Top 20 Budget Electric Guitars Under $200, $250, $300 and $400 For Beginners

For a person who has just decided to enter the world of music, finding the right guitar at the right price can be an exhausting process. Not knowing what you should be looking for on a low-price guitar can lead you to buy something that is either not worth the money spent or just a bad-quality instrument.

This is why I’ve compiled a list of the best electric guitars out there. Let us begin.

Top Electric Guitars Under $200

Epiphone Les Paul Special II

Specs:

• Body: Mahogany
• Neck: Mahogany
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Tune-O-Matic
• Body finish: Vintage Sunburst

The Epiphone Les Paul Special II is their lowest-priced budget guitar. However, this guitar has excellent value in terms of sound, playability, and aesthetics. Added bonus, it has the classic look of one of the most emblematic rock guitars out there, the Les Paul. 

This guitar is made out of a mahogany body and neck. This ensures you get the Les Paul sound. Its fretboard is made out of rosewood and has 22 frets. The single-cutaway design allows you to reach those high notes with ease.

Hardware-wise the Epiphone Les Paul Special comes with a classic stop tail bar and Tune-O-Matic bridge. This allows the guitar to have very stable tuning and good intonation. Its covered tuning machines also play their part in stabilizing tuning issues.

As for sound, this guitar comes with two alnico humbucker pickups. For the bridge, you have the Epiphone 700T and for the neck, the 650R. It also comes with a master volume, a master tone, and a 3-way selector to give you solid control over your tone.

The Epiphone Les Paul Special II is the best low-budget guitar you can get if you are a classic rock fan and wish to have that legendary Les Paul sound.

Squier Bullet Stratocaster by Fender 

Specs:

• Body: Basswood
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: 6-Saddle Hardtail
• Body finish: Satin

Squier by Fender is very well-known for making affordable guitars with excellent quality. The Bullet Stratocaster is no exception and is a great first electric guitar for you beginners out there.

The Squier by Fender Bullet Stratocaster has a basswood body, a maple neck, and a rosewood fretboard with 21 frets. The combination of a maple neck and a rosewood fretboard gives you a bright sound, which is characteristic of a Stratocaster.

Speaking of hardware, this guitar comes with a vintage-style 6-saddle hardtail bridge. This enhances sustain and makes it pretty simple to change strings. It also resembles the early-to-mid- 70’s vibe. 

As for sound, the Squier by Fender Bullet Stratocaster has a lot of tonal versatility. It comes with 3 pickups; a humbucker for the bridge and two single coils for the neck and middle. This is classic of the Fender sound and its 5-way selector is what gives you all sorts of tonal choices.

The Squier by Fender Bullet Stratocaster is the perfect beginner guitar for anyone who loves the Stratocaster sound and loves blues and rock music.

Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112J

Specs:

• Body: Alder
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Vintage-Style Tremolo
• Body finish: Lake Blue

Over the years, Yamaha has established itself as a guitar manufacturer and has proved to be able to create great-sounding guitars at very affordable prices. The Yamaha PAC112J from the Pacifica Series is another excellent beginner’s guitar.

First off, this guitar is very light, which makes it ideal for children. It has very light playability and is very smooth to play. The Yamaha PAC112J comes with an alder body, a maple neck and a rosewood fretboard with 22 frets. 

Alder has a clear, full-bodied sound with great low end and smooth high end. The great thing about this tonewood is that it naturally has a lot of sustain and is one of the great things about this guitar.

Speaking of sound, the Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J is very similar to the Bullet Stratocaster and also has a lot of tonal versatility. It comes with 3 pickups; a humbucker for the bridge and two single-coils for the neck and middle. Its 5-way pickup selector gives you many options for slight tonal changes that fit different playing styles.

The Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112J is very similar to the Squier Bullet Stratocaster, except for the fact that it has only one tone control, giving you simplicity in your sound. Either guitar is an excellent choice for blues, country, and old-school rock lovers.

