the exception of the bridge. The BAII made a big difference in the waveform picture. I used a scope at work which was able to save waveforms and compare them.

But this is an old arguement, but according to electronic measurements, there is no placebo effect, there is a true difference.

Killer Fridge 07-29-2006 06:41 AM

[QUOTE=NavyBass]Not completely true.

On the older Fender basses, the ones without string through body bridges, there will be a difference.

I did an experiment using an Oscilloscope. Everything being the same with the exception of the bridge. The BAII made a big difference in the waveform picture. I used a scope at work which was able to save waveforms and compare them.

But this is an old arguement, but according to electronic measurements, there is no placebo effect, there is a true difference.[/QUOTE]

Crazy....

red n black 08-03-2006 03:08 PM

[QUOTE=NavyBass]Not completely true.

On the older Fender basses, the ones without string through body bridges, there will be a difference.

I did an experiment using an Oscilloscope. Everything being the same with the exception of the bridge. The BAII made a big difference in the waveform picture. I used a scope at work which was able to save waveforms and compare them.

But this is an old arguement, but according to electronic measurements, there is no placebo effect, there is a true difference.[/QUOTE]

How much??? Would I hear a difference???
What kind of difference???


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