I'm gonna have to say Mexi Strat but I'm biased toward Fender vs Epiphone in general. I just think cheap Fenders (even Squiers) are better built than Epi's. But then I've never really played a higher-end Epi so don't listen to me.
Best thing you can and should do is go find the models you dig and PLAY them. But I'm a Strat man. So I say Strat! The lower-end Epi's I've picked up felt like dogshiz compared to comparably priced Fenders and Squiers.
Well I played my buddy's Epi one day and I really liked how the neck felt. But I've also played a Strat and really like how versatile it is sound wise.
As has been said, go play them and find which you prefer. Play several differant models. Personally I'd go for the strat, so many more options for modding it later on if you want to. Much easier to get a FR conversion on a strat than LP. I got a mex strat about 7 or 8 years ago and i'd never gig with out it. It came with a humbucker in the bridge and I stuck a hotrails in the neck.
Do you have to spend the money? If I were you, I would hang onto it and put it towards something better...
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