multi pickup guitars (as in single coil and humbucker combos) are probably the most versatile. in terms of the sound that you're getting...
but even with a guitar with single pups you can get some decent sounds.
I've re-wired my strat to have each pick up individually switched, (three dpdt switches in the space where the 5 way level switch used to be).
in this way I can individually switch all the pickups on or off or reverse the polarity of the pickup with relation to the other pickups.
(so instead of five sounds there are now 28 different [usable] selections 19 if you count all off).
(neck mid bridge)
off off off
on+ off off
on- off off
off on+ off
on+ on+ off
on- on+ off
off on- off
on+ on- off
on- on- off
off off on+
off off on+
on+ off on+
on- off on+
off on+ on+
on+ on+ on+
on- on+ on+
off on- on+
on+ on- on+
on- on- on+
off off on-
off off on-
on+ off on-
on- off on-
off on+ on-
on+ on+ on-
on- on+ on-
off on- on-
on+ on- on-
on- on- on-
instead of the usual five way selector which is
(neck mid bridge)
on+ off off
on+ on+ off
off on+ off
off on+ on+
off off on+
this enables you to get some very good sounds, especially used with effects that are lighter, (like envelope filters or wah pedals).
I agree with Thrasher though, cheap wammy bridges are a bit rubbish, (though you can modify this too).
in my strat I've half hardtailed the whammy bridge so on the bridge now you can't pitch bend down, but you can pitch bend up.
you can hardtail both ends up the bridge so make it completly rigid,
(you hard tail a tremlo bridge on a strat by gluing wood in the back), another way to improve a cheaper guitars tremlo bridge is to replace the springs,
the springs should really match the tension of the strings that you use.
my guitar came with only 2 springs, (though sace for a third), and this isn't reall enough for the super heavy strings that I use.
(tip#1 - don't use superglue then you can reverse your modifications)
(tip#2 use a softwood, I think I used either pine or basla wood, - soft woods help the vibrations absorb better putting them through the body and seem to very much improve the sustain given by the guitar).
Last but not least mod is shielding the body cavity - massivly reducing hum, - if you do this then do the whole thing, - that means take the scratch plate off, take all the controls out, and cover the face plate, then cover the whole inside of the body cavity, then the cut through to the back spring cavity and the spring cavity, make sure that your foil in the cavities overlaps the body slightly so that if makes contact with the shielding on the plates as well, makeing the faraday cage that you're putting around your electronics conpletly closed. (for shilding use either thick aluminium foil shilding (not cheap baco foil) or coper foil.
Next step on my modding is eaither construction a complete guitar, or winding my own pickups (that ones going to be a lot of trial and error!).
(perhaps a bit too far off topic, - have to admit to being a bit fanatical about modding my guitars).
anyway, slightly back on topic, I agree that accoustic guitars are a touch harder to play, but if you master the accoustic then you'll take to electric a lot easier,
a tip to making the strings a little easier to press is to use light weight electric strings (gague 9) on an electric accoustic - this makes the strings a lot easier to press, the sound lighter, and practically eliminates all fret noise.
