+1 on a swamp ash Daytona. I'm really impressed by the caliber of the instrument. As for the amp, I've been fixated lately on a mesa subway rocket. It should be loud enough for the gigs and should have enough gain to play some nirvana. And it is portable. Although, for flexibility, I have yet to find an amp that blows away a Tech21 TM60 - lightweight, powerful, and you can coax fender cleans, mesa gain, marshall crunch out of it. Is it the best clean, etc., nope. But they're good enough unless you're a die hard recording artist looking for that perfect tone.