There is so much great stuff in here! There is an overwhelming amount of choice and then when you add amps the choices grow exponentially! This thread is so great at addressing the struggles of being a total beginner and being overwhlemed with so much that I don't yet know about what I should and shouldn't be concerned about.

I've been thinking about getting an electric guitar- more because I'm a night owl and I find most of my practicing happens between midnight and 2am and I find myself focusing on how to do things the most absolute quietly possible than anything else on my accoustic guitar- which kind of dampens the fun of practice (tiny apartment, paper thin walls).

What is becoming painfully clear is that to make a good purchase probably means going to a place and actually trying guitars out for fit, feel and sound. That'll prevent me from buying anythinng for a super long time.