what guitar to buy

i like pretty much all styles of music, so it is hard for me to say which i would prefer to play, i like punk, hard rock, blues, country, i don't really have a price range, under $300 would be ideal but if i need to spend more i will, i dont want to buy a pos guitar that i am going to want to get rid of after a week. it sounds like a strat would be pretty much ideal for me. what about for an amp to get me started? thanks for all the info btw guys

It sounds you are strat bound, but an amp will give you more sound definition than your axe.

Tube or Solid State?

Tube = warm creamy tone and depending on amp, a whole lot of overdrive, associated with blues and classic rock and a like.

Solid State = crunch and distortion, more associated with heavy metal and punk and a like.

Lets say $600..........

If you spend $500 on a guitar and $100 on an amp. Don't blame the axe because you didn't get the sound you wanted.

If you spend $200 on an axe and $400 on an amp, don't be surprised you are happy with the combo.

It ALL depends on what you want to spend. As a beginner, if you don't want to unload on gear and you don't plan on pursuing the field. Another suggestion would be to try out acoustics. You can buy a decent one for half the price of an electric/amp combo, but in the end, you want to start off with what YOU want to play.

Mike

ok ive got a couple of questions, are made in mexico strats good? and what is the difference in a standard strat and a fat strat??

A fat strat has 2 single coils and a humbucker pickup, while the standard has 3 single coils. Mexican strats have decent materials, they have gone up and down in quality. You might want to look at some of the mid priced Yamaha and Washburn models. Godin also makes a variant of the fat strat, and it's definately good quality for the money. (of course there's always the odd clunker, try before you buy or make sure they have a good return policy)

hey umm is a humbucker like two single coils togeather or...?

hey umm is a humbucker like two single coils togeather or...?
Pretty much, but they have a unique sound because no one ever places single coils that close together.

oh right..my vintage strat has to single coils and then another two joined togeather..is that a "fat strat"?

Sounds like it. In addition to changing the sound, humbuckers also eliminate the noise single coils pickup from sources like television and computers.