Best starter electric and amp

I am new to this group. My apologies in advance because I am sure this has been asked before many times.

I am looking for opinions on the best electric guitar/amp combination for a beginner (15 year old girl with some piano background)? Price range is up to $1000 Canadian or about $750 US

Hey Bruce, My suggestion, having been exactly where you are, is that you take the daughter to the local music store and let her play around with some guitars and then get a good amp to go along with what she chooses. My daughter, who is 16 now (almost 17) had some piano background and we started learning together almost 2 years ago. I have offered her nice Epiphones, Gibsons, Fenders and about any other guitar she wanted to encourage her to continue playing, but all along she decided on and stuck with a Jay Turser Strat copy that she absolutely loves. In fact, I have a brand new American made Fender in a case right now that she doesn't ever touch. I don't really care because I figure she will practice and play more on a guitar she likes and feels comfortable with than one I have chosen for her.

Bruce, there's absolutely no reason to spend $750 for a very good
"starter" guitar and amp. I'm assuming you want to buy new. For a guitar, $200 is almost excessive in terms of what's available today.
Here's just one example: http://www.musicyo.com/product_specs.asp?pf_id=101

For an amp, I would suggest an inexpensive solid state amp to learn on, perhaps a Peavey.
Don't buy anything today - wait at least one week and contemplate the other good suggestions you'll get in this thread. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Jeff

for personal replies, email to jeffp at "en why see" dot "ar ar" dot com

I'd suggest Fender Made in Mexico Stratocaster and a used Peavey Classic 30 amp.

I agree completely. A Fender Squire guitar and amp will set you back very little, and she'll have a pretty nice guitar and amp to start out with. And whatever you get, make sure to have it setup properly, as an inexpensive guitar that's well setup will be much easier to play than an expensive one that is not -- especially for a beginner. You can use the money left over for lessons, or take a nice vacation.

Don't waste your money. Get one of those Fender/Epiphone stater kits that comes with a guitar and amp and see if she sticks with it.

In your budget area, you would do nicely with an Epiphone G-400 (SG style)
and a Fender Blues Junior or Pro Junior amp. if Fender style guitars are more to your daughter's liking, check out the Mexican made Fender Telecaster and Stratocaster guitars.

Give me a break please. A Blues Jr or Pro Jr, tube amp, for a 16 year old beginner? Unless both she and her parents enjoy the sound of loud noise (which is what a beginner will produce using a tube amp), or the beginner is immediately going to "jam" with a drummer and only likes blues, then I'd suggest a tube amp wouldn't be the optimal setup. In fact, I think it'd be a big waste of money.