Newbie help with guitars & gear..

[Olo401]

I'm looking to get into music again playing guitar and need some recos on gear. Was looking at this as a starting point. One thing I didn't see though was cabling to hook up to my computer for recording/playback.

As far as learning to play goes, I should be OK. I already know how to read music so tabs shouldn't be much harder, and I'm one of those weird people who can learn to play an instrument by ear (I did it with clarinet & saxophone).

[Moridam]

It looks like a pretty good starting point, esp. if you're into Stratocasters. I'd definitely get my hands on it and try it out first though, getting stuck with an instrument you're not comfortable with can really dampen your progress. As for myself, I'm not a huge fan of Fender guitars in general, they just don't fit me all that well -- I tend to go for stuff with thin, fast necks, Strats tend to be a bit on the fat side (compared to what I'm used to) and I really can't do much with 'em. I have tiny girlish hands though, so that definitely plays a huge part in it.

Head to your local music shop and give a decent range of entry-level guitars a try, most companies have starter packs that are similarly priced. To get a good sampling of what's out there, I'd give Epiphone and Ibanez a try in addition to the Strat you're looking at.

If your computer has a line-in, you don't need any special cabling to get a signal running in there (likely just need a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter), although it's probably not going to sound very good. Personally I'd put off worrying about recording until you've got a firm grasp on the instrument, but you seem to have experience with music so maybe that won't take all that long.

[Blabj]

I'd suggest Line 6 - POD Studio GX - USB Audio Interface for Computer Recording or Line 6 - GuitarPort RiffTracker - Audio Interface and Music Production Software

PODs are especially good as they have all the usual amp modelling settings you'll find on a line6 amp (which are fantastic - the range you get for your money is astounding)

However, as with Moridam, I would say not to be too pre-occupied with recording yourself for atleast a few months whilst you get to grips with learning the instrument.