Thanks very much for the reply, Christopher! Your advice gives me more confidence in spending a bit more to buy a Fender Strat or Les Paul vs the Squier.
I certainly haven't given much thought on amps but it makes sense that just like the guitar they're not all made equal.
Do you have any suggestions on specific models? I like rock and similar to the guitar would be willing to spend a bit more upfront. Middle of the road, nothing too fancy with too many features that I'll never use but don't want entry level either where I'll need to upgrade a couple years down the road.
Thanks.