my first electric guitar was a hohner rockwood, cheapo strat copy *sniffle* ahh the memories.. I figured out the entire metallica back catalogue on that axe.... before getting pissed with it one day and sawing it up to make my custom job.

My brother has an aria electro acoustic, it cost him £190, it sounds like a plank. I have a crafter electro acoustic, cost me £140 nice and rich sounding axe.

and yeah, buy 2nd hand if you can