Paint gun for hobbiest?
During my career as a painter, I always used SATA guns exclusively, having multiple guns for different jobs/materials. My guns were always HVLP's, with the exception of the RP(reduced pressure) model I bought because the clear at the new shop I started at didnt like full HVLP; couldnt figure out why I couldnt get the clear to lay down properly, until the paint rep filled me in. That RP laid down any clear better than an HVLP.
Long story short, you can paint with anything... cheap, expensive, and anything in between, what you choose depends on your budget and the finished quality of work you want. Would I trust a 50 dollar gun to shoot my Swinger? Hell no. But Id use it to spray primer or small parts that arent difficult to paint. For comparison purposes, the SataJet guns that I used for base/clear (separate gun for each) cost me on average about 800 bucks each, and well worth every penny when you are making your living spraying and need to lay down consistent quality jobs. I dont imagine you want to spend that much on a gun, but dont settle for the cheapest either, you get what you pay for in the end.
And most important, KEEP IT CLEAN!!!