I thought i'd throw my two cents here.
First of all Washburn for me is you'd have to get the right model,i have some friends yammering about how great their Washburn is,and some other friends spitting at it.The different models suit different people,so if you're thinking of one,check out the various models first.For me,with the right distortion and amount of gain,Washburns are great guitars.
Nau on to Squier.Basically,value for money.Clean sounds bright and even have that signature twang on some Squier Teles.If you get a Strat then it's more versatile sounding.Some Squiers are still expensive for a reason,but the lower-priced models should be not bad too.Sashin recommends a Tele,i do too,but be forewarned,you'll have to tweak the sound a lil;some people thinks there's too much twang,while some others(like me) thinks that the twang is lovely.Yes,i play a Tele.
Yamaha instruments,like so many of them said,are really good instruments.Many people i know start out with a Yamaha Pacifica.And so far nobody has complained about it.
Remember to test out every guitar you have in mind.If it doesn't feel right for you i don't recommend buying it,even if it's very low-priced or something.
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