I don't know man. I have pretty high expectations for a $600 instrument, maybe because I remember the days when you could get a new American Std. Strat or Tele for about $600. I *think* I paid $600 or $700 for my brand-new 100% American made Hamer in 1994. That axe is still in the arsenal and gets used all the time and it really holds up to new $2K guitars and kills most 'of 'em. My second pick at the time was a PRS EG and that wasn't too much more and those have only gone up in value! That was what...1994 or '95? Not all that long ago...