Dean Vendetta XMT

Specs:

• Body: Paulownia
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Walnut
• Bridge: Dean Vintage Style Tremolo
• Body finish: Satin Natural

Dean Guitars is a fairly new manufacturer in the market. They have been around since 1977 and run a pretty small company. This is not necessarily a con since it makes their build quality pretty detailed. The Dean Vendetta XMT is one of their most affordable models and is a good-quality, affordable one.

This guitar has a paulownia body, which is not that common. Paulownia is a very light tonewood that is characterized for being soft, with a mellow tone. It also comes with a maple neck and a walnut, 24-fret fingerboard, giving you a huge range of notes.

Hardware-wise, the most noticeable advantage of this guitar over the others, is its Vintage Tremolo bridge. Having a tremolo bridge lets you have a lot more options when creating cool rock effects such as dive bombs and whammy action. The great thing about it is that it is not a floating bridge, which would be a major difficulty for beginners in terms of tuning stability.

As for sound, the Dean Vendetta XMT comes with dual Dean humbucking pickups that have great output volume and tones that work really well for hard rock and metal music. It is not as good for smoother styles, I recommend this one specifically for rock and metal lovers.

Jackson JS22 Dinky Arch Top

Specs:

• Body: Poplar
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Amaranth
• Bridge: Jackson HT7 String-Through-Body Hardtail
• Body finish: Satin Urethane

Jackson is another great company that specializes in rock and metal guitars. They have been around since the 80s and it is managed by Fender. This ensures an exceptional build quality and the Jackson Dinky Arch Top JS22-7 is a great first choice for you.

To start, this is a 7-string guitar and is perfect for heavier genres that rely on very heavy riffs. Granted, it makes it a bit more difficult for beginners to learn where things are on the guitar note-wise. However, if you are willing to have patience, this guitar might be the one for you.

The Jackson Dinky Arch Top JS22-7 has a poplar body (which is one of the most common low-budget tonewoods for the body), a maple neck, and a 24-fretted amaranth fretboard. Amaranth is a harder wood than maple and is an extremely stable tonewood for fretboards.

As for sound, this guitar comes with a dual Jackson humbucker pickup system. These humbucker pickups have a very full tone with a great low end, which makes them ideal for the lower, heavier riffs.

Top Electric Guitars Under $250

Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster by Fender

Specs:

• Body: Alder
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Tremolo Bridge
• Body finish: Transparent Gloss Black Sunburst

The Stratocaster model is one of the most emblematic guitars in rock history. Players such as David Gilmore, Eric Clapton, and John Mayer gave this guitar the legendary status it holds. Squier, through its Affinity Series, decided to give us an affordable Stratocaster that holds excellent quality.

The Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster has an alder body with a double cutaway for that classic Fender aesthetic. It also comes with a maple neck and a 21-fret rosewood fingerboard. The great thing about Fender models is their smooth playability that helps beginners get around the guitar with ease.

Speaking of hardware, this guitar’s first upgrade from the Bullet Stratocaster is its die-cast tuners that give even more tuning stability. The next upgrade is the tremolo bridge system, which gives you a lot of options when creating rock sounds and is very easy to set-up.

Finally, the Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster comes with the 3 classic Fender pickups; a humbucker for the bridge and two single-coils for the neck and middle position. The five-way switch selector gives you all of the tonal options this very versatile guitar has.

Squier Affinity Series’ models are guaranteed to be good quality guitars at an affordable price and will not be a bad choice for anyone. 

Ibanez GRGA120

Specs:

• Body: Poplar
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: New Zealand Pine
• Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo with Cast Saddles
• Body finish: Satin

Ibanez is very well known for its capacity to create great rock and metal guitars. The Ibanez GRGA120 has the sound of a high-quality Ibanez but at an affordable price. 

This guitar comes with a poplar body, a maple neck and a 24 jumbo-sized fretted New Zealand pine fretboard. This is particularly advantageous for bigger hands and has excellent playability for heavier styles.

Hardware-wise, the Ibanez GRGA120 comes with an Ibanez T102 tremolo bridge which allows you to do all sorts of tricks without losing tuning stability. Again, great for heavier styles and music that relies on whammy-bar action.

