I would go into all the guitar shops in your area, including pawn shops and play on every guitar you can. Also plug in prospective guitars into amps as well to find a good combination. Find something in your price range, that is comfortable to play, and good plugged into an amp. It may take you a while to find something you like. It took me about 2 years to finally decide I prefer Jackson over Ibanez. I also like ESP's. As for amps, look for a small Marshall or Fender. Great amps for not a bad price.
Heres some current new prices on the rig that I picked up when I first started playing.
Jackson JS-20 -- 199.99
Marshall MG30DFX -- 249.99
Its not bad at all... I still use it for recording and occasionally live.
Hope I helped!
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