A couple of guitar questions?

Three Single coils pickups will give you greater versatility for sounds, two humbuckers will give you darker fatter tones, but both will work for all of rocks sub-genres. The most versatile pickup configuration is HSS. But with your price range it will be easier to get good tone from two humbuckers.

Practice, is the only way to get better at picking, slow it down, split up the parts you are having trouble with, and use a metronome or drum track.

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BC-001-ChordsPicksB...

Dean, Epiphone, Washburn, Squier, Yamaha and Ibanez all make entry level guitars in that price range, but buying used will give you a much better guitar for the money. I recommend playing as many different guitars as you can find in your price range, one will probably stand out for comfort, playability, and tone. Get that one.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/navigation/soli...

For good song tabs try here

http://www.chordie.com/

1) depends on the sound that you like, personally I appreciate HSS and SSS, HH and HSH have too much crunch and too dull of a sound where as SSS and HSS have sharper, Crisper tones than the others

2) take my advice, speed doesn't matter, moderately fast is good enough, too fast and you may damage your wrist or you may develope a twitch in your picking hand, but if you must, start slowly picking up and down on the high E string, gradually increase your speed and eventually youll get where you want to be, then switch to the next string and repeat.

3) There aren't any, spring an extra $140 for a moderately decent guitar, i have had serious trouble with guitars less than $200, such as pickups exploding, wires splitting and frying the rest of the electronics, and wood splitting. suggested guitars, an epiphone (an actually decent one for $100 is the LP Junior, which isn't a junior guitar it's just a name) some Ibanez guitars are relatively cheapand offer a wide variety of sound

Nirvana songs are good and easy, Iron man, Quite a few Green Day songs are easy too

What's a SSS or HH guitar? If it's Single Coil or Humbucker choose Humbucker

Try picking up and down and start out slowly and just pick-up speed also go to the library and see if you can find a book on begginner guitar cuz maybe your're not holding it right plus you can get other tips.

Try to downpick only for a while cuz that's how everyone starts downpicking chords.

Epiphone Special II ( Les Paul kind of guitar)

I dont know what you mean about SSS or HH guitars. Explain please?

Good guitar picking comes with practicing. Just use a metronome and pick to the beats of the metronome.

You won't really get a good guitar for $160 unless its used. Try an Ibanez. They are great for almost any style of music.

Because of the 3 SSS's.....I assume that U R talkin 'bout a Stratocaster.

Either one is great for metal. The humbuckers would be better for a Black Sabbath sound, but still...........lots of players of rock & metal use the 3 single-coil guitars, which, by the way, would be just the thing you need if you decide to play some other styles later on down the road.( like country, country-rock, southern rock, pop, or punk)

3 single coils will give you a wider range of sounds

Well i cant help much but get an epiphone les paul model guitar with just a bridge pickup. Thatll cost you $100-$150

For picking:

1: if you don't alternate pick, you need to. You'll thank me.

2: try using a metronome and picking according to the beats for long periods of time to improve your picking.

160 is dirt cheep for a guitar... i mean if you want great quality.

PICKING!? I know, I had troubles for years...

My solution was growing out the fingernails you use to pick with that and keep the nails shaped and strong and its the BEST. Plastic picks are just a hasle and get lost and... you know that story.

As far a picking you just have to keep practicing. If you go to "Guitar Center's" web site you can see all prices

Rock is about attitude, not equipment. Practicing leads to better playing not better equipment. Just practice broken chords with your fingers and that will help your finger picking.

I know it's a cliche but I like playing Stairway to Heaven to practice finger picking - if you find a song you like then you are more likely to practice it and benefit from that practice.