Dude, see if your shop has a Classic Player Strat. For the money its a great guitar. They are custom shop designed and even have the CS plate on the back of neck. For being MIM they are amazing. Each decade is supposed to represent all of the pros from the 10 years of models. One thing I liked is a 60's feel with a modern neck... I never did care for V necks. Just some advice, check one out. For the cash, I feel like its a steal. Really calmed my lust to shop and upgrade. Calmed, not stopped.

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Proud Fender addict! Still looking for perfect amp!
Classic Player 60's, Standard Strat, Highway One Texas Tele, '57 Twin-Amp, '63 Reverb, Blues Deluxe w/ ext cab, Champion 600

I have not found an "off the shelf" strat quite like my Clapton Artist Series... This is one versatile axe, there are so many tones you can get from this one guitar its amazing. So if your looking for your next strat, give this one a thorough test drive.

Bill

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Hey, Boy Blue is back!

You would love the America Standard Telecaster!!!! It will quickly become a favorite with out a doubt!!!!

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

im biased towards it since i own it...but i absolutely love the mark knopfler signatue series (which im guessing is what you meant by "dire straits"). gorgeous guitar with an amazing feel and even better sound.

I agree with CV!!

some of the american deluxe tele's have a contour body and are great guitars, I've played strats forever and a day, until I played my first tele in 06, a american ash deluxe, without the contour. Its my main axe now, though I still love strats.

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2012 American Vintage Telecaster 1958
09 Fender american deluxe strat.
97 Gibson les paul special P90's double-cut
65 Princeton reverb re-issue
2010 Guild Gad-F40e

This is what I do with my midboost:
I set my effects pedal so that it stays clean but ready to go into distortion when midboost is used, then dial it up when I want distortion.
This is a pretty basic and handy use of the midboost, I think.