personally, i chose a thinline as my real guitar and a CIJ Jaguar - the difference in price to the american models (and then they are custom shop or vintage series!) is so huge, that i could never afford them (at least in near future).

these cheaper guitars are really good! also, you simply cannot compare them, because there is nothing to compare with! no thinlines under 900€ (hehe, except for me :D), no jaguar less than 700€.

a professional must admit that these 700€/900€ guitars are good for them, that there's no need for a more expensive version.

 

btw: hands off of Highway 1 series if online purchase intended! the highway 1 is kind of the trash of the other american models, some are good, some are a load of *you-know*! you need to check them carefully - my local guitar store guy's advice

 

what did i want to say again? ermm... well, there are a lot of teles and strats with various prices (but not nearly as many... well, more special guitars like the thinline, jaguar etc.)- comparing always pays off... and don't buy a guitar because someone says "oh this is so great!" or a famous person plays it!

"compare a 2000$ with a 3000$ - errm, where exactly is the difference?"

 

In my experience (and only in my experience as that's all I can really speak to), the main difference is that the physical components (wood, neck, hardware, wiring etc.) as well as general quality control tend to be of much higher quality. Are there excellent MiM fenders? Sure there are, however, quality on these lines tends to be more spotty than their higher end counterparts. To me, since even a $1000 guitar is a major purchase which requires a lot of saving on my part to make, I'd much rather save a bit longer and get the highest quality instrument that I can, in hopes that it will function well as long as possible.

Tested USA and it was like trash compared to my MIM classic Tele...

"Tested USA and it was like trash compared to my MIM classic Tele..."

 

There are always good and bad in any line. Quality control at Fender (and even more so at Gibson, but that's another topic) is not what I'd call stellar...

I never meant to say that all MIM fenders were bad (I have one in fact.). I only meant to say that in my personal experience, the USA produced ones seem to be better constructed and more durable which is important to me if I'm going to spend several hundred dollars+ on a guitar.