Okay, I know this is sacrilege to most people, but the question begs to be asked: why are Strats so damn expensive? I just had a look at about 45 or 50 of them at this website, and they are all the same!!!

Alder body, maple neck, vintage pups, vintage bridge. . . These, imo are arguably the most important aspects to look at in a guitar that you are going to buy. Body wood/neck wood/pickups/hardware

Yet the price for these exact specs ranges from £289 to around £1200 - and the ones that Fender have destroyed they sell for £2200!!!!!

WHY!?!?

WHY do they add nearly ONE THOUSAND GBP because they have used a rusty bridge, scratched pickups, and have paid some loser to bang it up a bit?!?!? Maybe it's testament to the loser who pays that extra amount of money to have this shyt done to their guitar

Also, they vary prices of guitars depending on who's endorsing them. A Buddy Holly guitar goes for almost £500, but a SRV goes for over £1000 and a Clapton goes for just under £1000. The price of the Malmsteen is almost justified by the scalloping, but I'm sure you can get a standard Strat, scallop it, and still spend less than they ask for a Malmsteen.

I'm not into Fender Strats (too bulky, not enough frets (I have small hands and 24 fret necks feel much better to me than 21/22 fret necks) no FR tremolo, and not enough balls) but I really want a virgin white Strat (because they do look sexy as hell) but damn - this is ridiculous!!

Can anyone shed any light or this just a case of capitalization?

Oh, and if Blooz is reading this, I still think your Koa is very sweet!