Best Cheap Electric Guitar (our top pick)
Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Though it's not the "cheapest" the Epiphone Les Paul Standard is still firmly in the budget electric guitar category, yet brings with a positive and realistic playing experience that will motivate - as opposed to discourage - the beginner who wants a taste of the real thing.
The best cheap electric guitars shouldn't just fit your budget (although it should at least do that). It should fit your style, musical interests, and your wants. It bothers me how a lot of people looking for an economy guitar end up with garbage. Garbage is not fun to play. It ruins the experience of the player and, in many cases, discourages interest in the instrument itself. Especially in regards to something like the electric guitar - where pride of ownership and the window-shopping factor are both really high - it's important to get an instrument you actually like.
As a consequence, buyers seeking the best cheap electric guitars should consider the following:
- An established budget
- A musical niche
- A musical genre of interest
- Aesthetic preferences
- Build and sound quality
When I was 15 my guitar teacher and my Dad spent a fair amount of time helping me pick out my first "real" guitar. Back then it was the old version of the PRS SE Santana, the black one. At the time of writing this, I'm 32 and still have that guitar, having put several hundred dollars into upgrading it, and it's still one of my go-to options.
In this article, I'll go over absolutely everything there is to consider when shopping for cheap electric guitars so that you can have a similar story.
We'll look at the following:
- Basic properties and features of an electric guitar
- Different price ranges
- What features to look for in which price ranges
- Which brands to target
- Strengths and weaknesses of specific options
Let's get started.
For those that want a quicker answer, here are the cheap electric guitars that I most often recommend, and that were part of this article when it was originally published:
Best Cheap Electric Guitars (our top picks)
Guitars | Name | Shop |
|---|---|---|
| Epiphone Les Paul Standard | |
 | Epiphone Les Paul Starter Package | |
 | Epiphone Les Paul Special II | |
 | Epiphone SG Special | |
 | Squier Affinity Telecaster | |
 | Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar | |
 | Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster |
Full List of Cheap Electric Guitars
Here's a full list of budget-friendly electric guitars that are still high-value, decent instruments that are worth your time.
- ESP LTD KH-202 Kirk Hammett Signature
- ESP LTD EC-256
- Schecter PT Special
- Schecter Damien Platinum
- Schecter Omen Extreme
- PRS SE Standard 24
- PRS SE Singlecut McCarty 594
- Epiphone Les Paul Standard
- Epiphone Les Paul Custom
- Epiphone ES-339
- Squier Classic Vibe '50s Telecaster
- Squier Vintage Classic Vibe Mustang
- Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster
- Squier Classic Vibe '70s HSS Stratocaster
- Fender Player HSS Stratocaster
- Fender Player Telecaster
- Fender Player Stratocaster
Other Cheap Electrics Including Bundles
I know that a lot of what has been covered here might not be considered cheap electric guitars by other standards. But, what we've tried to do is get you an electric guitar at a good price without sacrificing too much quality. Once you get under the $400 price point, quality is fairly scarce. However: There are a handful of recommendations we can make for those that must be in the lowest possible price range.
1. Epiphone Les Paul Starter Package
This starter kit comes with everything you need, including a 10-watt amp (perfect volume for bedroom jamming) guitar cable, picks and even an Epiphone branded strap. The body style of the guitar is a classic Les Paul shape, which Epiphone is known to do a great job of replicating. While it isn't necessarily a pro-level or long-term solution, it's a great starter set for beginners.
- 10-watt amp included
- Guitar is a Les Paul body design
- Dual Humbucker configuration with tone and volume control
- Cable, picks and strap included
- Great price point includes everything to get you started
2. Epiphone Les Paul Special II
If you don't need the extras included in the starter package, you can grab just the Epiphone Les Paul Special guitar and knock a few bucks off an already rock-bottom price tag. This is the same guitar that's in the starter package, though with a few more color options, including the sunburst design pictured here. Also note the body is made of Mahogany, which is not a cheap tonewood and often found in much nicer electric models.
- Dual humbuckers with tone and volume controls
- Sunburst finish
- Mahogany wood used in the guitar's body
3. Squier (Short Scale) Stratocaster Starter Package
![Squier [Short Scale] Stratocaster Starter Package](http://www.guitarchalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Squier-Short-Scale-Stratocaster-Beginners-Bundle.jpg "Squier [Short Scale] Stratocaster Starter Package")
This starter package comes with a guitar that is scaled shorter than a normal-sized neck and body, making it much easier for younger kids and even children to handle. For kids in the age range of five to eight years, this model is going to be easier to handle and play. It also comes with everything they need to get started, including a strap, cable, Squier Frontman amp, tuner and even some guitar picks.
- Short scale is perfect for kids
- Squier design looks and feels similar to Fender Stratocasters
- Comes with everything necessary to pick up and play
4. Epiphone SG Special
The Epiphone SG Special is similar to the Les Paul Special I mentioned earlier, with a dual humbucker (two pickups) setup and a body composed of both Maple and Alder tonewood. This was actually one of the first guitars my parents bought me when I was 10 years old and had first started playing (I remember it was a deep forest green color). Again, the retail price makes it a low-risk purchase, ideal for beginners or even novice players who want to try the SG design.
- Alder and Maple Tonewood Combination
- Dual Epiphone Humbucker Setup
- Tone and Volume Controls
- Great price point
5. Squier Affinity Telecaster
This particular model is one of my favorite Squier options, just because it looks great and does an excellent job of giving you the feel of a much nicer instrument. The Affinity Telecasters are a solid mid-range beginner guitar, as they're scaled to a normal size and have the classic tube and bridge Telecaster pickup design. The Maple fretboard (the lighter colored wood used in the neck) is a nice touch as well.
- Looks exactly like the real deal Fender Telecasters
- Classic Telecaster pickup configuration
- Maple fretboard
- Overall aesthetics get high remarks
Conclusion
Finding a cheap electric guitar is about finding quality at a price you can live with. It's not always a matter of just getting the lowest price. What I've covered in this article should help you shop by price and features with an eye towards which brands are going to provide you with the most value. This way, you get a cheap electric guitar but you also get something with a decent amount of quality. As a result: You'll actually enjoy playing and won't be turned off by a poor quality instrument.
Questions and Thoughts
If you have questions about the electric guitars in this list or others I may not have mentioned, feel free to leave those in the comments section below, and I'll do my best to help out.
More Electric Guitar Roundups
Written by Bobby on Electrics and Roundups
Written by Bobby on Electrics and Roundups
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Our disclosure↬
Tonewood is a myth. You show me some data that proves that the type of wood makes one iota of difference and the liquor is on me.
You don’t think there are different quality tiers with wood/tonewood? Good grief man. Just go to Lowes.
I bought all of my axes back in 1997 as then i had a great paying job and could afford the cost of a Gibson ( ES 335 ) and also a Japanese Fender which was every bit as good as the U.S shop back then ( too bad they closed up the Japanese shop in favor of the U.S shop ). I bought a Tele at that time, I also bought a Classical which has since been traded in so my wife could also have a guitar ( a martin ) and I also picked up a Dearmond at that time, i dont play that guitar nearly as much as i should, in fact the Fender is my favorite and is played almost exclusively. I think if i were to add anything to my fleet at this time it would be a NATIONAL STEEL and that should round out the entire collection for me…..
Thanks for sharing, Tim. Sounds like a great collection.
Very useful information for begginers, as me. But I am left handed, so….
Hmm…I guess we could do a left-handed roundup. Most of the Epiphone and Fenders have a left-handed version. Usually, you have to dig around for those.