Mexican Fender vs American Squier

[Jim Shine]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

Yeah, they have been using CTS pots for a few years now. Just did a parts check and it is an import bridge labeled "0053679000 Bridge assy Tele Thinline Mex". The USA part number is 0058384000. The Mexico tele I have here has your bridge and it does look close to the USA part, but is visable a little different. The plating looks more frosty than the USA models. Yes, yours has the Schaller tuners because they are the only people making F style tuners.

The pickups are wound in Mexico and the switch is an Oak/Grigsby unit like the USA'a.

[hippietim]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

Thanks for the details Jim! It's good to know.

I must say that this Tele just kicks butt. I'm not changing any of the hardware.

The bridge pickup has a little too much ice pick for my taste so I may mess with different cap values or pots to see if that helps. Ultimately I'll probably just swap the pickup out since I'd like something a little hotter to balance the humbucker better. Maybe a Rio Grande Muy Grande. I've also got a nice Duncan around here somewhere.

[Spaceace]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

[ QUOTE ]
Maybe a Rio Grande Muy Grande.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thats what I have in my Tele,I love it [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[hippietim]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

I have a set of the lower output Rio Grande Tele pickups in my baritone Tele and they are awesome! That guitar was interesting to get it to sound good. As it turns out, lower output pickups were the way to go. I tune that thing down to a low A (I had to drill the tuner hole bigger for that thick ass string). Those strings are so thick, loud, and low that the higher output pickups seemed to just be muddy as hell. With those vintage Rio Grandes the clarity is all there.

[Jim Shine]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

Tim, did they put a metal base plate on that models bridge pickup? If they did you may want to try removing it. That adds alot of bite to the sound and may mellow it out to more tolerable level.

[data187]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

i would get a used mij strat which will give an american strat a run for its money. i agree that the electronics need to be replaced and replacing the tremolo block also helps the sound. but when you factor in all that, it'll still cost less than an america made strat.

[The Chase]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

I own a Mex strat, too. I hate the fretwork! It's just horribly done. The rest is pretty much ok. You can make it sound good. Anyways, if I was going to buy a Fender-type guitar, I'd go for a used Charvek, which would kick the crap out of any Fender, Imo. Plus: no pickguards!

[hippietim]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

[ QUOTE ]
Tim, did they put a metal base plate on that models bridge pickup? If they did you may want to try removing it. That adds alot of bite to the sound and may mellow it out to more tolerable level.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a good thing to check out - I've heard that about others. My only concern would be losing the attack - the attack of this bridge pickup is actually quite good. With the neck pickup volume backed off a hair, the in-between switch position is really neat - great biting attack followed by the humbucker "swell" (is that a good term?).

[Jim Shine]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

I think you will still have plenty of attack. Afterall, it is essentially a Strat single coil in that position. The only mod you may have to do is put a few drops of epoxy in the screw holes so the screws can have something to thread into (most metal based pickups use the metal base for the threading), and if you don't like it, just go back to the plate.

[Immortal]

Re: Mexican Fender vs American Squier

My friend owns Mexico Tele and it's wonderful, only pickups are a bit weak, that's all. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]