I have an Epiphone Explorer, the explorer is a much sought after shape, and they tend to be expensive. Most people, like myself, would be rather fond of the Les Paul.
As for brands, Gibson, ESP, Fender, LTD, Epiphone, Ibanez and quite a few other names tend to hold a good standing in the market.
I own 3 guitars, Gio Ibanez GAX30, Epiphone Explorer, and an Aria Stratocaster. For amps, I have a Marshall Stack and an Ibanez 10watt amp......okay, well, the Marshall is a portable amp, totals at 4 watts, maybe higher, but it's still a stack.