Which Fender guitar? Made in the USA or Mexico?

Yep, I'm still guitarless :) but have been looking at some options. Considering that I've never held any guitar in my sweaty little hands, I'm entering very uncharted territory.

I will be learning mostly blues with a bit of bluegrass thrown in, and as a result I've been advised that a telecaster is the way to go ( although a strat will do fine as well.).

I am currently wondering if I should go for a Mexican made Fender Telecaster e.g. Standard Series like this one (AUD$500)
https://www.guitarfactoryportmac.com.au/standard-series-telecaster.html

this USA made Tele (AUD$1199)
http://www.mooloolabamusic.com.au/fender-usa-tele-am-special-tele-mn-3sb-electric-guitar-w-bag.html


I don't really want to go down the path of getting a cheapie with a view of upgrading, because I don't want to waste my time right now fiddling with upgrading or wondering if the sound is crap because my playing is crap or the guitar is crap.

At this point of my research, I just don't know which way to go. What say you, oh wise crowd? :)

Are Mexican made guitars of a lower production quality than USA made guitars? So many choices and a huge range of prices, but which one to choose and on what basis?

This is kind of a tough question to answer and hopefully other members will chime in here because the more opinions for you to consider-the more information that you have to make a good choice. There are numerous Fender models out there both Telecaster or Stratocaster. There are many other "Big Name" companies out there that make high quality versions/interpretations, copies or knock-offs-whichever you choose to call them. The Fender "Standard" models ($499.99 at most all U.S. authorized dealers) don't have any kind of special pickups-they are essentially the bottem end pickups, not that they're bad (not at all-traditional Fender sound) but they are noisy. This noise is basically inherent to single coil pickups and can be especially problematic with lower end pickups. So buying the way affordable Fender Standard, while a nice guitar, you'll more likely than likely end up replacing the pickups with a set of Fender Noiseless Pickups at $199.99 (U.S.) or Fender Texas Special Pickups (at $149.99-U.S.-the last time that I looked)-so you end up with $650 to $700 invested in the guitar. But when changing the pickups, you'd be wise to do a cavity shielding and change out the potentiometers and capacitors which will bring the investment a bit higher. So, if money isn't an object here, I would suggest going with an American Special model of either guitar. Fender has a Standard Ash Tele with Vintage Noiseless pickups in the $599.99 price range which might be a good choice in a Telecaster. Just back in March 2013 in the Musicain's Friend Catalog on the inside back cover (under Stupid Deals of the Month) they had a Fender FSR (Fender Special Run) Custom Telecaster HH (humbucker-humbucker) with DiMarzio Pick Ups on sale for just $599.99-regularly priced at $799.99, as well as a Fender FSR Custom Telecaster HH with EMG Pick Ups for $599.99-regularly priced at $799.99. There are just too many options to list here-the list would be pages long.
I wouldn't ignore Squier (by Fender) guitars-especially as Squier quality has improved much over the recent years and you'll get more "Bang for your Buck)-and if you're going to end up swapping out pickups on a Fender Standard, why not just mod (modify) the Squier with higher end electronics, fret dressing etc.
Another consideration, why not look in to some other big brand versions? For instance take a look at the LTD by ESP Model ST203 Stratocaster copy. It has a worn finish ( a finish that is made to emulate the look of a well travelled, well played guitar) which some people don't care for in a "NEW" guitar, but this ESP comes in at $349.00 or look into the Schecter PT Fastback- which is a Telecaster copy available with Maple or Rosewood Fretboard and choice of a pair of Schecter Super Rock II Humbuckers or a set of Duncan Designed HB102 and FG101 humbuckers.
Again the choices are just way too numerous to try to cover in a blog post. I'd say put that computer to work and start investigating these guitars and their variations on the internet.
By the way, if you don't yet have a guitar then you probably don't yet have an amplifier. What are you considering for an amplifier? While looking for and at guitars, it is also a good time to be looking at amps in order to get one that compliments the other.
Sorry so long a post and hope it helps. Best of luck to you in your "quest".-Jim

I playd more than a year whith a cheapy one, then after a long time testing ended up with a Fender american special telecaster. Something between mexican en american standard, just 2 / 3 collors buth exellent guitars for the money.

I didn't expect there to be a simple answer, considering the vast array of options out there.

Lets start with this as a baseline: I do not want to do any modification of the guitar at the moment. I want to spend the next 5 years learning to play the guitar well and not be side-tracked with mods that I don't understand.

