I have a 1984 American Strat. It's still ticking, and it's taken quite a licking over the years. Has a maple neck also. I don't know if comparing a 24 yr. old Strat to a new one is any help, as Fender has come out with so many different models, I get a headache from looking at a Fender brochure. Still, I think pretty much anything made by Fender will be of good, if not great, quality. I do wonder about the $399 Strats I've seen on sale though.