Help me.

I know it's very arrogant of me, help me. Help me. But I figure it's a dilemma a lot of people are in, wanting equipment they can neither afford nor have the space to own. And yet.. buying it anyway. I know it's all dependent on the style of music I play, what I want to do and where I want to go, etc., but keep that stuff ready to post for the next post like this that comes along, please. (I play some blues, some fingerstyle pieces, lots of stuff actually. And I dabble in my own music, too.)

I've been playing about 3-4, maybe 5, years and I'm apprehensively confident in my playing ability.. I am getting sounds that sound pleasing to the ear, but I am also looking for fluidity in my playing. It seems to come and go. I'm self-taught, but had lessons for 3 or so weeks, and then the teacher had to get a traditional job.

Anyway, I have an Artcore Semi-Hollowbody.. it's done the job so far. I'm thinking of getting something else, though. I'm really annoyed that I don't have easy access to the higher frets. I can get to the 17th with effort, and everything else is pretty much beyond reach. The scale of the fretboard is a little annoying. But I do enjoy the guitar, and the sound out of my little starter set-up. Right now I play out of one of those little Fender practice amps.. the 15 watt ones you see them giving to new players every single day.

I have some money. Not a lot, but some. I've had my eyes on a couple of things..

A Fender Blues Deluxe Reissue amp: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Blues-Deluxe-Reissue-40W-1x12-Combo-Amp?sku=483718

A Fender Deluxe Mexican Strat: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Deluxe-Players-Stratocaster-Electric-Guitar?sku=511597

It's probably not a coincidence both of those products are Fender.

Or I've thought about getting an acoustic, I've noticed some of the lower model Martin guitars: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitar/navigation?N=100001+11&Ntk=All&Ntt=martin+acoustic&Nty=1&page=1

If you were me, would you buy the Deluxe Reissue amp (is it even made in America?) to improve the sound of the Artcore and work with that? Or would you buy the Mexican Strat and keep playing out of the little amp and work on technique until happening into some more money down the line for a better amp? If I want equipment that is going to last for a long time and that I can grow into, are the lower end Strat and lower end Martin worth the price of the name and sound (do they even approach the traditional sounds?), or is it not worth it at all?

I could conceivably buy a Blues Jr. Tube amp, 15 or so watts there.. and get a $300 or so Mexican made Strat. But I don't want to get in the habit of buying equipment knowing I'm going to want to upgrade in the future, and I'm not sold on Mexican Strats, including the Deluxe one. Does the American Strat gain value over time, as opposed to a Mexican-made depreciating over time? I'd rather just save (for as long as possible, if need be) and buy what I consider to be a good guitar, than buy ones to satisfy the urge.

I don't expect anyone to answer all these questions, they're mainly thought-processes stemming from wanting to spend money wisely in my situation. There's the potential I'm even going at it from false premises, too. The Deluxe Reissue is not the best Fender tube amp I could be getting in that price range, the Strat/Martin not the best at that price range, etc. But any advice you have, any recommendations, any "Fender sucks" comments would be helpful. I'm in that great guitarist bind, having no money and yet wanting everything.