Pop is moving upwards towards 400. It's not as populated as the pve server and that comes with benefits and its own problems. Benefits being you can go somewhere and it isn't overcamped, problems being that depending on the time you play means it can be difficult to get a full group.
With that in mind, consider a duo that's self sufficient if you're both always playing together... something like monk/shaman, monk/necro, cleric/enchanter (plenty of threads about duos on the forum).
The best starting area on red is Greater Faydark which brings in gnomes and dwarves as well as the regular high elves, wood elves and half elves. All that combined means that you can start most classes there if you wanted, except a monk or a shaman. Even then its still possible to travel there and bind.
I'm in the process of leveling my blacksmithing. If you guys want the "day 1 fresh" experience then totally for it, happy to jewelcraft up some items and make up a suit of banded when you get some levels (pm me on the forums here).
There's a leveling guild called <Thunderdome>, great set of folks mostly. Avomon is someone you should speak to when you start, he puts a hell of a lot of time into helping new players
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How familiar are you with EverQuest and pvp mechanics? It can be a lot to learn but the journey is a fun one
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