What's the best electric guitar to get on a $500 dollar budget?

What's the best electric guitar to get on a $500 dollar budget?
I would prefer hollowbody or semi-hollowbody, but solid is fine. I would like P90s or similar, my secondary choice is humbuckers. Teles and Strats are acceptable. The music I'm covering is The Strokes, Interpol, Pixies, Ramones, Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, Bloc Party, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus, etc. Need a clear, high high end, punchy mids, and crunchy lows. Any recommendations?

No waiting on my part. I'm kinda tired of Strats, as I have a Squier Fat Strat and hate it (bad tuners, mile-high action, sharp frets, weak pups, wonky switch and tone knobs, basically a very cheaply-made quality guitar)

1. Gibson Melody Maker
2. Ibanez RXs ( any model really)
3. ESP ( any model really)
4. Jackson

how bout you buy my old guitar I got at Target with that 500 bucks -_o

pignose guitars http://www.pignoseamps.com/

a Fender Strat
http://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender-Stand...

Well if you're willing to wait until you have about $1,600 then I would suggest that you buy a Fender VG. If not, then just go with a Fender Strat, or Ibanez, they make some pretty good guitars.

[edit:] But have you seen the VG?? I hate Gibson, no offense. I just found out that they have a website dedicated to the VG. Yeah but you were talking about awards, and that website has the VG's awards.

I think Ibanez makes the best guitars under $700

If you get something from musiciansfriend.com within the next few days, you'll get a coupon for $65 off your next purchase.

Fender Standard HSS Stratocaster
They're SO much better than Squires.

Don't ask other people about buying a guitar. Guitars are an individual taste.
I suggest going to a couple of music stores and trying out what they have in your price range and buying the one YOU like best.