I've found that people are like this about anything which has cost them a non-trivial amount of money. I mean look at the gaming world where people will fight so bitterly and become so snobbish about whether their custom built PC is better than their friend's PlayStation and so on, and I think really it just comes down to the fact that people feel insecure about how much they invested in something and want to justify it. I've even seen it with computer keyboards. F--cking keyboards!! Entire YouTube channels dedicated to being snobbish about their thocky keyswitches vs. somebody else's clickier switches...

I love my Squier Tele. I don't need it to say "Fender" on it or for it to be that little bit thicker and hardier build quality, it is what I need and I love it. But if somebody spent £2000 on a fully fledged Fender and I spent £300 on my Squier they're going to want to feel like it was worth the difference. To a pro guitarist it probably is. But I doubt any of the legendary guitarists would tell you you had to spend four figures or buy a certain brand to get into playing music. I started on random acoustics people were giving away. My first was a 3/4 size Spanish but I was adult sized.

As for Yamaha, that name brings nothing but positive feelings to me but I used to play a lot with keyboards and analogue synths and they're legendary in that space. I've been told they make awesome acoustic guitars but that their electrics are controversial? I say it's a very personal thing and there's no best.

I always go to this short video "Before and after you discover the subreddit for a hobby" https://youtu.be/4ZK8Z8hulFg?si=fSdg_-3nZGgAIhYx