The idea that a $250 starter pack of essentially worthless shit could be considered a good deal is almost as absurd as the idea of taking out one of those shit guitars to play with friends - let alone play a gig. Surely you can do it, but why would you want to?
The acoustic or electrics debate is a matter of taste but whatever you do - don't be afraid to go with used or display models. I started with a
Cube 15 and upgraded to a $300 Crate for half the price because it was a display model.