Roundup of Some of the Best Budget Guitars

1. Epiphone Les Paul Standard

Gibson makes some of the best guitars on the planet, hands down! Their Les Paul guitars are, perhaps, some of the most popular, widely-known, and acclaimed guitars in the world out there! Names after the legendary guitarist and icon Lester Polsfuss (aka Les Paul), and used by the likes of Jimmy Page, Jess Black, Zakk Wylde, Billie Joe Armstrong, and Slash to name a few (all of whom also have signature Les Paul’s), there’s no doubting the quality, sound, playability and the all-round epicness of this instrument. But what if you want a Les Paul on a budget? The cheapest Standard Les Pauls often costs around $300-500 and usually more than that depending on the model. The answer of course, is the Epiphone Les Paul Standard! Epiphone is owned by Gibson, and these guitars are made by Gibson as well. They are cheaper than Les Pauls, sound pretty much the same, play the same, are extremely dependable, and make for excellent low-cost alternatives to their more expensive counterparts.

2. Squier Stratocaster

Anyone who’s ever had the pleasure of taking a Squier Strat for a spin will vouch for the fact that these are extremely able, extremely good electric guitars! Stratocasters define the rock n’ roll era, and you can be the proud owner of a Strat and a piece of rock n’ roll itself! Squier, like Epiphone, is a subsidiary of Fender, who started selling cheap Strats under the Squier line of guitars. Unlike, Fender Stratocasters, they are mass produced, use cheaper woods and electronics, however they sound, feel, look and play just as good as any Fender Strat. Squier Strats have Agathis bodies, Rosewood or Maple fretboard, 3x Alnico Pickups, and a 60s-style headstock. Price starts at around $300, but you get an instrument which matches up to the Fender Strat in many respects, at a fraction of the cost. Try getting a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Strat if you possibly can, they’re the best and look stunning too!

3. Squier Telecaster

Fender does make some great guitars, don’t they? The Squier Telecaster is another tremendous (tremendously-good and tremendously-reasonably-priced) electric guitar, made by Squier, which is, of course, owned by none other than Fender. It has an excellent repute in the guitar playing community for many reasons – most notable of which is the fact that is it comes pretty close to the more expensive Fender Telecasters. Good sound, and good build quality are the hallmarks of these guitars. Squier Telecasters are available as Affinity, Standard and Classic Vibe Tele’s. They have been used by the likes of Sheryl Crow, Kurt Cobain, Jess Healey, to name a few. Can be picked up for as less as $100 to $300 easily and without a doubt, some of the best bang-for-the-buck instruments out there!

4. Yamaha Pacifia 112

Finally, a welcome change, as we get the chance to look at an excellent electric axe manufactured by the underrated (at least in my opinion) Yamaha – the Pacifia 112. The 112 looks like a Strat since it was modeled after Fender’s Stratocaster line of guitars. It costs somewhere around $350 (cheaper at certain places), but at that price, provides its much more expensive competitors with some stuff competition, while at the same time giving you an all-round excellent instrument to play on! The 112 features a re rosewood fingerboard, a maple neck, and an alder body. It has a great tone, as well as some of that excellent (signature Yamaha) brilliant playability to boot! In addition, it is a versatile guitar, capable of playing different genres equally well, as well as being sturdy and durable (can take a knock or two!). I do believe that Yamaha make some of the best beginner/low-cost guitars out there!

5. Hagstrom Swede

Surprised by the inclusion of the little-known guitar? Well don’t be; the Hagstrom Swede is a ‘swede’ piece of instrument (get it?) that holds its own very well with the big boys, and at a price point which is simply too good to ignore – the fact that this guitar has been voted as the best budget electric guitar by MusicRadar is quite telling in itself! At first glance, the Swede looks like a Les Paul. It plays like a beauty – as good as a Les Paul, if not better (look this up, and you’ll be surprised to know how many people agree with this!), producing a full, rich and an all-round superb sound (provided you hook this up with a quality amp that can match the guitar itself). The build quality is top-notch, the guitar is extremely durable and can take a few knocks (and then some!). All-in-all, a guitar that you will probably end up falling in love with! The Swede will set you back by around $600-700, and if that sounds just a tad bit steep, wait till you have this baby in your hands! 

6. Schecter Omen 6

A quality guitar, which comes with a ton of features and goodies at an excellent price-point, the Schecter Omen 6 is another guitar which provides excellent value for your greens! It features Schecter’s Diamond Plus pickups, a rosewood fingerboard which produces rich, beautiful tone and sound, and two Diamond humbuckers. Its great sound quality does a great job of complementing its outstanding design and finish! Above all, the guitar handles everything you throw at it with ease, although I’ll admit it might be more suitable for heavy metal guitarists. Simply put, a great instrument, which can be had for anywhere around $200-$500 depending on the model. It might fall into the beginner’s price-range, but trust me, it is anything but a beginner’s guitar!