Hey! I am looking into buying a new electric guitar because I’m wanting to get back into playing. I would say I was an intermediate player back when I was in high school, but haven’t really played much in a few years. My budget is around AU$700-1100, so mid-range considering I’m still a bit of a newbie. I’ve been looking at some Sterlings and Squiers, but I’m not sure! Any advice or recommendations would be much appreciated!
Pick a guitar that gets you excited to play. If you have access to a music store go in and hold the guitars. You will figure out quickly what shapes fit your hands/body better. Pay attention to the neck shape/size/thickness. Everyone prioritizes different things in a guitar. So I don’t think anyone can actually answer this question for you. You also haven’t told us what kind of music you play. That might dictate what type of pickups, bridge, & body shape we recommend.
The only real thing I recommend on any guitar you choose is to have it setup by a guitar tech or learn how to set it up yourself. It isn’t hard, but takes a bit of time and care to get the string height, intonation, neck relief, and pickup height just right. This will improve any guitar in any price range. Also remember to always lube your nut.