IMHO, if you're genuinely serious, do consider going for a standard strat straightaway, not that im a strat user, but lookin at most of my friends who got a straight instead of veering towards the starter pack route. plus a decent peavey studio amp, those <90W amps, u should be able to do fine.
i started out, getting swooned by the @#$@#$% starter kit, and it was a rollercoaster for me, i liked it, then hated it cos of the tremolo system, then made the most unfortunate mistake of getting a zoom multi fx pedals. i guess its a personal thing, but im so not gonna get myself another multi fx pedal. then now after getting my tele and playing it for a few years, i longed for the feel of @$^*@*$&^'s fast neck.
so its really up to you how u wanna partition your 1.5k. you could get a deent ibanez RG, get urself a POD and a cube amp, or fall for the starter pack, its really up to you. 8)