[stephenT]

Like the OP, I question the need to upgrade that particular guitar, it kinda sounds like his son is enjoying the possibilities of all that eye candy and ready to try other brands, etc.

I'm sure some folks can't hear upgrades in pots and switches and maybe wire, it's a small thing but it's also one of the factors that makes some guitars (of the same style) better than others.

I have a client, young guy (truly a monster jazz player with great ears, when he plays the tele it sounds like a big jazz box archtop) who had me put one of my necks on his American Standard Tele, he said the volume unplugged had increased and felt more "acoustic". He replaced the stock pickups w/ a set of dimarzio AREA T. A year later he wanted a new bridge/saddles to replace the OEM Gotoh bridge with the brand and style I use on my guitars,.. a cold rolled steel bridge plate and three brass saddles by Glendale. Oh, and his pots are scratchy and the knobs spin,.... so I replaced the silly S1 controls w/ American made pots and switch CTS and CRL,..

The bridge/saddles and the neck were a big deal in sound (sustain, fatness) but the upgrade to the controls and getting that tone sucking stock fender S1 system out was the gravy. So, IMO, yes, components matter.