Thanks for the advice all, much appreciated. I'm still hunting around, and I might finally be getting rid of my beginner-gear that sits back home doing nothing.....I'm lucky enough to have a friend who's a beginner guitarist.

Originally posted by Incidents Happen
Try the Gibson Les Paul Double Cutaway Plus, i got mine for $1090, its better than any strat you'll ever play.

LOL....well congrats on your new guitar, enjoy it. I've played a couple of Gibson cutaways and they are really nice, but I already play a Les Paul which for all its cool doesn't have the same feel as a strat....whenever I pick one up different things tend to happen to my playing.

Originally posted by stratman42
If i were you i'd get a mexi strat and get locking nuts for it, and a floyd rose if you're into that...thats what i plan on doing.

Yeah, I'm into the Floyd Rose locking systems....I love Ibanez guitars too.....if I put one on a strat though I'll have a luthier do it for me....I saw an American strat going secondhand recently and the value was reduced because it's previous owner ****ed it up by doing a DIY Floyd-Rose job....it was a real joke.

Jazzmasters I've never tried at all....thats a new one to look at.