The best electric guitars for beginners have come a long way, and today, you can buy a great beginner electric guitar for a low price without sacrificing build quality.
We proudly stock the best beginner electric guitars you can get your hands on. For younger players, we also stock shorter-scale, smaller guitars to get you started at any age.
It may be your first guitar and it may be inexpensive, but learning doesn’t have to be a daunting task.
Best Electric Guitars for Beginners
1. Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster
The Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster is the most expensive guitar on this list, and it’s a great guitar, right up there with the 50s Telecaster.
The Classic Vibe series guitars are great for both beginners and pros. The reason they’re some of the best electric guitars for beginners is because they’re a long-term investment.
Squier has had success with their 60s Classic Vibe guitars. The Squier 60s Classic Vibe feels fantastic to play, and the quality control and build quality are far superior to the Affinity Series guitars (below).
The high-quality guitar pickups on this instrument make it great for almost any style of music.
The guitar has a fantastic clean sound, but it also sounds great with the gain turned up in the distortion or overdrive channels.
The Tonerider pickups on this guitar are the real deal. I’ve owned a number of more expensive guitars over the years, but none of them sounded as good as the Squier Classic Vibe 60’s Stratocaster.
Squier recently released the Classic Vibe 70’s Strat, and while I haven’t tested it yet, I’d love to. I’ve owned two of these guitars and I’ll explain why I rate them among the best. I’ll post a review when I get my hands on one.
The Squier Classic Vibe 60s Stratocaster has five different tones to choose from thanks to its three pickups and a five-way toggle switch. Two of those five positions are hum-canceling, which is fantastic news.
If you’re looking for a first guitar that captures the history of some of the greatest guitars at an affordable price, the Squier Classic Vibe ’60s Stratocaster is a great choice.
2. PRS SE Standard 24-08
Although a slightly more expensive option, PRS prides itself on using the finest materials to build the SE range of guitars.
This is evident in the powerful humbucking, true single coil tone, and easy playability due to the thin neck profile.
The PRS SE Standard 24-08 is built for the modern player. Using the PRS TCI “S” pickups, it creates an eight-pickup configuration that allows you to dial in your perfect tone and covers two octaves using the 24 frets.
With its sonic range and solid reliability, it’s the ideal purchase for anyone looking for elegance and durability.
3. Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Stratocaster
If you want a beginner guitar that will last: It’s not the cheapest, but the build quality, top-notch specs, and incredible playability will make your first chords much easier.
The Squier Classic Vibe series is known for offering high quality specs at a much lower price than a ‘proper’ Fender, and the Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Stratocaster is a great guitar for the price.
The neck is very playable with a comfortable ‘C’ profile. It’s easy to play first licks and chords, and the narrow, high frets make it easy to bend when you reach the development stage.
The pickups sound great too, and provide all the classic Strat tones you’ve heard on classic and modern records.
If you don’t like Strats per se, the beginner-friendly range includes Telecasters, Jaguars, and Jazzmasters, so at least one of Squier’s extensive range of guitars would be suitable for this early stage of your guitar-playing journey.
4. Yamaha Pacifica 112
The Yamaha Pacifica name is known for quality, tone, and value. Without a doubt, these are some of the best electric guitars for beginners.
I know working professionals who use these as their primary or backup guitars. There’s a lot to love about the Yamaha Pacifica 112 guitar.
Yamaha loads it with high-quality pickups to achieve a Strat-like tone. The biggest difference is that they use a real humbucker in the bridge position.
With the Yamaha Pacifica 112 pickups, the guitar can be much more versatile than the Squier for heavier music.
The Yamaha feels as good in the hand as it does on the Squier Classic Vibe guitar. The main difference with the Yamaha guitar is that the neck is a bit thicker and has a lot less gloss.
This thick neck gives the guitar a more premium feel in terms of thickness without feeling sticky in the hand at all. Some people like a high gloss, some don’t. It’s a matter of personal choice and experience.
The only minor downside to the Yamaha Pacifica 112 is that the pickup selector switch can feel a little cheap. The feel of the selector switch works well, so it’s not a deal breaker.
Where I live, the Yamaha is much cheaper than the Squier Classic Vibe, but some people argue that it’s a better guitar overall. Other than the cheap-feeling 5-way toggle switch, the guitar is a great instrument.
5. Squier Bullet Mustang
This guitar is a small guitar that’s not as long as a regular instrument, making it very comfortable for smaller players.
Since many beginner guitarists are young, it makes sense to include one of the best guitars for small hands. Enter the Squier Bullet Mustang.
While it’s not a ‘mini guitar,’ it has a slightly reduced scale size, making it easier for younger players to It’s ideal for learning techniques that will help you as you progress.
That said, having played it ourselves, we can confidently say that this guitar is no mere toy.
In fact, we loved its rough-and-ready playability, and we’d happily recommend it as one of the best beginner electric guitars and one of the best guitars for kids overall. At under $200, you can’t go wrong.
6. Artist Guitars LP59CSBL Les Paul Style
Artist Guitars is an Australian company (now sold in other countries) that makes very affordable and easy to play instruments.
The best guitar in terms of quality, craftsmanship, and overall tone is the LP59CSBL. Artist Guitars has improved its manufacturing process and has made it the best LP (Les Paul) style guitar on the market in this price range.
