If you are looking for a good acoustic I would recomend something by Yamaha or Alvarez. You can get a nice acoustic for 200 or so by either of the two companies. Electric wize I like playing Jackson *warning Jackson guitars are not for everyone and should be handled with extreme attitude* and Fender strats are cool. I picked up a Fender Mex Strat for 250 new at a local shop. It plays very nice. If you buy an electric you will need an amp, so set aside a couple hundred for that too, if you want a nice amp go with the new VOX AD30VT. It's about 240 bucks but it's an amp that you won't grow out of. Bottom line, go to your local shops, play the guitars you like, see what feels good to you and sounds good to you. It must feel comfortable in your hands or you won't want to play it.