Finally, when it comes to sound, this guitar has two Infinity passive humbucker pickups that are characterized for having great mid-range and solid lows and highs. It is very simple to create a good tone with this guitar since it only has a master volume and a master tone control.

The Ibanez GRGA120 is a great option for hard rock and metal lovers out there who wish to get a high-quality guitar at a budget price.

Squier Affinity Series Telecaster by Fender

Specs:

• Body: Poplar
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Maple
• Bridge: 6-Saddle Hardtail with Cast Saddles
• Body finish: Satin 

This is our second Fender guitar from the Squier Affinity Series. Interesting fact, the reason Affinity Series is of lower price range than the Squier Standard Series is that they are made with thinner bodies and necks. In reality, the build quality and detail are the same, the only difference is that less wood is used on the construction of these guitars.

The Squier Affinity Series Telecaster is made out of a poplar body, a maple neck, and a 21-fretted maple fretboard. Their fret size is a medium jumbo, which is advantageous for medium to small hands. These guitars are also constructed with a “C” shape neck, which improves playability.

Hardware-wise, this guitar comes with a 6-Saddle Hardtail with Cast Saddles for great tuning stability. It also includes standard die-cast tuning machines, which are just ok.

As for sound, Telecasters’ sound comes from dual neck and bridge single-coil Tele pickups. To this, they add a 3-way switch selector for the neck position, bridge position, and a combination of both. Finally, we have a master volume and tone control. This is everything you need to get the classic Telecaster sound.

The Squier Affinity Series Telecaster has an undeniable build quality and would be a great option for anyone looking to get that twangy, bluesy/country-styled sound Telecasters can provide.

Dean Custom Zone

Specs:

• Body: Mahogany
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Maple
• Bridge: Tremolo System
• Body finish: Fluorescent Green

As mentioned before, Dean Guitars are proudly excellent rock and metal guitar manufacturers. The Dean Custom Zone is an all fluorescent green guitar that just screams Rock N’ Roll.

This guitar is made out of a light mahogany body, a maple neck, and a 22-fret maple neck. Its frets are jumbo size, which is great for big hands or long fingers. 

As for hardware, the Dean Custom Zone has a Vintage Tremolo Bridge, which allows you to do all the Eddie Van Halen stuff you’d like to do without risking falling out of tune. It also comes with sealed die-cast tuning machines to take tuning stability one step higher.

Where this guitar shines, is with its electronics. This guitar has two DMT Design humbucker pickups that are great for rock music. A tight low end, a present mid-range, and clear highs give this guitar a really good tone for the price.

Overall,  the Dean Custom Zone is a solid guitar and a good choice for rock fans looking to get a tremolo guitar. The color is also pretty characteristic, so if it’s of your liking, go for it!

Squier Affinity Jazzmaster by Fender

Specs:

• Body: Poplar
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: 6-Saddle String-Through-Body Bridge
• Body finish: Satin

There’s no other way to say it guys, the Squier Affinity Series are really well-made guitars with a very nice sound at an affordable price. Any model you can get your hands on will be money well spent (unless you are looking for a metal-style guitar). The last of the 3 models found on this list is the Squier Affinity Series Jazzmaster.

This guitar is made out of a poplar body, a maple neck, and a 21-fret rosewood fingerboard. Its “C”-shaped design guarantees great playability. The 3 models have almost the exact same setup, except for this one having a rosewood fingerboard.

Hardware-wise, the Squier Affinity Series Jazzmaster has a 6-Saddle Hardtail Bridge with excellent tuning stability. The nickel tuning machines are not the best but do the job.

Speaking of sound, this guitar comes with two humbucker pickups, which is where it differs from the other models and is more suited for thicker styles such as jazz, modern rock, or alternative rock. For simplicity purposes, it comes with a 3-way selector and a master volume and tone control.

The Squier Affinity Series Jazzmaster is an excellent beginners’ guitar and as mentioned before, any model from the Affinity Series will be a good start for you.

