You want an opinion on a strat? Pick one up, let the guitar do the talking.
To quote the great Frank Zappa:
"If you pick up a guitar and it says 'Take me, I'm yours," then that's the one for you."

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I traded my car in for a microphone.

Like a couple have said here already they didn't like strats when they were younger. That was me to a "T". I was a Gibson guy for decades and bought my first Fender two years ago as an investment (American Deluxe for $400?) and to resell for a couple of extra bucks.

Guess what? It's become my main axe. My wife recently commented, "I can't believe that you play that ugly thing so much, you always said you hated Fenders." She was right, I did.

Just keep playing all different types of guitars until you find the one that "talks" back to you. I'd often heard people say that and didn't know what they meant -- until I picked up my strat from that end cap at GC.

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"A boom boom boom" sez it all!
'00 Am Deluxe Fat Strat
w/EMG SLV/SLV/89 - EXP & SPC
'98 LP Dbl Cut
'74 SG
Blues, Jr.
'72 Ampeg VT22
Boss GT6

In this opinion:

A nice MIM Standard Stratocaster is often very, very close to what the vintage Strats were like.

An American Standard Stratocaster is an outstanding guitar which will play veritably any type of music which can be played on an electric guitar.

An American Deluxe Stratocaster is able to run with the big dogs of the guitar world and is arguably, "Too nice to be a Fender, let alone a Stratocaster."

Perhaps, a Stratocaster should not be compared to other guitars; other guitars should be compared to a Stratocaster.

Play as wide a range as you can of guitars and music before choosing. Best of fortune.

strats are really awsome..i love mine sounds great stays in tone greatand it's a MIM $500 instead of the american $1,200 with rebate.I would try a Made in Mexico(MIM) before you even know if you like the stratocasters..

Classic 50's and 60's Strats are great too. So is the American Vintage Series. I've heard good things about the Road Worn Series also. They look totally vintage without the modern features.

strats are wounderful. i put mine through hell from age 15 to 22, it has traveled with me all over the place been with me through everything

back in the young days we would play for entire weekends, get wasted, and play some more

basicly it's had some ROUGH miles put on it, and all it needs is some fret work because i've worn the frets out in a couple spots. but it's not even bad enough to fix and i could probably just relevel them and be good for another 10 years.

it's a work horse and wont let you down. and you can tweak it to get just about any sound you want out of it.

I just scored a beautiful mint Anniversary 06 MIM Deluxe Powerhouse strat, maple neck and navy blue metallic body for $350. I had to reset the phantom coil/pickup attached to the inside of the pickguard (common problem but easy to fix). What a beauty... plays like butter, a wide range of sweet glassy classic Fender tone, etc. etc. A real poor mans "Blackie".

I got it from GC online and only $15 to ship! Just keep looking and you'll find one. Really nice colors too... Lake Placid, Graffiti Yellow, Metallic Carmel (oddly enough, I could see where mine was originally Carmel Metallic and was repainted at the factory to the Navy Blue Metallic)