Buck62 said:
I believe that the one's that are "American" have American-made parts, but are assembled in Mexico. "Made In USA" Tele's are assembled in the USA with US-made parts. Mexican Tele's are assembled in Mexico with Mexican-made parts.
Gross misinformation!
The "American" series is a specific model. It's largely made and assembled in Corona, California with US-made Fender pickups, (at this time) US made and finished necks and bodies and better grade hardware, which may be imported, such as the Schaller machine heads.
It is not made nor assembled in Mexico.
Other "Made in USA" models, notably the "Highway 1" instruments, have some subassemblies such as the pickups made in Fender's Mexican Ensenada plant and have imported parts, but are finished and assembled in Corona.
Mexican Fender "Standard" instruments are made of cheaper materials and Mexican and Asian hardware, though I believe the unfinished necks are still coming from the Corona plant. Ensenada is now making their own bodies. As of late '03 they were capable of making their own necks and were producing those for Guild acoustics, though they hadn't started making them for Fender electrics.
This is accurate information as of this date. Things change
very rapidly at FMIC. I would not be surprised to see all production Fenders outsourced in five years.
The best production Fenders in terms of build quality are those done by Fujigen Gakki in Japan and Cor-Tek in Korea.