Top Electric Guitars Under $300

Epiphone Les Paul-100

Specs:

• Body: Mahogany
• Neck: Mahogany
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Tune-O-Matic
• Body finish: Vintage Sunburst

The Epiphone is considered the “cheap copy” of Gibson guitar models. But even though they do make more affordable guitars, it is a misconception to name Epiphone models cheap. They are of excellent quality and the Epiphone Les Paul-100 proves just that.

This guitar is made of a full mahogany body and neck, which has been Les Paul’s standard for a very long time. A difference between this model and a Gibson model is that it is built slimmer, making it lighter and less expensive. It also comes with a 22-fretted rosewood fingerboard.

Hardware-wise, the Epiphone Les Paul-100 holds all of the quirks a Gibson model will have. The LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge is a very stable bridge and is used in high-quality guitars, such as this one.

As for sound, this guitar comes with dual 700T high-output ceramic humbucker pickups and a volume and tone control for each pickup. Its 3-way selector allows you to use the neck pickup, the bridge pickup, or a combination of both.

The Epiphone Les Paul-100 is a great choice for classic rock lovers and is a great version of the legendary Gibson Les Paul. Highly recommendable. 

Sterling SR30 By MusicMan

Specs:

• Body: Poplar
• Neck: Hard Maple
• Fretboard: Laurel
• Bridge: Fulcrum Tremolo
• Body finish: Stealth Black

MusicMan is a guitar and bass manufacturer that has been around since 1974. They support huge artists such as John Petrucci, Steve Lukather, and Steve Morse. To be able to do that, it is guaranteed that their quality has to be on point. The Sterling SR30 is one of their more affordable models and is an excellent guitar.

This guitar features a double-cutaway poplar body, a slim hard maple neck, and a 22-fretted laurel fingerboard. Its neck is very slim and has excellent playability, which makes it ideal for beginners.

As for hardware, the Sterling SR30 comes with a Fulcrum Tremolo system that can be used from heavy rock effects to smooth, soft dynamics. This gives the guitar a lot of versatility for any and all styles.

Finally, this guitar is equipped with dual MusicMan spec humbucker pickups and a 3-way selector to combine both pickups and create unique sounds. This guitar is one of the unknown ones that turned out to be of excellent quality and a top choice for me. 

Jackson JS32 Dinky DKA

Specs:

• Body: Poplar
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Maple
• Bridge: Tremolo System
• Body finish: Gloss

The Jackson JS32 is the next level up from the JS22 we reviewed earlier. This guitar does not come with 7 strings, but with a Floyd Rose Tremolo System that gives you great versatility when playing rock music. My only issue with Floyd Rose systems is the risk of having great difficulties maintaining proper intonation. I’d recommend having a luthier do a full set-up on this one.

This guitar comes with a poplar body that has a double-cutaway so you can reach those top notes without difficulties. The neck is made out of maple and includes a 24 jumbo-fretted fingerboard for those big hands out there.

The Jackson JS32 is powered by dual Jackson high-output humbucker pickups. The JS32 DKA-M pickups are great for distortion and heavier styles while still having a decent clean tone. Not my particular choice for softer styles, but it’ll do the job.

Grote ES-335 style Jazz Electric Guitar 

Specs:

• Body: Semi hollow
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Tune-O-Matic
• Body finish: Satin

In 1958, Gibson released the ES series as the first commercially available set of semi-hollow electric guitars. Semi-hollow guitars are known for having a fuller sound with more natural resonance. Since then, the ES series is one of the most sought out in the guitar world. Grote decided to create their own low-budget model, The Grote ES-335.

This guitar comes with the classic f-holes to create that semi-hollow style. By adding a block of wood in the middle, this guitar allows you to use overdrive and distortion to get that rock sound without risking feedback (which would happen on a hollow body). This guitar also has a maple neck and a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard.

Speaking of hardware, this guitar comes with the classic Tune-O-Matic bridge we have previously discussed. The great thing about it is the ease it brings to changing strings, adjusting intonation, and maintaining tuning stability.

