Plugging directly into your lap-top isn't a great idea for several reasons. For one, the signal from your guitar to your computer needs a buffer in between to get the right signal from your guitar. Also, you want to use some sort of pre-amp from an interface or POD to warm up the sound a bit and balance out the signal. It is best to use an interface of some sorts between your guitar and the computer, otherwise you get a very weak and thin signal that won't sound good. You can get interfaces for your guitar for as little as $100 or less. Best of luck!
:)