Even guitars like Epiphone are not better in terms of performance. Epiphone costs about twice as much as the LP59SBL.
The reason this guitar is one of the best for beginners is because it is one of the easiest guitars to play. It feels fantastic in the hand and has a lot of premium upgrades on this guitar.
These premium upgrades include locking tuners and Bullbucker humbucking pickups. Bullbucker is Artist Guitars’ version of the “Burstbucker” and sounds amazing.
The pickups can also be split into single coils thanks to the push-pull pots installed on the guitar. I prefer the sound and feel of this guitar over most other expensive guitars, and the finish on the body and neck is great.
One thing to note about the Artist LP59 is that it comes with a vintage profile neck. This neck shape is a fatter, thicker neck and is not the typical C profile.
If you like guitars with fat necks or have big hands, you will love this guitar. In conclusion, the build quality and feel are amazing and will really cover all styles of music from jazz to metal.
7. Jackson Rhoads JS3
The Jackson Rhoads is a great value guitar that appeals to both beginners and experienced guitarists. This guitar isn’t exactly a beginner’s guitar, but if you buy one, you’ll enjoy it for years to come.
The problem with the cheaper guitars that aren’t on my list is that they don’t stand the test of time.
This Jackson Flying V-style guitar is perfect for anyone who wants to play big rock. Metal guitarists will love the fast fretboard and two great-sounding humbucker pickups.
The only minor downside to the Jackson Rhoads JS3 is that it’s better as a standing guitar than a seated one. If you mostly practice sitting down, skip this guitar and go for the Jackson Dinky above.
Jackson makes some of the best guitars for the money. The simplicity of the Rhoads JS3 will also appeal to many players. Featuring a 3-position toggle switch and single volume and tone controls.
The Rhoads JS3 also features a very reliable tremolo system that can handle the most powerful dive bombs! The Jackson Rhoads visuals will appeal to the right audience. Grab it and start rocking.
8. Gretsch G2420 Streamliner
This hollow-body guitar features two vintage-voice Broad’Tron humbuckers, making it perfect for classic blues, jazz, and country guitar tones.
If country, folk, and jazz are your thing, the Gretsch G2420 Streamliner might be the best electric guitar for beginners.
Coming from a brand with a rich heritage, this hollow-body electric guitar offers a very different playing experience than the others on this list.
First of all, during my testing, I found that the tone produced was much more vibrant and expressive due to its semi-acoustic nature.
While other guitars require an amplifier to shape their tone, this guitar simply needs to make its unique tone louder, giving it a richer sound.
It’s a fairly thick guitar in terms of body size, so it might not be the best choice for younger players. But don’t let its size fool you.
The G2420 has curves in all the right places and is more expressive than other guitars. It’s not harder to play.
9. Harley Benton CST-24T
Harley Benton makes a lot of fantastic, top-notch, and affordable guitars for beginners. These guitars aren’t strictly beginner guitars, as most of them can be used as a primary instrument.
Harley Benton has become a household name among guitarists. I’ve been fortunate enough to review many guitars over the years, and there are few guitars that are better than the Harley Benton CST-24T.
The Harley Benton CST-24T is another addition to the “best guitars on this list” list because it’s very similar to the much more expensive PRS SE Custom 24.
I say “very similar” because the Harley Benton is a clone of the PRS SE. Of course, there are some differences between the guitars, but they are very, very similar.
There is a lot to love about this instrument because it is so versatile. The Harley Benton CST-24T appeals to almost any style of guitarist or music.
The ergonomic design makes the CST-24T easy to reach and play at the high frets. The CST-24T is very comfortable and has excellent Roswell pickups.
The included Roswell humbucker pickups are on par with the PRS and have an extra trick up their sleeve.
The beauty of these humbuckers is that you can also “split” the coils thanks to the push-pull pot on the volume control.
This feature allows you to achieve a similar tone to a Telecaster. The strength of these pickups is the humbucker tone, but it’s nice to have both options.
Conclusion
Choosing a first electric guitar that is comfortable, easy to play, and sounds good is important to get started in the best possible way.
These beginner electric guitars and packs are great choices for those looking to take their first steps into the world of playing.
From heavy metal icons to blues legends, their first electric guitars have been important steps in their journey.
FAQs
How much does a good beginner electric guitar cost?
It depends on your budget. A decent beginner package can cost up to $300. The more you spend, the better it will sound and the easier it will be to play.
Learning guitar requires a lot of patience. You don’t want to waste all that patience fighting a cheap guitar.
What should I look for when buying a beginner electric guitar?
When buying a beginner electric guitar, look for one that is easy to play, has a comfortable neck shape, and a light body.
Make sure it has good intonation, good tuning stability, and good hardware. Consider your preferred genre of music and choose a guitar with pickups that suit your style. Also, consider your budget.
How many pickups should a beginner electric guitar have?
The number of pickups your beginner electric guitar needs will largely depend on your personal preference and the style of music you want to play. However, most electric guitars have two or three pickups.
What type of amplifier should I use for a beginner electric guitar?
If you are a beginner, you should look for an amplifier with a wattage of around 10-20 watts, which is good for home use and small gigs.
Solid-state amps are a reliable and affordable option, while digital modeling amps offer more effects and sound, but can be expensive. Consider features such as tone controls and a headphone jack.
Also read: 10+ Best Audio Mixers for Studio Recording