Suggestions for a cheap guitar?

[makhno]

Call it a premature middle age crisis, but I'm looking into buying a used, cheap guitar. The only one I've ever played in my life was a rather crappy - but immensely satisfying - Yamaha as a teenager. Slayer, Pantera, Sabbath, it might've all sounded like shit, but, God, was it satisfying, and I feel that urge once more.

Any suggestions? Who makes good guitars for the price? Which ones lose a lot of resale value to allow for a cheap pick up on Ebay? Yamaha? Epiphone? ESP?

Is there a price point one can hit and get something good for a handful dollars more? We're talking about the 500-600 USD range, but if a couple hundred bucks more gets one a gem, so be it. My music tastes haven't varied that much over the years, with the exception of my becoming completely addicted to blues, which might, or might not, make a difference in the choice of kit.

[sendero]

1. Really...

... you need at least half of your budget to go to an amp and effects processor. Guitars don't make those cool sounds all by themselves :)

That said, you should be able to get everything for $600.

[makhno]

2. Indeed

The Yamaha is long gone, but I still have my old amp and flanger and distortion pedals, unless my parents have done a yard sale I wasn't made aware of. :)

[sendero]

3. Go to a music store..

.... and play around. Epiphone, Gibson, many decent guitars can be had for less than $500. Just pick one that feels good!!!!

Yeah - better check with the parents. My dad tossed out a couple boxes of memorabilia that I would really have liked to have kept. They use some strange logic sometimed :)