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10 Brilliant Cheap Electric Guitars (UPDATED)
Looking for the best cheap electric guitars for beginners? Or maybe you just fancy buying another ax to add to your setup? We've found 10 of the best out now for you to take a peek at.
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Argh. All that choice!
Somebody please just help me decide which is the best cheap electric guitar to buy already....
So you're looking for the best electric guitar to go for that sounds rocking, looks the business, and doesn't cost you an arm and a leg.
Lucky you've found this list then. Come check out this drool-worthy list of the top 10 most popular electric guitars that won't break the bank.
What do you think? - Any other low-cost kicking guitars you think are worthy of this list? Share your recommendation with your fellow guitarists in the comments at the bottom.
Top rated, the Fender Squier Tele is a long standing favourite low-cost electric guitar. Available in an eye watering choice of colours, your perfect Tele awaits.
The Highlights
- Alder body
- Maple neck and fingerboard
- 2 iconic single-coil Fender pickups
- 21 frets
- Colours include Butterscotch blonde, Sunburst, Arctic white, Black, Gun metal grey.
The Squier Tele was the first electric I owned and it served me fabulosly. Fun to play, great sounding electronics, you can rock out with this Tele or play it clean to get a great sound.
Listen to the Fender Squier Tele:
One of the best value electric guitars on the market since the 1990's. This entry level Pacifica boasts a Strat style vibrato bridge and deserves it's place in any budget guitar top 10 list worth its salt.
The Highlights
- Solid Agathis body
- Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard
- Humbucker single-single coil pickups
- 22 frets
- Colours include White, Black, Metallic red, Dark blue metallic
The Pacifica is a top reccomendation if you're a beginner guitar player looking to add an electric to your axe arsenal. Don't expect blinding tone, do expect a solid well made budget electric.
Listen to the Yamaha Pacifica:
3. Epiphone Dot 335
The famous Gibson ES335 will set you back up to £3,000/$3,668. It's little brother the Epiphone 335 a tiny £269/$329. This semi-hollow archtop classic is the real deal.
The Highlights
- Maple top back and sides
- Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard
- Humbucker pickups with Alnico magnets
- 22 frets
- Colours include Sunburst, Vintage Cherry, Ebony, Natural
The Epiphone Dot is the first name I recommend to students when they ask my advice on which electric guitar to buy. The quality of the build and sound is amazing for the price. You get a shed loads for your money with this baby.
Listen to the Epiphone Dot 335:
The Schecter is made of impressivly light-weight Basswood with a beautiful finish and meaty sound. A top choice for any true rock or metal head.
The Highlights
- Basswood body
- Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard
- 2 Schecter High Output Alnico humbuckers
- 24 frets
- Colours include Charcoal burst, Ocean Blue Burst, Vintage Sunburst, Electric Magenta, Satin white, See-Thru Cherry Burst
Perfect for guitarists after the irresistable Schecter tone and playability. We loved the uber cool choice of colours and beefy tone care of the double humbucker pickup config. Rockin'.
Listen to the Schecter C-6 Plus
From Steve Vai to Joe Satriani, Ibanez has long been a favourite for rockers and metal heads. Ibanez proudly hoot their GRG series has the 'quality and precision set-up as our most expensive models'.
The Highlights
- Basswood body
- Single piece Maple neck and rosewood fretboard
- 24 frets
- HSH pickup config with Ibanez Powersound pickups
- Colour options Black Night, Jewel Blue, Candy Apple.
If you want a budget electric without compromising on the sound, the Ibanez GRG wont dissapoint. With 2 humbucker pickups & 1 single coil the sound is impressive. A lot of guitar for not a lot of money. Magic.
Listen to the Ibanez GRG:
This value version of the Fender classic with a colossal choice of colours is a good choice if you're on a mega tight budget.
The Highlights
- Alder body
- Maple neck and rosewood or maple fingerboard
- 21 frets
- 3 Squier Standard Single-Coil Strat®
- Colours include ;Burgundy Mist, Sea Foam Green, Brown Sunburst, Black, 2 Colour Sunburst, Lake Placid Blue...
You wont get blindingly great sound and playability from a Squier Affinity, but It's a good choice if you're really strapped for cash.
Listen to the Squier Affinity Strat:
With it's super cool Bigsby vibrato, stylish f-holes and high quality finish the Gretsch Streamliner is one stunning semi-hollow electric
The Highlights
- Maple back and sides
- Nato neck and rosewood fingerboard
- 22 frets
- Duel Gretsch Broad'Tron Humbucker pickups
- Bigsby B60 vibrato tailpiece
- Colours include Torino Green, Flagstaff Sunset, Walnut Stain,
Gorgeous rounded mellow Gretsch tones, first-class finish and lush hardware. Yeah I know it's a little pricer than you wanted, but It's well worth extending your budget to snag this quilty dripping guitar.
Listen to the Gretsch G2622T:
Meet the iconic SG. With it's twin open coil Humbucker pickups the Epiphone version of a Gibson rock classic will make any guitar player smile. Beginner and otherwise.
The Highlights
- Mahogany body
- Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard
- 22 frets
- 650R & 700T Humbucker pickups
- Colours include Cherry, Ebody, Special
Gutsy sound, undeniably cool shape. This entry level SG looks the part and sounds like it's worth a bunch more than the asking price. Warning: May cause groupies to swarm when played in public.
Listen to the SG Special:
I don't care who you are- you can't deny this Les Paul by Epihone electric guitar is sexy. With it's locktone Tune-O-Matic bridge and SlimTaper neck Epiphone give you a heck of alot for your money.
The Highlights
- Solid mahogany body
- Mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard
- 22 frets
- 2 Alnico humbucking pickups
- Colours include Pelham Blue, Royal Cherry. Ebony, Metallic Gold
Solid build quality, hair curling power when cranked through your amp. If you're a gigging guitarist, be prepared to look like a rock god or godess on stage if you buy this Epiphone Les Paul.
Listen to the Epiphone Les Paul Standard:
Angular angry and affordable. With a spirited tone and 24 frets so you can right up to the dusty end. The Jackson Dinky is a solid choice for those watching the pennies.
Type: Standard acoustic
The Highlights
- Basswood body
- Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard
- 24 frets
- Jackson® High Output Humbucking pickups
- Colours including Gloss Black, Gloss White, Metallic Red and Metallic Blue
Don't expect a skull-crushingly massive sound from this enty level Jackson. Do expect a great value guitar with a thin user-friendly neck that stays in tune relatively well.
Listen to the Jackson Dinky:
What Do You Think?
Any other brilliant cheap beginner electric guitars out there you think should be on this list? Share your recommendations with us all then!
Leave a comment below...
