RockGuitarX
Miles of Machines
I used to think that expensive guitars had to be godly but after getting fucked over by some higher end brands in the past I found that Schecter is a kick ass brand that I don't have to spend an arm and leg on. ESP, Korean made Epiphones, Ibanez, Agile (from what I've heard) have a good line up as well. Yes, there are exceptions but I just don't think it's worth the extra grand. I'm a pretty picky bastard when it comes to quality too, so just be cautious before you buy and check out some of the guitar brands mentioned. Good Luck!