backstory:

i'm in a band (www.purevolume.com/thesmyrk), and we're
unique in the fact that we have two "bothists" - we each play
guitar and bass and switch on numerou occasions. we use a
strat as our one guitar (it's not mine), and while it's a great
instrument, it just doesn't have the crunch and roundess needed
for a lot of our songs. i myself own a Heritage H535, but since
it's not fully solid i'm hesitant to use it on stage (or in the studio
for that matter).

now... it's gotten to the point where we're going to need a
humbucking guitar in our lineup, so i've started my search. i've
never seriously looked for one, so i need some help. it would be
nice to stay under $1500 for this, and i've noticed a few Les
Pauls and the Dean HardTail so far. what's your opinion on this?
thanks a lot