Why not look in the Harmony Central Product Review Databases?
http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/

These databases are intended to be used as a reference when you are shopping around for new gear. It relies on people like you to share your comments, complaints, or praise. This is your chance to tell people how cool something is, what to stay away from, or just what you think people need to consider before buying.

Reviews include: Guitars, Guitar Amps, Pickups and Effects.

Here's one of the latest reviews of an inexpensive guitar that its owner is very happy with!

ARIA PRO II PE-SPL
Submitted at: 16:32, 5/18/2000
Price Paid: US $349
Purchased from: Henson's Music, Ventura, CA

Features: 10
Mine is a 1996 bought new in 1997. Like a Les Paul, but better - believe it! The body is scooped in the back to eliminate the annoying rib grinding you can get from the Gibsons, and the way it lays in makes the neck just that much smoother to work. It's got the standard LP layout with four knobs, three way switch, tune-o-matic bridge, dual humbuckers, gold hardware, decent inlay on the neck and beautiful inlay on the headstock. Neck, headstock and beautifully flamed body are fully multiple bound.

Sound: 10
Yeah! Dark and full - it lets you know why you spent the dough for that Marshall amp. This guitar does so many things so well, I even got away with using it through a Roland JC120 behind a torch singer before I bought my jazzbox. It responds to all the standard effects powerfully and predictably. The only place I would NEVER go with this guitar is into surf lead or country lead. Go buy a Tele. Other than that, the sound is bigger and broader than you would ever imagine at the price. Gibson has been really outdone here, sorry!

Action, Fit, & Finish: 10
The fit and finish simply defy logic at this price (how did they DO that)? The carved flame top is spectacular and the overall attention to detail carries throughout the guitar, body, neck, front, back - everywhere you look you find another reason to love it. The headstock inlay is so smooth that people who don't recognize the name think it's an ultra high buck boutique piece. The action is equally impressive. With a neck truss that actually works and a tune-o-matic, you can set it however you like. The difference here is the FEEL. This is the guitar the dealer played in the store.

Reliability/Durability: 10
I've been pounding on this guitar for three years now and have adjusted the bridge ONCE. One strap button got a little funky and I re-installed it with a little wood glue on the screw - problem solved. The finish is still mint except the gold plating on the neck pick up lower screw (no pickguard). The frets have taken a lot of bending with no noticeable wear. The only reason to back up this guitar is string breakage.

Customer Support: N/A
Never needed it. I would like to see more models in stock at the dealers. I can't imagine buying a guitar without playing it first.

Overall Rating: 10
I currently have six six-strings and two bass guitars. This is by far the easiest and fastest player of the bunch. When my son's friends come over to jam (yes, I let them play at my house) they all want to touch it. The only thing I don't like about this guitar is the weight. It is heavy - but that's what you get with a rock-solid instrument of this type. If it were lost or stolen I would call out the National Guard. I originally had a so-so case for it and recently took it to the Gibson dealer to buy proper protection. I handed it to their tech to try out. He told me to get it out of his store before the other customers saw it. Heh, heh, heh, this one's a keeper!

Submitted by: Jess Cook <Dadical55@aol.com>