Regardless of whether you’re a beginner who got star-struck while watching a rock show or someone simply interested in learning how to play an instrument, the chances are that you want to test your luck with a budget guitar.
Experienced people who aim to become professionals are the ones that wouldn’t mind spending more than $1,000 on a guitar, but luckily you don’t.
Now, since the market is literally littered with thousands and thousands of low-quality guitars in this price range, we’ve taken the opportunity to pluck out some of the better ones for your convenience.
Squier by Fender Mini Stratocaster
There’s a list of very obvious reasons why the Stratocaster is the go-to guitar of many beginner players – it’s pretty cheap, and it boasts a highly recognizable, iconic sound that casts a long shadow over pretty much all other low-end guitars.
Now, this is a Mini Stratocaster, which has a slightly shorter scale length of 22.75 inches while the rest of its specs are the same as its full-sized counterpart.
It rocks a Poplar body with a magnificent Satin finished, a Laurel-made fingerboard, and a set of three single-coil magnets that are as strong as they are versatile. In all truth, cheap guitars typically can’t get much better than this.
Washburn 6 String S1TS Sonamaster Series
People in the music industry are well aware of the fact that Washburn is a top-tier brand that earned most of their through top-quality boutique guitars. Luckily for most beginners and people who are a bit low on cash, they also have a couple of models that are available at rather attractive prices.
The S1TS Sonamaster is an excellent choice for pretty much any music genre, any playing style, and players of all skill levels.
It boasts outstanding playability; its hardware is robust and reliable, and it packs triple Sonamaster SS pickups that roar like a wounded animal. If you’re out searching for a good-sounding guitar on a budget, we warmly recommend the S1TS.
Squier by Fender Bullet Mustang
Bullet Mustang is one of those guitars that players end up being stuck with for years after learning the basics of guitar playing.
Essentially, it’s so light, and so playable that most mid-range guitars can’t even get close to it. What does come as quite a surprise is that its price tag is ridiculously low considering how terrific its sonic performance is.
The Bullet Mustang features a sturdy body made of Poplar and a Laurel-made fingerboard; its body is super-light and sleek, and it has a string-through-body bridge that can withstand years and years of use and abuse.
This is a classic-sounding road-worthy guitar that can come in quite handy as a replacement or a practice guitar if you already have your main go-to one; if you don’t, the chances are it will become precisely that.
Austin AST100BK Double Cutaway Electric Guitar
Country, blues, and jazz fans should not shy away from the opportunity to own an Austin guitar, especially if it’s as great-sounding and as cheap as the AST100BK.
Essentially, this is an affordable guitar made for beginners, but its tone is so eclectic that it could easily follow you through various stages of your musical evolution. It’s made of maple and hardwood, and it’s substantially more durable than most low-end axes.
Ibanez GRX70QATRB
Ibanez has equipped lovers of a bit heavier genres of music with top-shelf instruments for decades now; if you’re into rock or metal and are looking for an inexpensive electric guitar, you might want to give GRX70QATRB a shot.
This beautiful instrument features a Transparent-Red Burst texture, a top made of Alder Wood, a poplar body, and an Oakwood back. Furthermore, it sports super-hot Infinity R magnets that sit well with both low-output practice amps and full Marshall Stacks just the same.
Shredneck Travel Guitar Deluxe
People who have slightly smaller hands and fingers sometimes think they are not exactly built to play an instrument.
Shredneck’s Travel Guitar Deluxe will help you think otherwise; this instrument was tailor-made for beginners, younger players, and people with tiny fingers, as it sports a shorter scale and an exceptionally playable neck.
This guitar rocks a top made of Flamed Maple, a Maple neck, a body made of solid wood, and its back is made of Nato (Eastern Mahogany).
In terms of tonality, it’s all around the place, stretched wide and thin across the tonal spectrum. The most important thing about its performance is that it combines accessibility with a superbly sounding body.
Jackson JS Series Dinky Minion JS1X
The Dinky Minion was originally designed for the youngest of players, but since it has a massive, full-bodied sound, it’s frequently picked up by more experienced players too. This is a highly affordable guitar, and most people wouldn’t be able to tell without seeing the price tag.
Jackson’s JS1X features a Maple top while the rest of its body is mainly built from poplar; this means that its durability is almost unmatched. Furthermore, it sports top-quality hardware, a shorter scale length, and a highly playable fingerboard made of excellent-quality Amaranth.
Ivy IJZ 300 TSB Jazz Solid-Body Electric Guitar
Let’s wrap our review up with Ivy’s IJZ 300 TSB – a great-sounding cheap guitar. It looks almost like a beat-up Les Paul, although it sounds like a well-preserved one.
It offers a warm tone provided by the mahogany construction, and it’s just slightly less durable than average; be it as it may, it’s superb playability and exquisite aesthetics separate it from most low-end electric guitars.
