My first guitars were a Squire Strat and an Epiphone Les Paul. They are playable guitars. About five years ago I started building guitars(23 so far) and learned very quickly that quality of the materials, construction and neck shape make a HUGE difference. The species and quality of the wood is the major factor in tone. Hardware also has a big influence on tone also. The most important issue I've found is how comfortable the guitar is to the player. Weight, shape and most importantly, neck shape will really determine how well you can play. There are a million factors that work together to make a guitar "good". I recommend you play around with a variety of guitars. Brands, shapes and styles. There's always parts that need to be fixed regardless of brand but you DO get what you pay for. Good luck and have fun!