Bumping this thread up... I'm going to commit heresy here:

Are Italian bikes overhyped, finish-wise? People complain about Italian paint quality frequently and decal quality as well (surface applied vinyls vs clearcoated transfers) among Italian bikes, and I have to admit, many of the Italian bikes I've seen in person just do not have the same level of finish quality that high-end Japanese and American frames seem to.

This is not to denigrate the ride quality of Italian frames, but solely the finish-work. Some of the bikes in this thread look great, but I'm curious if the lug finishing/paint quality in person are as nice.

Any Italian advocates care to comment?