Like Catholic Light mentioned, in the long run getting this will be a hell of a lot cheaper than getting old essentials / TPBs. Most comic book shops carry it too. 575 comics, can’t beat that.
http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Spider-Man-Complete-Comic-Collection/dp/B000HKIM7Q
Favorite storylines for me are the Who is the Hobgoblin arc, Gang War, Death of Gwen Stacy, Venom anything so long as he’s a villian, Kraven’s Last Hunt, Cosmic Universe Spider-Man, Carnage’s origin and Maximum Carnage.
The entire Lee / Ditko run is golden and it’s amazing how much of it still holds up to this day.
Ditko was never good at dressing young people, so the clothes worn by the teenagers in his comics were never ever worn by teenagers ever lol! Not a complaint, just a cool thing to point out, like one of the artist’s quirks. 
Oh and he mapped out his own personal city structure for streets and buildings for his personal comic book New York City, yet no one ever noticed. 
Ditko’s my hero. :tup: