Squier Classic Vibe Tele vs Mexico Standard Tele?

[tochiro]

Hi,

Did you play both and what's your opinion for a classic Tele sound? I play rock/country music. What's the most comfortable to play? Thank you.

Cheers

 

[TheoDog]

The MIM is more ready to go out of the box. The bridge hardware is a little more robust. The Squier might benefit from some carressing- upgrade pots, switch, etc. The fretwork might be more refined on the MIM as well. Not that a few minutes with a trusty file couldn't bring the Squier frets up to snuff.
Basically, if you are savvy with setup and DIY upgrades, the Squier is a great deal. The MIM is worth the cos difference based on the convenience of starting with CTS post and slightly better hardware.

I have had a few of each. The MIC Fenders sit right about in line with the "good" Squiers.

 

[sa1126]

I would grab a classic vibe any day of the week over the MIM.

 

[DGDGBD]

there's been plenty of back and forth about this subject on here - search will bring it up. TheoDogs post above sums it up pretty well. The classic vibes tend to have thinner necks, so i hear. Expect some contention between the rival fanboys. I have a CVC, love it, but I did swap out the pots and switch.

 

[dazco]

CV for me. Theres really no major differences in quality, but IMO the CV series generally have better wood than MIM standars. MIM classic series and variants are a whole other story tho and are great. the CV's are more equal to them IMO. I have a squier CVC and a Squier vintage modified 72 thinline. Both excellent teles regardless of cost, but like all lower end you should replace the switch and pots, or at least the switch. Other than that they're great and the CV's have better pickups in my and many others opinions than the MIM standards AND classic series. (tho not the bajas which have USA pups) The MIM standards have up to 7 piece bodies. the ones that are burst have veneer top and back so they don't look like a butcher block and the black edges hide this. The squier CV's i believe are 2-3 piece. My vintage modified 72 for which i paid a whopping $300 b4 they increased to $450 has a clear finish and a TWO piece center joined body with grain you'd expect on a AVRI.

So IMO the CV's and even some of the VM's are better quality guitars than the standard MIMs. Even have better pups, tho i change to USA pups on all guitars i buy with rare exception because thats a way to tweak the tone to your personal perfection. The manufacturer is not cap[able of picking the right pickups for everyone obviously. May CVC below left is just about as good a guitar as most fenders i've owned. But the one thing to note is the squiers have very thin necks. Makes playing fast alternate picking easy but not as good for bending. Different flavors.....i have a classic series MIM which a chunky neck when i want that.

 

[sa1126]

I guess I will clarify.

MIM guitars feel very heavy to me. They have pretty run of the mill electronics (so do the classic vibes) and definitely could benefit from a pickup change. A lot of them need minor fret work (so do the classic vibes) and good setups.

I feel like out of the box the squier has better pickups. It could definitely benefit from better electronics but the pickups sound fantastic IMO and the guitar just looks and feels better to me.

YMMV, just my opinion. I recently sold my classic vibe and really regret it--my MIM tele was a college graduation gift from my brother and I gigged with it extensively so I couldn't part with it.

 

[daacrusher2001]

Every time I pick up a CV it feels cheaply made. I bought one a few years back, sold it in about 6 months. The wood, bridge, frets, tuners...all below average quality. I had to do a lot of fret work to get it right. Even then, the metal the frets were made out of started to wear very very fast. The pickups sounded ok, but they really aren't nicely constructed pickups. Usable, tho', but I swapped them out.

Recently I grabbed a Baja tele - I thought this was way way way better than any CV I ever tried (or owned).

I have this same experience every time I pick up an Epi 339 - the CV's and Epi 339's get a lotta love on TGP - I'm clearly in the minority, but I haven't been impressed at all either one.

On the flip side, I like the PRS SE guitars, Reverends, and some others that are less expensive. I had a pretty cool Schecter that only cost a few hundred but played great. Hated the floyd, but that's a different issue.

 

[halcyon]

I would grab a classic vibe any day of the week over the MIM.

I would as well. The Squier CV series has been consistently good, in my experience, whereas Fender MIM has not. I also prefer the stock pickups on the CV to the harsh/greasy ceramics on the MIMs. The MIM Tele/Strat is one of those rare guitars for which, were I to order one, I would order new pickups at the same time.

 

[tkachuk07]

The necks are different & that could make your choice right there. The CV Tele's are high gloss, thinner IME & have frets I would classify as smaller vintage style frets. The MIM teles for the past decade should have satin necks, Medium C or so & medium jumbo frets.

I feel the CTS pots on MIM & little electronic stuff like that are generally nicer on MIM Standards. The chrome parts may be nicer on MIM. I think some sweat after one gig corroded my CV Tele control plate pretty significantly.

I like the alnico 3 pups in the CV 50's Tele. I know the MIM will be ceramic pups & it is all opinion on what you like. The Strat I use the most have MIM ceramic single coils in the neck & mid. I also have a Strat with Alnico Robert Cray pups & I like those too, just a different flavor that works when I want a more vintage vibe.

 

[EastHastings]

I'd say quality is similar, slight advantage to the MIM. It just depends on the style you want. The MIM Teles are more modern (6-saddle bridge, thicker satin neck, hotter pickups) while the CV Teles are more vintage (brass bridge, thinner glossy neck, lower output pickups).

 

[korby]

CV seem to hold their value better .

 

[Judge Smails]

I would say CV. I have a CV 50s Strat that I would put a step above my MIM Strats.
MIM teles are real nice but the CV teles are just killer

 

[daacrusher2001]

I recall owning a MIM Strat for awhile. The neck always seemed to dig into my hand - I don't think they have rolled fretboard edges...other than that, the wiring was really cheap so I upgraded it. Otherwise, a pretty good guitar.

 

[djg714]

If you want a toy guitar, go CV.
If you want a real guitar, go MIM.

 

[dnauhei]

Squier necks are nice but too thin. MIM's are perfect.

 

[Trevorsnackson]

I dont have any experience with recent MIM, I have an older MIM, that I love. People always think it feels or sounds like MIA which is nice.

The classic vibes feel and look great but the neck was way too thin for me. Felt like an ibanez wizard II neck

 

[Imperial_Tone]

Depends.. Often I'll grab a MIM and love it, others not so much. The CV line seems to be stepping up the game for a decent instrument, and often they sound killer stock. I will say the safer bet would be a MIM, as you can recoup most of your money back; but I feel the MIM would be an excellent choice for upgrades if you plan on keeping it for the long run. I'd vote MIM the more I think about it..

 

[HayekFan]

Squier necks are nice but too thin. MIM's are perfect.

Some very quick googling turned up two references to the MIM tele necks being 0.82" thick at the first fret. My two CVs (tele and strat) measure 0.81" and 0.82".

I haven't played enough MIMs and CVs to say for sure, but it wouldn't surprise me if the neck profiles were both patterned on a typical modern C with very little difference between them.

 

[fretless]

I guess I will clarify.

MIM guitars feel very heavy to me. They have pretty run of the mill electronics (so do the classic vibes) and definitely could benefit from a pickup change. A lot of them need minor fret work (so do the classic vibes) and good setups.

I feel like out of the box the squier has better pickups. It could definitely benefit from better electronics but the pickups sound fantastic IMO and the guitar just looks and feels better to me.

YMMV, just my opinion. I recently sold my classic vibe and really regret it--my MIM tele was a college graduation gift from my brother and I gigged with it extensively so I couldn't part with it.

Fwiw the MIM standard models do not have chintzy electronics at all. And haven't for many years. CTS pots, CRL switches - exactly the same as USA made Fenders. The CV's have those garbage switches, bottom barrel output jacks and Alpha pots.

 

[songtalk]

I would grab a classic vibe any day of the week over the MIM.

This.

Far better tele.