As for sound, the Grote ES-335 comes with a pair of Grote humbuckers that accentuate the fatness of the sound, giving it a smooth, silky tone. This guitar is an excellent choice for jazz, blues, and rock music. The Grote ES-335 will provide you with a different sound from all of the other guitars on this list and might be something worth checking out.

Yamaha PAC112V

Specs:

• Body: Alder
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Vintage Style Tremolo w/ Block Saddle
• Body finish: Silver

The Yamaha Pacifica 112V can easily be my top guitar in this section of guitars for under $300. The main attribute is that this guitar is a solid body guitar, which gives it a very nice tone that will also see its resonance increase as years go by.

This guitar has a solid body made of alder which is very lightweight. It also comes with a maple neck and a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard. This guitar has great playability with a neck that is slightly flatter than most necks.

Hardware-wise, the Yamaha Pacifica 112V comes with a Vintage Style Tremolo w/ a Block Saddle that allows you to either have it as a floating bridge for vibrato, or a fixed-type bridge for dive bombs. A lot of versatility on this one.

Speaking of sound, this guitar’s setup is very similar to the one in a Stratocaster. It comes with two single coils for the neck and middle position, as well as a humbucker for the bridge. Its 5-way selector gives you all sorts of combinations and the master and tone volume allow you to give those final touches to your sound. 

The Yamaha Pacifica 112V is one of the best low-budget guitars you can find out there and I’d very much recommend checking it out. 

Top Electric Guitars Under $400

Squier Classic Vibe 70’s Stratocaster by Fender

Specs:

• Body: Poplar
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Laurel
• Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles
• Body finish: Vintage-tilted polyurethane

The Squier Classic Vibe series is the next level after the Affinity series, so you can expect improvements in hardware and build quality. The Squier by Fender Classic Vibe 70’s Stratocaster is a great guitar at a still affordable price.

This guitar is made out of poplar, a maple neck with a ‘C’ shaped design for excellent playability. Its fingerboard is made out of Indian laurel and has 21 narrow-tall frets. Its classic 70’s vibe lets you get those golden days of rock sound

Speaking of which, the Squier Classic Vibe comes with 3 Fender Designed Alnico Single-Coils for each position (neck, middle, and bridge). You have a master volume control, tone control for the neck pickup, and second tone control for the bridge and middle pickup. Its 5-way selector gives you all the possibilities you need to get sweet-sounding tones.

The Squier by Fender Classic Vibe 70’s Stratocaster is one of my top choices on this whole list. The versatility and build quality Fender provides is great and this guitar can play any style comfortably (probably except very heavy genres).

Yamaha Revstar RS320

Specs:

• Body: Nato
• Neck: Nato
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Tune-O-Matic
• Body finish: High Gloss

The Yamaha Revstar Series is a series inspired by what would entail a tuning of a classic 60’s motorcycle. Made in Japan, this series features an excellent build quality with specific attention to tune-ups and details. The Yamaha Revstar RS320 is a beautiful sounding guitar for those looking for lush clean sounds.

One of the things that stand out on this guitar is its comfort-contoured designed nato body. This guitar features a deep belly cut, a hidden forearm contour, and a newly designed neck joint for extreme playability and smoothness. The Yamaha Revstar RS320 also has a nato neck with a 22, medium fretted rosewood fingerboard.

Hardware-wise, this guitar comes with the much-talked Tune-O-Matic fixed bridge and nickel die-cast tuners that are very aesthetic. Overall, this is a very beautiful-looking guitar.

However, their sound is really where they got their chops refined and the Yamaha Revstar RS320 has custom-made ceramic magnet Alnico humbuckers. Thes pickups have a very full-sounding rich tone and are excellent for clean sounds.

The Yamaha Revstar RS320 is a great option for jazz, blues, soft rock, and all of the variations of smoother genres.

