[FrankHudson]

There are so many answers to that question that it's hard to pick one, and models are dropped, modified, and added so often that it's hard to say on that regard too. And one persons $600 guitar is too expensive, while another's $400 guitar is "why not just save up for this $800 model, or look for it used." I could say: a Fender standard Tele (made in Mexico), or one of the Classic Vibe Squier models and be done with it, but I'm going to make some broader observations.

Soundwise, an electric guitar is mostly it's pickups, and playablity is dictated mostly by it's neck and quality of it's setup. Robustness is more or less equal save for a handful of inexpensive pieces of electronics.

My experience says that single coil pickups are more valid across price ranges and makers than humbuckers. Perhaps I just favor single coil pickups? I dunno, but articularly with Telecasters and single coil pickups, it's actually hard for me to find one that I can't make work for a variety of valid sounds.

Neck profiles and fret sizes are a personal. I like a beefier and wider neck than average, and I've come to like at least medium jumbo fretwire. I can live with the carve on most Classic Vibe Teles, though it's not my favorite.

Setup quality is going to vary off the rack. This is another reason to not just say "get this" and "not that" as two example of the "get" and "not" could reverse positions. Gibson scale instruments (shorter) vs. Fender scale instrument (usually longer) have a playability difference, with the nod going to the Gibson scale in playability. The lighter gauge strings most commonly used by electric players mask this difference to a degree however. Bolt-on necks make it easy to fix some very bad off the rack setups with shims, and while not trivial, swapping out a neck on an instrument using the Fender system is a plausible mod. Of the rack setup quality has improved in the 21st Century in my experience. You can still run into a high fret or two or the top of the neck "bump" in some necks in the lower range of instruments. How often you find this above $1000, I don't know, I just don't shop that level of electric guitar that often--I'd assume much less. But I don't want to make it sound like most current sub $500 electric guitars are an unplayable mess either. The most I need to do with what I run into is a slight tweak of adjustable saddle pieces after I string with my favorite strings.

Robustness? Cheaper switches can wear out. Some pots will not feel as smooth. Most solid body electric guitars make these parts easy to replace when it happens, and the parts are dirt cheap for those who can master basic soldering. I have 20 year old sub $500 guitars still using their original parts with no issues.

Particularly on a classic Telecaster design, you can't bust'em other than those simple electronic parts. Compared to even a carbon fiber acoustic, the cheapest Telecaster is "carried his guitar in a gunny sack" robust.