I don't want a Fender...

[JR#97]

Give a Musicman Sillouette Special a try. Fender like tones and more. By far one of the most easy guitars to play and has all of the things you were looking for. A bit pricey though. US made and top notch quality. New will run you about a grand. Used as low as $600 and up.

 

[Farview]

If you can't find a guitar you like with a single coil in the neck position, just do this...

My camera really sucks.

 

[six]

wow, farview, looks beautiful .

I'd rather tear out one half of the bucker and put in the single-coil there.


jr#97: specs look good and hey, there's really some choice in colors and even rosewood or maple neck. but the body and the head-plate are way off my taste.

you know, this time i'm ready to spend some money, but then the thing has to be perfect... I really think about that ibanez AT300 with an additional custom paint job.

 

[Farview]

wow, farview, looks beautiful .

:

Normally you don't have a flash lighting up the cavity or the fingerprints. My camera sucks ass. Here is different lighting.

 

[Mind Riot]

I'll put in another vote for Carvin. I built one of their bolt kits a few years back and it was the nicest six string I've had. (I play sevens now.)

The Carvin bolt is basically a Strat copy except for a few things:

ebony fretboard (I LOVE ebony, but you can get maple or rosewood if you prefer)

Tilt back headstock, no string trees (I can't believe Fender hasn't changed their design in over fifty years. Does anyone else notice that other than Fenders and meticulous Strat copies you don't see non tilt headstocks and string trees on anything other than cheap, crappy guitars? Hmmmm...)

Wilkinson tremolo, higher quality than most Fenders

Plus you get all of Carvins custom options:
choice of any pickup configuration
Multiple choices of color
body wood, neck wood, fretboard wood
Standard or locking tuners

Carvins are really cool, IMO. If you can't afford to have them build one for you, you can get the kit pretty cheap and put it together.

 

[Dani Pace]

I've never quite been able to get a "feel" for a strat, can't say exactly what it is just that they don't feel right to me. I'm a small guy so i guess the more compact bodies (SG style) fits me better. For a style similar to but not quite like a strat and with the pu configuration you are looking for why not try a Washburn, the quality is good, price is good, looks and sounds similar to a strat but has a very different feel. I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for, just thought I'd toss out another option.
I think it's the "squareish" feel that throws me off with a Strat, some of the other designs with a more "rounded" feel may be just what will work for you too.