The amp you are playing makes a major difference. I love Fender Amps for a clean sound. The tubes make a difference in the way it sounds.
Tubes are warmer sounding an cut through a mix.
Your pickups also make a difference. The pickups you use will be something that you will need to experiment with to find out what you like best. The best way to experiment is just to go to your local music dealer and check out the new guitars. It's a great way to spend some time as long as the salesmen don't hassle you. The amp you are playing makes a major difference.