"upgraded" MIM standards

aen · Post by **aen** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 12:38 am

Ok, I handled a few new start standards today. Overall, they felt pretty good. I grabbed a LPB with a rosewood fretboard, because for a minute i didnt know what it was, then i figured it out. It has a strange half finished feel to the neck. But the "fit and finish" were very nice, it seemed to flow, everything was close to the body and felt solid.

The mapple neck one, however, seemed like a Peavey knockoff you would pass over in the pawn shop. The finish was even thinner on this particular neck, I swear to god. Pokey fret ends and all. thumbs down.

Overall, if you find a good one, I can see how the new standards would be worth $550. I think they should have named them something else, and kept the old $350 standards around, but I guess that's what we have Squier for. Also, neither of these guitars held a candle to either the Squier CV 50s tele or strat, so, er, the new Standard is irrelevant when a superior instrument can be had for less from the same company.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 1:45 am

loving my 2001 MIM Tele, got it for a good trade
has a hot rails in the bridge and aen's '69 bridge when it arrives
plan on doing more mods in the future too, but i wouldn't buy a new one for $500 and mod

ultratwin · Post by **ultratwin** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 5:16 am

If I read that correctly, Aen actually touched a Fender Standard Start and said something positive about it!

Let the doomsday clock begin, folks.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Mon Apr 06, 2009 9:59 pm

If they had to raise the price of the MIM standard strat it's certainly a good thing if they've made any improvements whatsoever; I didn't think it was worth $350.