I can understand that I were an electric guitarist with a few years of playing experience that I would be wanting to tweak things here and there. But I am not so I don't want to be confronted with a guitar that might need that for it to sound 'pleasing' to a beginner like myself.

Therefore, taking this into consideration, what should I be looking at more closely?

So far, based on Jim's long post ( thank you!), I should be aiming for a guitar that has two humbuckers, right?

As for amps, well, I'm just looking at a practice amp, nothing exceptional as long as it sounds 'pleasant'.

just my two cents.
pickups come in single coil like usually found on fender strats and teles or dual coil (humbucker) usually found on gibson les pauls. This is not always true but a rule of thumb as fender makes an "hss" model which stands for humbucker/ single/ single coil setup. Now fender makes a wide variety of priced guitars and as the price goes up usually the hardware, materials and craftsmanship gous up. But I have heard from a fair amout of players that the mexican version if setup properly can be very nice. If you are able to spend $1000 on a guitar, that is a beautiful thing. That means that you dont have to hunt and peck for that $250 guitar where quality control may be an issue. But please try holding a few models just to make sure you have found "the one" and always have it properly set up with the string guage you will be using. Also keep in mind that there are a few hidden expenses of guitar playing. besides the amp and cable, strap, new strings, picks, tuner, metronome, headphones, etc.
And last but not least, there is a bug that most musicians get after a certian time to buy new gear. You may be immune but be prepared for it as it could bite at any given trip to the music store.

More about pickups though. Look at you favorite players and see what they use. Eric Clapton, David Gilmore and Jimi Hendrix all used single coils. John5 also uses single coil telecasters. Jimi Page, Slash and Zakk Wylde use humbuckers.
As far as practice amps go, There are even more options. Most people will tell you to get a tube amp but these are more expensive than solid state. Personally, If I was looking for a tube practice amp, I'd be looking at fender or vox model.
Hope this long post helps. and if you do happen to get an american made telecaster, I will be very jealous.

Thanks for your input, irishsnout.

After spending the last week doing intensive research, I've now put the Yamaha Pacifica range of guitars on my short list. Main reasons being, Yamaha has had a consistent and long term reputation of quality in all their instruments, including guitars. I know that the Japanese will make totally sure that quality will not be compromised whether they have their guitars made in Indonesia or elsewhere. So that's one elements I don't have to worry about.

I've seen reviews and very capable guitarists and guitar teachers play the Pacifica guitars on Youtube, and it sounds damn good to my ears.

Further, at a price of around $400 -$500 ( for the 112V or 212VFM, 13" radius which is what I want, SS Alnico x2 or Humbucker x1), I am looking at a good solid guitar for a beginner ( at least until I get the bug and want to explore other guitars to add to my collection), plus money left over for the cables, strap, pick and of course a reasonable practice amp. This will actually keep me within the $1000 budget.

Also checkout the Squier classic vibe telecaster. Its a very good guitar and you can get one for around 300$. There's some videos on youtube of people comparing the american fender telecaster to this one and its pretty damn close sounding.

Originally Posted by: SebastBergAlso checkout the Squier classic vibe telecaster. Its a very good guitar and you can get one for around 300$. There's some videos on youtube of people comparing the american fender telecaster to this one and its pretty damn close sounding.

It is also on my short list, since it really checks all the boxes and is in the same price range.

I'll now have to get my hands on them to see which one feels the most comfortable.

Lots of good suggestions in here. I've heard a lot of good reviews of the MIM teles and Strats. I might recommend a MIM Tele and a Fender Blues Junior amp. I have owned neither, but heard them and have read lots of great reviews on both. I think you'd be well set for a long time to come.

I have to agree with the Classic Vibe Series.

They are not expensive. Play well. You can get them used for even less.

The electronics seem to be a better quality than other guitars in the price range.

They make a strat and Tele. I like the Telecaster Custom with the binding.

Put the rest of you money in a better amp for now.

Always buy used so you can sell without losing your investment cost.

I've also heard good reviews of the Fender Blues Jr amp, but they cost around $900 here and don't often come up for sale as used. It will have to wait before I can fit that amp into my budget.

What's the second choice for an amp? I heard Vox Vyper is good.

Hey String..
I have a Vox Valvetronix vt30.. Setting took a while to get figure out.
It's pretty good amp in my book.
I play my MIM Tele thru it.. Also just tried my A/E Alvarez thru it.. sounded great also..
Hope you get your rig together soon..

This debate has raged for years - And to keep it short:

Buy what you can afford.

If it were 15 years ago I would say definitely US made. Not so much anymore. If you can afford a US strat, go for it. You won't be upset. If you can only afford a MIM strat, go for it. You won't be upset.

Hello Stringybark,

Have you made a purchase yet? I'm curious to know which direction you went in. I was in your shoes about 4 months ago - A novice player, interested in Blues and Rock, and ready to make a purchase but somewhat overwelmed with the options available. Like you, I combed the in internet for advice, basically receiving the same advice you have received here (which is all good). In the end, I realized that there was no perfect answer so I went with a MIM Strat due to the price (thought it was a good value for what I was willing to pay at the time) and for what I percieved as the instruments versitility (so as my interests evolved the strat would still be a suitable instrument).

So far, I've been pleased with my purchase. It is fun to play and it allows me to experiment with many different sounds/tones as I practice. I just added my first pedal yesterday which gives me a new layer of sound to explore. I'm sure that I'll continue to branch out with different types of guitars as I become more proficient and I hone my style (I have early stages of GAS) but I'm sure that I'll keep the Strat in my collection for a long while to come so it was a good purchase for me.

Not particularly trying to sell you on the Strat but more just sharing my experience. I wish you well in your journey!

Hi Matt,

Yes, I have made my purchase, however fate intervened and I didn't get a Fender or Yamaha at all but an ESP M-2, which was for sale in a secondhand shop at an irresistible price of around $600 ( which was still in my budget) when these guitars sell for over $2000 new. This one had virtually no blemish and it appeared never to have been played in anger ( as I said, practically new looking). I could not resist a high quality guitar like this at such a low price.

So, I know it's a guitar mostly used in metal but I don't really care since I'm just learning and it does the job. It feels very nice to play with and I'm not regretting buying it.

The only thing is that the shop threw in a Squier 10W amp which is rubbish, as you can imagine, but I couldn't say no to a freebie. I'm now looking for a suitable amp which is mainly for practice. I want to get the Yamaha THR10 amp, because I like what I hear about it and the price is not bad either.

There you have it, what I planned to buy didn't happen :) I'm keen to get an electro acoustic guitar as well. I just love experimenting with different guitars :D

Hi Stingybark,

Thanks for the update. Sounds like you got yourself a good guitar at a great price...looks like you were rewarded for your diligent research and shopping around.

As far as amps go, I'm using a Fender Frontman 25R, which I purchased off a guy for well below its already low retail price - he bought it for his daughter and she used it once - it was still in its original packaging. I thought I would test the waters with this amp to see what I liked or didn't like (basically using it as a familar reference point) so I knew what to look for when I decided to purchase a more expensive amp. So far its meeting my needs -I'm not really taxing its limits so I have no real complaints because I feel it is performing well. Once I get into more complex sounds and start to push it more I might have different opinion, we'll see.

My next guitar will be an electric-acoustic that I can play through my amp. I already have an acoustic that I was given (Ibanez PF5). Its been a good guitar to learn on but I'm eager to upgrade to see if I can improve the tone a bit.

I agree with you - experimenting with the different types of guitars/sounds is half the fun.

Matt,
Give us a review of the Fender Frontman 25R when you feel you have a good idea of its capabilities. I'll check that one out as well. Am seriously bargain hunting now.

There are a whole lot more used electric-accoustic guitars out there as well, so it will be relatively easy to find a good one at a good price. Definitely no need to go for a new one with all the used choices in the market place.

I have a Frontman (smaller one, a 10G) and I love it.

Great practice amp, way plenty loud enough, minimal controls but, it's a tiny little thing smaller than a wastebasket. It's nice looking, and sounds just fine.

Let me reiterate, it is WAY plenty loud enough for practice.

I also have a Fender G-DEC 30. It's programmable, will record, will play back songs, like mp3's - just plug in a memory stick. You can lay down a rhythm track up to about 45 seconds long, then it'll play it back over and over so you can practice your leads to it. You can go to Fender on line and download different styles and backing/practice tracks. It's pretty versatile.

I have found that low end guitars skimp out on good tuners and saddles. This can make it hard to keep in tune.

I would look around for a $500 used guitar over a $500 new guitar. You will more than likely get a way better guitar for the money. Let face it this is not going to be your last guitar so do not stress if it not what you want/think you want. The main thing you need now is a ax that will carry you to the next step. You will know when/if you need a new guitar. Plow through E-Bay for cheep used effects also you may find that sound for less than $100.