UPDATED 2015. One of the first decisions a beginner guitarist needs to make is which guitar to purchase. As a guitar teacher, I’ve been asked this question a lot and have found that the answer depends on both your musical taste and your budget. For this reason, I have compiled a list of electric guitars under $200. I also have a list of Acoustic Guitars Under $200.
10 Great Electric Guitars for Beginners Under $200 (in no particular order)
- Squier Affinity Stratocaster HSS
- Squier Affinity Telecaster
- Squier Bullet Strat (HSS or SSS)
- Yamaha Pacifica PAC 112
- Epiphone Les Paul Special II
- Epiphone SG Special
- Ibanez GRX20 (GIO Series)
- Jackson JS22 Dinky
- Dean Vendetta XM
- Dean EVO XM
If you want more specific tips on buying your first electric guitar, check out “A Guide to Buying Your First Electric Guitar“. If you have any questions or comments, I’ll be happy to answer them below or on our new forum section.
Model Descriptions
1. Squier Affinity Stratocaster HSS. Squier is Fender’s entry level brand and one of the most popular choices today for beginners. Along with the Les Paul design (discussed below), the Stratocaster is one of the most often copied electric guitar shapes. The list of Strat players is long, and includes names like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck and John Frusciante. Squiers are known to be solid instruments and a great value.
2. The Squier Affinity Telecaster model is also a good option and a popular design. Keith Richards, Jeff Buckley, Tom Morello, Jonny Greenwood and country music players like Brad Paisley use or have used Telecasters. If you are expecting twang from your guitar, look no further! The maple fretboard on these Squier Teles looks great and the butterscotch blonde is the classic finish.
3. Squier Bullet Strat (HSS or SSS). The Squire Bullet is a great guitar at a very affordable price. For around $120, you have a variety of colors and two different pickup configurations to choose from. SSS stands for single-single-single and HSS stands for humbucker-single-single (the pickups on a guitar are basically the microphones that pick up the sound). There is also a more modern looking Squier Bullet Telecaster model in metallic black (not pictured). This Tele features a humbucker-single coil pickup configuration and black hardware. It would make a great rock guitar.
Squier Starter Value Packs
Squier offers a Strat Value Package that includes the HSS Affinity Strat, an amplifier, and accessories (instructional DVD, gig bag, cable, strap and picks). Pretty much everything you need to get started. This starter pack currently sells for around $349, but if you are on a budget you can get a Similar Strat Value Pack with the same guitar and a more affordable amp for $249. There is also a Starter Pack Under $200, with an SSS Affinity Strat and a cheaper Fender amp.
4. Yamaha Pacifica PAC 112. The Pacifica is a solidly built Stratocaster style guitar and an excellent choice for beginners. Not a lot of stores carry them, so buying online will most likely be your only option. The pickups sound good and the guitar is usually well set up out of the box. Yamaha has been in the musical instrument business for a long time and their guitars are known for their quality and value. They also make excellent entry level acoustic guitars. Yamaha offers a Pacifica Value Pack for around $250. One known Yamaha player is jazz fusion guitarist Mike Stern.
5. Epiphone Les Paul Special II. Fender and Gibson are the two best known manufacturers of electric guitars in the world, and Squier and Epiphone are their entry level, more affordable brands. A different looking and sounding beast than the Strat or the Tele, the Epiphone Les Paul is a great option if you are into Jimmy Page, Bob Marley, Joe Perry, Slash or Zakk Wylde.
6. Epiphone SG Special. Another popular model is the SG. With its pointy double cutaway design, the SG offers a wilder and heavier look and it will do everything from metal to blues. Frank Zappa, Angus Young, Tommy Iommi, Derek Trucks and Thom Yorke have been known to play SG’s.
Epiphone Starter Value Packs
Just like Squier, Epiphone offers a Les Paul Value Pack that includes the guitar, an amp and accessories for $199. I haven’t tried the amp in this pack but overall, it looks like a good deal. In general, I’m really not a fan of the amps that are included in these packs as they tend to be low quality, but to start out they’ll do the trick.
