The holiday season is upon us. Not only will you get to see your beautiful family, but you’ll also see their smiling faces as they unwrap their presents. You will be smiling too, but mostly to cover up the anxiety of living off water and beans for the better part of January to restore your budget.
I feel your pain. That’s why I dug up a few affordable options for those of you who want to introduce the younger family members to the wonderful world of guitar playing. Serious players will know that you won’t get very far with less than $500 to spend. Professionals will say you need at least $1000.
But complete beginners don’t know anything. That’s what makes them beginners. As a seasoned player yourself, you already know what to look for in a budget guitar. For example, it’s a good idea to pay attention to the brand. Here are some brands you can’t go wrong with:
- Alvarez
- Dean
- Epiphone
- ESP
- Fender
- Fender Squier
- Gibson
- Ibanez
- Jackson
- Oscar Schmidt
- Peavy
- Stagg
- Washburn
- Yamaha
What can you expect from a cheap guitar?
All the brands listed above have some great affordable options ready to gift-wrap. Some of them are even nice enough to bundle the guitars with accessories like a bag, picks, spare strings, a strap, and a capo.
Beginner guitars will often feature a fixed bridge rather than a tremolo bridge, as the former help beginners stay in tune. Humbucker and single-coil are the two most common types of pickup in the budget range.
Guitar manufacturing is evolving at a rapid pace, so you’ll get much more for $200 today than you would just five years ago. The body will likely be made from basswood, and the neck will be maple (or, if you’re lucky, mahogany).
Finally, you’ll also want to look at some amplifiers. Having an electric guitar is great, but being able to hear it is even better. Fortunately, we’ve also covered electric guitar amps here on our blog (Read: It Goes To 11: Best Electric Guitar Amps).
10 Cheap Guitars That Still Sound Boss
1. Dean Solid Body Vendetta XM ($200)
Body Material: Basswood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: Tune-O-Matic
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Combination
Neck Material Type: Mahogany
Number of Strings: 6
2. Epiphone Les Paul SPECIAL-II ($200)
Body Material: Basswood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: Tune-O-Matic
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Humbucker
Neck Material Type: Maple
Number of Strings: 6
3. ESP LTD EC Series EC-10 ($200)
Body Material: Basswood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: Tune-O-Matic
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Combination
Neck Material Type: Maple
Number of Strings: 6
4. Ibanez GRGA120MGS GIO RGA ($200)
Body Material: Basswood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: Tune-O-Matic
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Combination
Neck Material Type: Maple
Number of Strings: 6
5. Jackson JS22 Dinky ($200)
Body Material: Basswood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: Tune-O-Matic
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Combination
Neck Material Type: Maple
Number of Strings: 6
6. Oscar Schmidt OE20WH LP Style ($240)
Body Material: Basswood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: Tune-O-Matic
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Combination
Neck Material Type: Maple
Number of Strings: 6
7. ESP 6 String LTD EC-256 ($400)
Body Material: Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: TOM & Tailpiece
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Combination
Neck Material Type: Maple
Number of Strings: 6
8. Stagg SES50M-SB Vintage ($180)
Body Material: Basswood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: Tremolo
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Single-coil
Neck Material Type: Maple
Number of Strings: 6
9. Squier by Fender Classic Vibe Stratocaster ($400)
Body Material: Basswood
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: Tremolo
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Single-coil
Neck Material Type: Maple
Number of Strings: 6
10. Yamaha PAC012 Pacifica ($180)
Body Material: Agathis
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Guitar Bridge System: Tremolo
Guitar Pickup Configuration: Combination
Neck Material Type: Maple
Number of Strings: 6
