Yeah I think I'll get the package deal lord linked, probably cheaper.

Second hand is the way to go. Go into the shop, try out a few different guitars - trust the staff to recommend you some and to tell you which are in playable condition* - and whichever one you like the feel of is probably the one you should go with. Other than Epiphone I've never heard of any of those brands you listed, and in any case the quality of guitars from no-name companies like that varies from model to model and even between each guitar. You'd be much better off trying one out before you get it than getting it online.

As for learning, as long as you're enjoying it and feel like you're getting somewhere, you're doing it right. There are endless pointless arguments between guitarists as to which is best - lessons or self-taught; theory or intuition; songs or techniques; tab or classical sheet music; your own songs or other people's - and countless examples of famous guitarists to demonstrate the effectiveness of this or that method... At the end of the day if you carry on playing and enjoying it a few years down the line, you've done it right. You're set (probably for life) and you can pick up any new techniques, styles or avenues you've missed out on the way as you see fit.

*I've yet to meet someone at a small music shop like that who isn't really helpful; it's in their interest to keep their customers. If on the off-chance you do get someone who seems rude or unhelpful or like they have little time for you, go somewhere else. I'm sure there's plenty of second hand guitar shops in Liverpool, of all places...

Thanks for the advice, I will have a look round for second hand ones.

My first guitar was really nice, a Tanglewood strat copy, and only cost ￡70. With a ￡40 practice amp that all comes to a fair bit less than the packages you're looking at (admittedly this was a while ago now, but second hand instruments haven't inflated that much) and the other stuff like leads and plectrums and a case got thrown in for free.

Oh, that's another point. Always be ready to haggle in music shops. Even the staff at bigger ones and chains are usually authorized for discounts. I only ever paid for one guitar case, and that was for a guitar I'd bought elsewhere, and you can sometimes get other discounts and free stuff too depending on how much you're spending.

On the subject of cases will an electric guitar fit in a full size acoustic guitar case? It is a travel case.

I dunno, I doubt it, but you could take the case along with you and see? Is it a hard case? If so, that's a bad idea 'cause an electric is gonna be much smaller than an accoustic and will bash around a lot when you carry it. I suppose if it was a padded case it might work, but I still wouldn't advise it.

In any case, like i said, you can probably get a cheap case thrown in for free with the guitar, and unless you're travelling far with it, gigging a lot, or particularly clumsy, you probably wont need a padded or hardcase...

It is not a hard or padded one, just a fabric one for keeping the dust off it and carrying it around. Doubt I'd be gigging a lot, so I'm probably better off getting a stand.

OK I swapped my acoustic one for an electric one with my friend (Starcaster by Fender), and have an enquiry about it. The metal bit at the bottom (where the strings and the whammy bar are attached), is kind of raised, as though it is coming out of the guitar but all the screws and that are in place and normal. Is it meant to be like this?

If there's a Floyd Rose tremolo and it's adjusted inadequately, it can appear raised from it's position (pulled upwards by the strings -- as if rising towards the neck). Does that describe your situation?

Like so http://www.keymusic.com/gfx_productcode/107344/2/Fender-Road-Worn-60s-Stratocaster-Olympic-White-RW.jpg?

If so, that's fine

Yeah like that, thanks.

@Decafindeed lolwut? Yeah that pretty much describes it, no idea what all that Floyd Rose Tremolo stuff is though