Sam, I really enjoy your posts. Just thought I would let you know that out of the gate.

You have picked a great time to buy a decent guitar. I would suggest that you start in the $250 to $400 range. There are plenty of guitars in that range that have great sound and decent actions. When I refer to action I am referring, in the simplest terms to the "fretability" of the guitar. In other words, how easy is it to depress the strings and play the notes/make the chords. Very cheap guitars are difficult to play and discourage beginners. I would recommend a Seagull, which can be had for around $300 or so. Or something in that range. Tacoma is another good brand which has guitars in this range. The best advice was to play as many guitars as possible and then make your choice. I would advise against spending a lot more than this for the following reasons. 1) You may lose interest and then have more invested than you want.

2) If you find yourself loving it and improving steadily, you are going to develope specific things that you like about a guitar and will be able to make a better decision.

All the best,

Mick