But you can get a nice used MIM Strat on CL for $300 and they're very good guitars. There is not $1000-$2000 worth of difference between those and the premium American-made ones. AFAIK, the MIM ones are only assembled in Ensenada. Their components are built in Corona, CA (and likely by Mexicans).

Hey Rick
I think i agree with you mostly. We live in a golden age of inexpensive quality instruments and guitar amps. There are great guitars coming out of Asia that are very nice.

I guess my feathers were a little ruffled by the comment that no Strat is worth more than $500 when that is about what the parts cost to make one, new not used.
John

Oh sure, there are tons of vintage Strats that are worth big money. And there are some nice modern ones that I might peg at worth $1000 just because of the paint and finishing work. But the components are nothing fancy. I've built lots of partscasters for under $500 that played and sounded every bit as good as a production guitar, sometimes better. When I was a kid, you couldn't buy every single component you wanted from eBay or Sweetwater. You were stuck ordering stuff piecemeal from the Allparts catalog at your local music store. No more. You can get a fine Mighty Mite neck with "Licensed by Fender " on the heel for less than half of what the same neck costs with the Fender logo on the headstock.

Youre are quite correct- I need to adjust my outlandish claim for inflation.....it was more allegorical than literal.