A Late comment about the Stratocaster. I've tried for years, but I seem to get the nastiest sounds out of them that are possible, just when I'm not expecting them. I tried asking an expert (Alan Holdsworth) and he said You just have to keep working at it to get a good sound out of a Strat. I got fed up years ago. I've got a Strat that I use sometimes - but it's a DiMarzio with stacked humbuckers. On the other hand, lots of people have had good experiences with Strats. The point is that to get a good sound needs a little more than just plugging into the amp, unlike most Gibsons.