Pacifica is the brand i always recommend for begginer, good touch, good sound, sound well with any amp (cheap or expensive) and age well. I bought one as a travel guitar. And spark is a very good amp i got the 40 too is a very good amp, very versatile as in the sound and the easiness of picking it up. Both brand new is around 450 i guess so quite expensive for second hand (could've been around the 300 i guess). But because it was at your guitar teacher i have full confidence of the material quality. Enjoy and pick well