Since I’ve been around the block a few times on this, I’m going to be direct on my opinions, and I'm not going to mince words. My apologies in advance to those offended.
Stay away from knock-offs, starter packs, and POS like Cort, Samick, etc..
The major problems with entry-level guitars are their tremolo systems, pickups, and necks/fretboards.
a). Tremolo systems; I have been playing for two years as well and have been exposed to a wide variety of systems (including floating and non floating). The biggest issue with the tremolo systems is the lack of tuning stability (especially if it is not a double-locking system). To get a profressional level quality tremolo, you may have to buy a guitar worth over $1,000. The other issue with all tremolo systems is changing the strings; it is an ardous and lengthy multiple-step task (e.g. 1 to 2 hours to change the strings, letting the strings stretch out for a day, retune, restretch, etc..) Unless he is hell bent on a tremolo system, buy a guitar with a fixed bridge. Out of the 5 guitars I have, only 2 have trems and I barely use them. Judging by the musical influences you listed, he would have little use for a trem system.
b) Pickups: for the price range you are looking at, the pickups would not even be passable (too low-output, too-muddy, feedback, etc). And there is no point in getting a low-end guitar, and throwing in aftermarket pickups (like Dimarzio), and having no resale value.
c) Neck: On the cheapie models, the necks are usually chunky, have awkward string-spacing, finished necks which increase friction while he plays.You want him to be as happy as possible with his instrument, which will encourage to play more, which will make him better faster (you know, create an "upward spiral").
My recommendations:
If he wants something of the superstrat-type go with Ibanez RG series. I own 2 myself, and I am thinking about a third one. The Ibanez RG321MH is a non-trem guitar that costs below $400. Even though it is built in Innonesia (3rd-rate build quality in comparison to Korea which is 2nd, and Japan which is 1st…at least with the Ibanez construction hierarchy), it is an excellent guitar for a beginner. The neck/fretboard is an 8 out of 10 in terms of quickness/playablity, and there are guitars I’ve played costing 3 or 4 times as much (e.g. Gibson Les Paul) whose necks don’t even come close to this Ibanez neck (called a Wizard II). The only necks that I’ve played that are better are on the Ibanez RG Prestige Series (I also have an RGA 121H, $1,200), which are made in Japan and cost $1,000 and $3,000 (the neck are called Wizard Prestige). No other is better, not even the neck on my $3,500 Lado Earth (like Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith had back in 1984). The standard pickups on the RG321MH (called Infinity 3 and 4) are passable, have a half-decent output, and a good tone for a beginner guitar. The pickups on other entry level superstrats made by Jackson, ESP, Yamaha etc, are poor in comparison. If he insists on getting a guitar with a tremolo, the Ibanez RG 320/350/370 series is the same as the RG321MH, but with the tremolo of course. My first guitar was an RG 320 (I still have it), and I upgraded the pickups to Dimarzio’s, and it beats the pants out of guitars cost twice as much. The tremolo system on this guitar is called an Edge III, and the tuning stability is excellent most of the time; dive bombs are of little consequence to it, but pull-ups sometimes knocks the top 2 strings out of wack if pulled hard enough. However, if he doesn’t plan to wank-off on the tremolo like Van Halen or Steve Vai, this system should suit him well.
If he wants a more ‘traditional style’ of guitar (e.g. Les Paul, Explorer, etc.), which obviously means a fixed-bridge (non-trem) guitar, I would recommend the Dean X-Series line. They cost around $450, and come in a variety of models: VX (flying-vee), Z (explorer), Cadillac (a bastardized Les Paul), and ML (half-explorer, half flying-vee). In keeping with their more traditional focus, the necks are a bit chunkier and are a bit more difficult to play. The stock pickups are decent and would be pretty happy with them for quite a while. I also have a Dean Z, but even though it is a 79-reissue series (a few notches up the ladder at $650), the entry-level X-series is excellent for the price and it has tone for days (I’ve done a back-to-back comparison on both series). I play Sabbath, Zepplin, and early Leppard (1980-1983) on my Dean and it sounds great. If he insists on a Gibson Les Paul or a Gibson SG knock-off, I would look at Epiphone guitars. I’ve never played one personally, and I can’t really comment on that make, but the guitarist in my brother in-laws band swears by it.
In terms of amps, I would go to a Line 6 Spider III 15watt Modeling Combo amp ($175). My first amp was a small Peavey, and after I decided that I was going to continue playing guitar, I got rid of that and started shopping around for something better. I tried tons of the small solid-state amps (in tube amps, you have to crank them at top volume to get a good level of distortion, and they are $$$$), like Marshall, Roland, Randall, Ibanez, Fender, etc… but they all sounded like cheap Fisher Price units (like my old Peavey). Then I came across Line 6; they have been around for only a few years, but they are taking the market by storm and are the best non-tube amps (and pedals too) around. I settled for a Line 6 Pod, which is like a computer that you plug your guitar into, just add normal speakers. Many of the tones on my unit come from the Spider series, and anytime I test out a new guitar in a store, I always plug into a Line 6 Spider amp…anything else is a waste of time, and will not flatter any guitar's tone. I would recommend that you go to the Line 6 website and have him listen to the sound samples on there.
In summary, stay away from the low-end garbage (including packages), it will only deter him, and will have NO resale value when it comes time to sell it (e.g. due to quitting or upgrading). The cost of the Ibanez RG and the Line 6 amp will run will about $550 to $600, but it would keep him happy for the next 5 years. Which also means money won’t be wasted due to upgrading in a year or two.
P.S. Steve’s Music has the best prices on Ibanez, Dean, and Line 6 in comparison to many of the other shops I’ve been in. However, I’ve never been in Long and McQuade, so I can’t comment on them.
Let me know if you have anymore questions.
Cheers
