Neck thickness is not really an issue and is more a matter of personal taste. The Ovation was probably fine. It's more a matter of what feels comfortable for you. I have Gibsons that have thicker necks and Fenders that have slimmer necks but they are all quite playable.

But Mikey's point about getting a guitar that has a comfortable action is a good one. You want to have a guitar that isn't awkward to play by having too high an action and having lighter gauge strings is a good idea. You can always increase the gauge as your fingers get stronger over time. But a lighter gauge and low action will let you easily play barre chords along the full range of the the neck that will allow you to play a lot of songs by just knowing a few basic barre chords.

And nowadays cheap guitars can be very good value thanks to computer controlled manufacturing. Just go down to a local guitar store and try a few out to see what feels good to you ( electrics or acoustics ).


[This message has been edited by Nigel (edited 04-16-2009).]