7. Ibanez GRX20 (GIO Series). In the 1960’s Ibanez, a Japanese company, started copying Fender, Gibson and Rickenbacker guitars. Soon after, they started designing electric guitars of their own and Ibanez grew to be one of the top guitar companies in the world. If you listen to metal or like shred guitar (rapid soloing), an Ibanez guitar could be what you are looking for. The GIO guitars are a “budget” model line similar to Fender’s Squier guitars and Gibson’s Epiphone line. The GRX20 comes with two humbucker pickups and in a variety of lively colors (from jewel blue to all white). Ibanez guitars are known for having thinner necks and bodies. Ibanez offers a GIO Value Pack with a similar guitar for under $250. Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, Marty Friedman and James “Munky” Shaffer are a few artists that play Ibanez guitars.
8. Jackson JS22 Dinky. Jackson Guitars originated in 1980 when Ozzy Osborne guitarist Randy Rhoads asked Charvel’s (another guitar manufacturer) Grover Jackson for a custom “Flying V” style guitar. Charvel and Jackson guitars were very popular in the 80’s and 90’s, and are starting to make a comeback. Ironically, both Charvel and Jackson guitars are now owned by Fender. These guitars are great for (glam) rock, metal and shredding. There is also a 7-string version of this model, also under $200.
9. Dean Vendetta XM. A company that has been around since the late 70’s, Dean is a well known brand between metalheads. Players like Diamond Darrel, Dave Mustaine and Michael Amott use or have used Dean guitars. With a string-through-body design, dual humbuckers, a maple neck with 24 frets, the Vendetta XM definitely stands out from the rest of the bunch. It is not your typical Strat or Les Paul copy.
10. Dean EVO XM. Last but not least is the Dean EVO. This Dean model gets a lot of good reviews for being a solid low budget guitar. A “Les Paul” style guitar with one cutaway, the EVO is a blend of vintage design with modern features. It has dual humbuckers, 24 frets, a satin finish and an angular neck joint. Great looks, quality build and excellent tone for your money.
This list is by no means exhaustive, but it is a solid starting point. Any of these models would make a great guitar for a beginner, just choose the one that suits your musical preference or guitar style. If you have your own list of models, feel free to post them on the comments below.
Before buying a guitar we really should consider the brand because of its different features and materials.
I agree with the Dean Vendetta and or a used Squire. They compare well to my high end Schecter and if not for the specific pick ups probably for me play equivalently. If playing through my Boss GT-10, it becomes harder to tell the difference. The Schecter is real choice though and a I play the Squire std strategy more often.
It amazes me that supposedly “knowledgeable” people who write articles like this overlook Korean brands like Cort and Samick! Cheap Fenders and Gibsons are made in China and are no better that many other cheap Chinese guitars. The Korean guitars (and even the Indonesian Corts) generally range from good to absolutely brilliant. That said, any brand can have its good or bad items. The best policy is; try before you buy, and if you like it, play it. Many a bargain can still be found in junk and pawn shops, even vintage or hand-made gems. Screw the brand-name mentality, and go with what makes you happy at the time! You can always upgrade if your tastes or abilities change!
Thanks for your input A.Smith, I appreciate your observation. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it is a solid starting point and it is targeted at beginners who have no knowledge of gear whatsoever. I have recently updated the list to include a few other guitar designs and brands. It would be great if you can post some models that you think should be included here. I encourage anybody reading to post their own list.
My decision for including mostly brand-name guitars is based on both local and online availability, resale/trade value, and the ability for people to check online reviews for themselves. There are plenty of other brands and models that could be included here. I have not seen a Samick or Cort at a Guitar Center, Sam Ash (or any of the local stores near where I live), so the “try before you buy” policy, which you mention and I support 100%, would not be possible for most people. Also, it’s a fact that it’s easier to sell a used Chinese made Epiphone than an a used Chinese made SX, Agile or Johnson guitar or even a Korean made Samick. Chinese guitars, which I agree are known to be low quality, are getting better and better. They have been making guitars at some of these factories in China for well over a decade and they’re getting better at it.
