I love the Amer Deluxe. The CSN pups are awesome. The whole guitar is top notch. A real joy to play.
I am not a big fan of signature guitars and I've never bought anyone's signature model, but the Eric Johnson strat is unbelievable. You should give one a try.
Ultimately, I would totally go used. Ebay, craigslist...I do a lot of used shopping on Guitar Center's used site (
Guitar Center ) You could spend hours looking at stuff on here. I've bought lots of things from all over the country.
Also, if you have a Guitar Center or a Sam Ash in your city, go in and ask a sales guy to search their used inventory for what you are looking for. What's on Guitar Center's used site is only a fraction of what they have used. Sam Ash doesn't have a used site, but they also have a gigantic inventory of used gear.
Finally, take a look at Japanese strats. I know you want American, but the Japanese strats are excellent...especially if you can find a deal. During the 80's, the Jap strats were held in fairly high regard.
Let me know what you pick up!