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.