Fender USA over MIM all day if you can afford it, if not MIM, if you can't afford that get a squier
However, if your gigging an MIM will cost you a lot less if it gets stolen or broke somehow.
I've been called a cork sniffer because I prefer Fender USA, but I think there are as many MIM cork sniffer's as their are USA cork sniffer's - lol...
Good points!!!!