Fender: which ones are made in America?

[sneaky]

I have a few MIA Fender...52 ri teles, a couple of team built custom shops...but my favorite Fenders are my MIJs, the earliest run of JVs...Japan Vintage, they don`t actually call any of theirs reissues to my knowledge...have become very collectable and finding one at a reasonable price is getting harder and harder, interestingly the top ends featured MIA pick-ups and electronics, and they made many other great guitars in the years following, still can when they want to but the average production model now comes with cheaper electronics, some have MIA pick-ups though. So yeah...it can get mind boggling...and I agree...play a bunch and you`ll know when "the" one finds you.

[Tartansailor]

Well, as others have said, any of the ones that include the word "American" in the title are USA-made: American Standard, American Deluxe, American Vintage. The entry-level USA model is the Highway One series. On the opposite side of the spectrum are the Custom Shop (CS) models, which all are USA-built.

The Made-In-Mexico (MIM) models include Standards, Classic, Classic Player, and some signature models. There are some MIM models, usually in the Classic series, that will say "Custom Shop-Designed", but these are still Mexican-built.

There are also Fender Japan models, either Made In Japan or Crafted in Japan (MIJ/CIJ), depending on vintage, though since early 2008 you can't order these new into the US. You can however still find used ones, and some Japanese shops still offer essentially new models. Fender Japan offers versions of most available USA and Mexican made models, though often with different color choices, and generally with Asian-made pickups, though many models offer USA Pickups, usually Texas Specials.

So here's where personal opinion comes into play. IMO, right now in 2009, Fender isn't making any bad guitars. Their entry level guitars (in terms of price), which generally consist of the Squier line (mostly Chinese or Indonesian imports) and the MIM Standard guitars (Strat and Tele) are exceptional values especially at their price points.

When you move up to the MIM Classic and Classic Player series, and the Fender Japan models, you're really talking minor nuances between these guitars and the USA models up through the American Standard and American Deluxe line--things like lacquer finishes on some of the American models (though interestingly, not the Am Dlx models), differences in pickups, etc..

It's not really until you get into the American Vintage and CS levels of Fender USA production that you're going to see a noticeable bang-for-the-buck improvement over the upper end MIM and Japanese Fenders.

JMO, YMMV, etc., but this is my personal experience owning everything except a CS model.

Bill

[sneaky]

things just got a bit trickier with the MIJs...because they`ve gone back to Made in Japan. You can watch the U-Box at the Ishibashi web site, they have sold countless guitars overseas to foreign customers and I`ve never read a bad comment on their service, very easy to work with. Fender Japan offers many models that F/USA doesn`t, don`t expect exact copies, many are made for the domestic market and shops can order them to any specs they want.
MIMs, I don`t even look at here, way over priced.

[Tartansailor]

Agree, Ishibashi are great folks to work with. They'll give you the real scoop on condition for any of their used guitars. Prices are fairly competitive, shipping's a bit expensive (around $100), but pretty reasonable considering int'l and time. You'll get the guitar in about 3 days from order.

Re prices on MIMs, of course everyone's entitled to their own view. Realistically though you can plan on at least 20% off any listed for sale price (not talking the very high MSRP) they advertise. You need to ask, don't just try and order on line if you're dealing with a WH. I just recently picked up a MIM '72 RI Thinline, walked out with 20% off from a local shop.

I'd put the guitar on a par with any USA-made guitar I own.

But as I said, everyone's view is different.

Bill

[Bobbin-Man]

Originally Posted by Sammy_L_D

Highway One, American Standard, American Classic, American Deluxe, some of the Artist series, and Custom Shops.

Just look for the ones that say "Made in USA".

Some are Japanese made (some of the Artist models, and usually some of the more "interesting" designs), and the "lowest end" Fenders are Mexican made.

Spot on, except to add that Highway One Strats and Teles are assembled in California from parts made in Mexico.

I currently have 3 strats - best I've ever had is one I assembled from a selection of Japanese parts plus a set of Custom Shop EJ pickups. In comparison my USA Strat just doesn't cut the mustard! My Squier was purchased in the '80s after selling my '77 USA Strat - the Squier plays much better!

Stu.