[mrnoodle]

Telecasters are so friggin heavy though. And the knobs and stuff aren't where I like them. But they sound very distinctive and cool, so if you want warm and rich, that's a good bet. Cool/warm...whatever, you know what I mean.

You are a fan of shreddy stuff too, though. If you want to play some of that kind of music, you might also consider the playability on the upper frets. iirc, telecasters only have like 20 frets. That's just fine for 90% of music, but I find myself on 22 many times when playing metal. We broke out Holy Wars on Saturday, and the high note on the first solo is actually a full bend on the 24th fret. I don't have that many so I had to fake, and now I have this weird little neurotic thing bugging me that won't go away until I can find a guitar with 24 frets and I can bend that note. Just once. Kind of like an itch in the middle of your back you can't reach, and it drives you nuts.

Anyway, you might look at some ESPs, too. They have a less-expensive line that sound good and offer several design options. Ibanezes can be found on the cheap at pawn shops, too -- if you get a good example of one, it will be a great guitar. If you get a lemon, it will be a source of constant pain.