I keep hearing that "Colt is rocking it" comment and I wonder if people are seeing the same Colts I am. The bones are still good, but too many sloppily fit safeties and creepy triggers at four digit price points. I would put them above Springfield at this time. My newly acquired Colt is great, but it's 106 years old, so an outlier.
In terms of parts quality and attention to fitting, the TRP is no different than the Mil-Spec and every model in between. What you're paying more for are finishes and features, not bones. In that respect, a TRP is just a base gun too, in your friends definition. More attention to fit only occurs at the Professional level with Springfield. Springfield also seems to be getting into the habit of tricking out a 1911 with features of questionable value, the Emissary being a case in point. My Dan Wessons have them both beat by a large margin. But, i have no idea what their output is, after the pandemic shutdown forced upon them by NY State.
If I was going to rip it down and build it back up, I might be inclined to use an RIA rather that a Springfield. The frames, slides and barrels are good, at a lower price point. Tisas does seem to be ramping it up though, so they may be an option to consider. I would like to see a break down by someone like Hilton Yam, rather than sumdood in a field off the tailgate of his pickup.