i started with a cheap strat rippoff like that, and i rad that thing to the ground...probably got more use out of it than 99.5% of the people that owned it. haha. honestly, its not a regrettable desicion to pick one up, and you can get plenty of use out of it...hell, i played TONS of shows with mine. i was in punk bands and whatnot, but i mean....they work, so why not?