I would not recommend pawn shop or craigslist shopping to a beginner unless they go with someone that can advise them on what they’re buying. I buy most of my gear used, but I have been playing for years and know what to look for and have a good idea of how much I should be paying depending on the item I’m buying and its condition. Most beginners just want to get a reliable and cool looking guitar so they can start learning music. They’ll have plenty of time to go pawn shop shopping later, when and IF the they stick with the guitar.
Thanks for stopping by.
Learn and master guitar guy probably meant Epiphone as a popular entry level Gibson brand. Yeah, Squier (Fender) and Epiphone (Gibson) make decent entry level guitars and this article is in fact well written, but why is he not mentioning Ibanez or Jackson guitars which are more “metal shape” guitars and also produce fairly decent entry level guitars too? With these articles there’s almost no mention of Ibanez, Jackson or some less-known brand. All seem to go for either Fender, gibson or Yamaha. Actually some Ibanez guitars are even better than some Fenders for the same price, depends on what sound you want. Otherwise the article is good. 🙂
Thanks for your comment about including other guitar brands Guitarlover. I think you’re absolutely right, metal style guitars should be included on these lists. I have recently expanded my list to include a few other guitar designs and brands. Ibanez and Jackson both have been added. In fact, one of my first guitars was a black Japanese Jackson which I really loved. I’ve also owned a few Ibanez guitars, including a Japanese Ibanez Artist which I really regret selling!
If you have your own list of models, feel free to post them here or on our new forum section!
How about the ibanez gio series?
Yeah and I would buy slash signature gibson lespaul vermillion istead of these guitars
Hey! Nice write up.. thanks for the lead, but can you please explain a little further what you mean by “Some guitars are not playable out of the box and need adjustment.”?
Thanks
Hi Alexander,
Thanks for taking the time to bring those mistakes to my attention. I don’t know how I missed the correct spelling for Squier as I’ve actually owned Squiers in the past (I actually have one of those Affinity strats in my closet right now).
As far as the usage of “for a while” goes, my first language is not English though I’ve lived in the US for a number of years and have also studied here. I was under the impression that “for a while” meant “for a long time”, but upon looking this up online I find that it means “for a short time”. So I stand corrected.
I think I need to add a few more guitars to this list as I think there are other brands and models worth mentioning, for example Ibanez offers some models in this price range that would be a good option for a beginner looking for a “shredder” type guitar. For some reason “shredder” guitars are always left out of these lists.
Amazing that the sloppy writer does not even manage to spell “Squier” correctly. And it says Yamaha has been in the business “a while”. Yeah, 120 + years could be considered “a while”. By that same scale, Fender is almost a novelty as they started in 1946…
-sigh-
Gibson guitars popular with beginners ???? Yeah all beginners jump straight in and buy a top end guitar don’t they .Call yourself learn and master guitar guy you obviously dont have a clue.
I want a sound like “Upstairs Room” by the Cure. That calls for solidbody, doesn’t it? Tnx – Hue
There’s another reason to buy brand name guitars: They have more resale/trade in value in the event that you decide either to give it up or graduate to a better one!
Peavey Falcon is a great beginner guitar, Best sound i have ever heard. This guitar is well built and is good for any style of playing. I think in order to beat the quality in today’s market you would have to spend about $700.
Learning to play at 42. Using a guitar “simulator” at the moment to learn basic chords and scales. Buying my 1st real guitar when Rocksmith comes out in two months. Odds are it will be an Epiphone SG. Not as pretty as the Strat shape, but I hear it’s rock solid and goes out of tune less.
Any comments from Guitarists about the action on these 5?
Fortunately for us, Fender and Gibson figured our that they could make a LOT more money by selling low-priced versions of their best-selling guitars than they could by suing the companies that were making all the cut-rate, crappy knockoffs!
Solid and unbiased review. Thank you!
For late-teen and adult electric guitar beginners, the Fender Stratocaster may be appropriate for you if you’re serious about learning and even performing on the guitar, as is the Telecaster. Gibson is another popular beginner’s guitar