Cort are good value for money, but many parents are not prepared to spend more than $AUD300 on a kid who has not convinced then they will stick with guitar lessons.
In that case, I always reccomend Martinez, widely available here, where for around $AUD225 for a full size steel string with a surprisingly good neck, and a hundred bucks for the half-size version, Mum and Dad arn't worrying so much about the money they are forking out.
The strings need to go back a guage or two, but overall they are a great starting level guitar.
They make a nice (cheap) Dobro, as well.
As for a thin-bodied guitar, which seems to be the thrust of the question, it's hard to beat a Fender Slimline for around five hundred bucks.
""Good Teachers Are Born, Not Made""
|