My usual recommendation for a first guitar is for it to be a decent acoustic, which will serve for years to come, is easily portable, etc.. Assuming, of course, that you don't have a specific desire for an electric and/or plans to play in an electric band in short order. A decent new acoustic can be had for as little as $250 (even less), and can serve as a solid foundation, as well as something that can be left in a convenient location to just be picked up and played whenever the mood strikes. I often practice or learn new songs just because my dreadnought is just sitting there in my home office, waiting to be played.