My wife and I discussed for a while me buying a guitar and starting to take lessons and both agreed it was the right time in my life (early midlife chrisis I supose). So i went down to our local music store and bought a first act me475 electric guitar, and you would swear I committed a crime when I tell people that.

Now that being said, I realize it not the best quality out there, but I just couldn't justify spending alot of money when I am just starting out. I want to play for a year and upgrade when I feel I have earned it. Can someone explain to me where I am wrong in my thinking?

And FYI, I have upgraded a few things, I took that dinky little amp and ebayed it for two bucks and bought a Roland Cube X-15 (amazingly loud) and I took those crappy strings off and put on some Ernie Ball skinny top heavy bottom strings, huge difference in tuning, actually stays in tune now. Happy playing :-)