Quote:
Originally Posted by North East Goon
I havent been playing long. Maybe up to the $1200 dollar level.
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Head to a well-stocked guitar store and spend an hour or two playing as many different models as you can get your hands on (a salesman will hook you up with an amp and anything else you'll need). Buy the one that feels the best to you while still fitting in your budget.
As for the Gibson vs. Fender debate, it really is a matter of personal preference. I own
this Les Paul, but you might find you prefer the feel of a Stratocaster or an SG or whatever. Also be sure to give a few Ibanez guitars a shot; I've never played one, but from what I've heard, they really are excellent guitars with outstanding action.
You won't be able to get a Les Paul for $1200, though. IIRC, they start around $1500 and go up to over $3k. I'm unsure of the pricing of comparable Fender models, but it's likely similar. You could try Gibson or Fender's affiliated "budget" brands, Epiphone and Squire, respectively, but the quality isn't the same. They are perfectly suitable for novice guitar players, though, so if you want to spend around $500 on one of those now and then buy a better guitar in a few years once you're a much better guitarist, they're a good option.