I had a similar story with mine too. It's an aged cherry burst american deluxe Ash strat year 2005.
I wanted a strat when I first heard Mark Knopfler at college......Next was my cusin Nicolas playing strats since a long time then became a sound engineer

So it was late july 2005, and i noticed a french supertore like Guitar Center.
I entered the store to find a promo like 25% off, and was deeply moved by an aged cherry burst Am Deluxe ash strat. Off I went with the guitar and a frontman 25R amplifier.

The week-end came and I started playing intensively my long desired from chilhood Fender guitar :p).
I started noticing a bad feeling on the first two lower chords.
I was not feeling confident. So I decided to take it to another store I remembered my cusin visited a few times when he was in Grenoble, my hometown.

I took the guitar and learned a huge lesson: the giant store made a rebate only because it was a B-stock strat I wasn't told when doing initial purchase so I decided to give it back for a refund and tried two other am deluxe in the small shop.

In the small shop (Ferré Musique), they even phone-called commercial Crew in Paris to relate my story! asked for invoice, and helped me for the refund
I was feeling better....

Two weeks after I received another one choosen directly from stock in fender warehouse directly from Fender France, Clichy (close to Paris).
It was choosed by the commercial I accidently helped....

The staff at Ferré took all there time for a perfect setup. I was in shock late in the afternoon, when my hands touched the guitar for the first time!
I noticed a heavy weight and a strong tone

I hope to never part with that guitar just because of that story and it's pure tone

Congrats Briese, Tobacco Burst is so beautiful.

It's always nice to hear when someone finds the instrument they've been searching for.