Ibanez AM73B

Specs:

• Body: Linden
• Neck: Nyatoh
• Fretboard: Walnut
• Bridge: Gibraltar Performer
• Body finish: Flat Tobacco

The Ibanez AM73B comes as a replacement for the AM73. This guitar is featured on the Artcore Series that is based on affordable semi-hollow electric guitars. This guitar has been around since 2008 and is one of the best jazz to rock versatility guitars.

This guitar features a linden body with a double-cutaway designed and an arched top with f-holes to get that semi-hollow sound. It also comes with a set-in nyatoh neck and a 22-fret walnut fingerboard.

Speaking of hardware, the Ibanez AM73B used to have a Tune-O-Matic bridge which was replaced this year with the new Gibraltar Performer. This bridge is custom-designed by Ibanez and is designed for simple use and adjustment while maintaining all of the specs a Tune-O-Matic bridge would have.

Finally, sound-wise, this guitar is equipped with a pair of Ibanez Artcore humbucker pickups with individual tone and volume controls. These pickups are designed to have a warm, full-bodied tone that sounds fantastic with both clean and overdriven tones.

Anyone looking to go a different path and explore the world of semi-hollow-bodied guitars should definitely take a look at the Ibanez AM73B. 

Ibanez RG450DX

Specs:

• Body: Meranti
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Std. DL Tremolo Bridge
• Body finish: Straight Blue

Ibanez introduced the RG series in 1987, becoming one of the best-selling hard rock and metal guitar models. It was in 2015 when Ibanez introduced RG450DX to replace a previous model under the same name but with different specs.

The RG450DX is constructed with a meranti body, a maple Wizard III neck, and a 24-fret rosewood fingerboard. Its frets are jumbo-sized for comfortable hand separation. Meranto is a tonewood that is characterized for being strong and durable. Not a particularly rich tonewood though.

As for hardware, this guitar comes with a Standard DL tremolo bridge which is actually a very well-made Floyd rose that lets you do all sorts of stuff without many tuning issues. It also comes with the classic Ibanez die-cast tuners which are pretty solid.

In terms of sound, the RG450DX is equipped with two Ibanez Quantum passive humbucker pickups for the neck and bridge. It also comes with a single coil for the middle position, giving you the classic Ibanez sound. Having only one tone and volume control helps you maintain simplicity in your sound shaping, while the 5-way selector gives you a lot of versatility.

The RG450DX is an excellent choice for you hard rock and metal lovers out there and one of my personal favorites.

Schecter OMEN-6

Specs:

• Body: Basswood
• Neck: Maple
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Bridge: Tune-O-Matic
• Body finish: Satin

Schecter Guitars have been around since 1976 and are characterized for making great hard rock guitars with very full tone and a thumping low-end for those heavy riffs. The Schecter OMEN-6 is your ultimate metal guitar on this list. 

This guitar is made out of a basswood body with an archtop contour for cool aesthetics. It also comes with a maple neck and a 24 X-Jumbo rosewood fingerboard. This guitar might not be best suited for kids or small hands. However, thanks to its thin ‘C’ shaped neck, the playability is excellent.

As for hardware, the Schecter OMEN-6 has a Tune-O-Matic w/ String Thru Body bridge to give you as much comfort as possible when changing strings. Its Schecter tuners also ensure great tuning stability and precision, which is great.

Finally, as for sound, we have two Schecter Diamond Plus humbucker pickups that can also be switched into single coils, giving you endless possibilities tone-wise. A very versatile guitar that still specializes in giving you those sweet rocking riffs from your favorite heavy metal bands.  

Conclusion

There are many possibilities for different styles of guitars that can suit your particular needs in terms of style of music, physical attributes, and more importantly, budget. I’d personally recommend picking one of the last 10 models if it’s an affordable choice for you.

I’d particularly favor the Sterling SR30, the Grote ES-335, the Yamaha Pacifica Series 112V, the Squier Classic Vibe, and the Ibanez RG450DX for all potential styles.

Nevertheless, all guitars in this list are of very good quality and will serve their purpose as a beginner’s guitar. So go out there, try the ones that caught your eye and enjoy the majestic world of guitar. Keep on rockin’!

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Last update on 2024-11-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API