Electric Guitar for beginner / amateur

It really is a matter of how much you have played and how determined you are to keep on playing. The first thing to remember is that you can get a reliable guitar for less than $300. Don't walk in to a store and be toyed into spending an outrageous sum so that "it will last". One of my favorite guitars is a cheap $140 Squire Electric guitar. I highly recommend it for beginner guitars. It has low action, is very playable and the price is right. It is also even cheaper now, running at about $100 [see it here at Sam Ash]

That being said, the only way to really choose a guitar is to go in and play a few. If you know a few basic chords, you should be able to hear whatever it is you are looking for.

Stay away from no-name brands made in China. Low quality. I would recommend the beginner guitars from Ibanez, Epiphone, or Squier.

Epiphone is the beginner Gibsons, and Squiers are the beginner Fenders. 

Now it all depends on how much you are willing to spend. You can get a true Fender Stratocaster for just over $300. Check out http://www.musiciansfriend.com for deals.

As a guitarist, I would also recommend the squire.  It is the standard for beginners.

This is what I would get:

Squier® SE-100 Electric Pack - Comes with a guitar, cable, tuner and amplifier

DigiTech Grunge Distortion Pedal - A simple distortion pedal that sounds decent. Nevermind the "Grunge" name, its a good sounding pedal. You will need an extra instrument cable and a 9V battery.

That totals about $250 with shipping.

Now, if you wanted to go cheaper, I would check ebay for:

1. A Squire Fender Electric Guitar
2. A 20-watt amplifier (by Fender, Ibanez, Marshall or Crate)
3. A distortion Pedal (made by DigiTech, DanElectro or Boss)

I would also recommend taking lessons at a local university or college.  If you give there music department a call, they should have a teacher there or a student who will be willing to give you lessons ($20-50/week)

Good luck!