Either your local Guitar Center is a fraud or maybe your standards on a guitar are too high. Ibanez's, Strats and Tele's are all factory made and my Strat will probually be the same as your Strat. (unless if its a Mexican, American Strat, or custumly build) Now how is see it, ALL those guitars you mentioned above are high quality guitars with professionals playing them. So like, how can the frets be too low on one guitar and not on another when they are the same model. (cause the neck on my Stratocaster is very nice and smooth even though its older than me :) )
It also depends on what your acheving to play.