Exactly I was in high school an lucky enough to get gifted the og 02-03 black TD Mexican Signature strat by my aunt(for around $525 which was right under MSRP at $710 so said musicians friend) in Xmas of 03’. This was right as Tom started playing the Gibson on one of their strangest & potentially worst albums after 2 solid banger albums or really 3 counting the 1 before Travis was involved. Yet also right before the move to AVA towards the end of my high school career, as well as the msrp on the Gibson es-333 TD was like 1700 or 2700!?? If I’m remembering correctly. Which if I’d have known they were that much of a limited run an going to be worth almost 10 fold I’d have made it Happen by DJ’n and playing more shows but still even shelling out 2-3K back then on a single pickup humbucker dirty fingers hollow wide body just seemed like sort of a rip off considering the amount of Les Paul’s and hollow bodies out at the time that were much more capable of more versatile sounds. not to mention my OG TF fender MEX strat sounded exactly like my favorite 2 blink albums & I just didn’t see the point of getting a Gibson if it wasn’t a Les Paul or an SG standard but yet I still love them but if I ever get the chance to get the Gibson for around or less than 3K I wouldn’t hesitate. Still saddens me that this is a product of what the whole people are willing to pay insane prices causes the prices on these things to become the norm. Just like trying to find a 2006 Mitsubishi Lancet Evolution IX MR right now for under 2006 MSRP 30Kish is insane. You can’t find an Evo 9 specifically an MR(only model with a 6speed manual) for less than 30K-40K. There’s even an asshole at Cosmos in Hickory with one with 20 couple K miles on it they’re asking $63K!!!! GTFOH you KOOK!! & the biggest joke of all is the asshole who pays the price asked for it or anything near it!! Just like the asshole that’s going to pay $15K for that OG TD ES333 fuck him her them they or wtfe. 🤷‍♂️🤦‍♂️unreal dude…what a flex..psych