Fat strats

Okay, I've been playing for the best part of a year now, and I think it's time I got myself a proper guitar and amp Squier strats sounds crap, especially played acoustically (my cheapo amp is completely fecked.)

Now, from what I've heard, the fat strats are just my kinda thing (though they apparently could use a stiffer trem. What's new?)...but you know how Fender like to complicate things by seperating the models into American, Deluxe, and Standard series.
Is there that much of a difference? And how much do they cost?

Also, what amp would you reccommend? I gather that Marshalls are generally good, but that's as far as my knowledge goes...

Some help would be much apprecciated...

i have a mexican fat strat deluxe..
This guitar will suit you if you play 70's classic rock, rockabily or any kind of blues, especialy texas blues because of the tex mex pick ups..
the price: in the usa i guess it costs around 650-700$.
this is overaly a very good guitar, but if you like to shredd im not sure you can shredd much on it..

I cant shred worth a crap anyway...

Actually...I was kinda considering a Tele, too. Not sure which to get. They certainly sound very different, I expect they play slightly differently too.

Guess I'll have to get myself down the store and try some...

I would pay no attention to the labels Fender give the various incarnations of strat and simply try out as many as possible, then go for the one you like.

You can always buy the parts and assemple your own. Its fun and easy and you can get exactally what you want. This method cost less and does not require a great skill level. Otherwise what I've noticed in the different lines of the Fenders is the quality of the wood. Pick up an american made Fender then pick up a Mexican made one and you can tell the difference right away.

I just found out what markpro was talking about. I played 3 strats, the standard mexican, Highway one and the American. The American is for sure the better guitar. The pickups are cleaner the tremolo is nice and it has bigger frets than the other tw0. The down side about $750. The Highway 1 was nice, the pick ups arent as good as the american but it is a great sounding ax. They go for about $550, and I would buy one, but what turned me off big time is the paint on them looks like crap. It looks like someone took a can of spray paint to it then just sent it out. If you can get past the paint the Highway one is a nice guitar. After playing those two then picking up the mexican standard strat, there is no way I would consider buying one. I didn't think there would be that big of a difference, but they sound cheap compared to the other 2. I think they they all are the same woods, but the difference is in the pickups, the neck and the bridge.

standart mexican strat is a cheap guitar for beginners
my fat strat on the other hand (the deluxe one) is not worse than american standart but different.. it has humbecker on it unlike american standart strat (a tex mex one which gives you that SRV tone) and the 70's design which is realy appealing to me