I did replace the neck on the American made. Boogie Bodies birdseye maple, with same wood for the fingerboard.
The body is alder. I also replaced the vibrato with a Kahler, and the pickups with Seymour Duncan SSL-1s.
The Mexican made has an ash body and a rosewood fingerboard. Has Vintage Noiseless pickups.
Two Strats, but they sound nothing alike.
Where we differ is that I don't think one needs a luthier to do a setup on a Strat. There are hundreds of very good techs.
I wouldn't take my acoustics to them, but I would have no reservations about taking any of my electrics to several people within easy driving distance.
Way easier to find a good tech than a Luther.
I can do all that stuff on a electric myself, but it's hard to motivate myself, especially if I'll then need intonation on a Rose or Kahler. That's a pain, even with the right equipment. For that, I'll pay to have it done.
On any of my Fenders, I'll do it myself. (I didn't replace the pickups myself. I'm pretty hamfisted with a soldering iron.)