My Favorite Beginner Electric Guitars
In this blog, I’m going to help you find your perfect beginner electric guitar! Playing electric is so incredibly fun, and starting with a great guitar will help you sound good so you stay movivated!
My very first guitar was a Fender Squier in Fiesta Red and I vividly remember it sitting next to the fireplace on Christmas morning. My dad had picked out a matching guitar and bass for me and my sister and it was the most excited I have ever been about a present (with my hermit crab coming in as a close second). The fact it only cost a couple of hundred bucks made literally no difference to me. Since I’d never played an electric guitar, I had nothing to compare it to and I spent hours of my jr. high years playing it (a large majority of this time was used playing “Smoke On the Water,” learning songs from a “Classic Rock for Dummies” CD, and covering the School of Rock soundtrack- I was so cool…). It was perfect for that time of my life and even if it had been the best most expensive guitar in the world, it still wouldn’t have made my terrible bends or half-muted barre chords sound good!
Picking up an electric guitar is so rewarding because you get to learn all the fun lead lines and solos, start doing new techniques, and get to experiment with different tones. I also think it’s way way easier on your fingers than acoustic. The electric guitar just really brings the drama and I am all about it! In this blog, I want to cover the very first step in becoming an electric player which is picking out your electric guitar. If you are coming from the world of acoustics, picking out your first electric guitar might seem a little daunting — the things you are looking for in your next guitar are so different! But don’t worry, you really can’t go too wrong in the beginning as long as you have a guitar that makes you feel inspired to play (unless your guitar constantly goes out of tune)! So let’s go choose your first electric baby!
*Also I am using affiliate links in this blog, so make sure if you buy anything, you use my links to support me!
What to look for
What you are looking for might depend on the style you play and what is comfortable to you. For an example, here’s what I look for in a guitar:
Pay attention to the action
One thing that will affect how easy a guitar is to play is the action (AKA the distance from the strings to the neck). You don’t want it to be too high since then the strings can feel like they are bouncing when you press them down.
This feeling can be fixed with a setup, but those are usually around $60-$100 so it’s a bummer to have to fix right away. You want the strings to be as close to the neck as possible without actually hitting the neck. If you already know how to bend, try bending the higher strings at the 12th fret and make sure they don’t hit the neck!
Do I like the feel of the neck?
Personally, I’m not a thick neck girl (I’m not referring to my love of turtle necks here! waha!!). But really, I don’t like when an electric guitar neck is the same width as an acoustic neck. Lighter strings and a smaller neck are some of the things that make an electric easy to play, so that’s important to me! For most of my guitars, I can wrap my hand all the way around the neck if that gives you a frame of reference. Again this is all personal preference, but something to pay attention to nonetheless!
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Is it heavy?
If you are planning on getting gigs (at least at some point!) where you might be standing for a long time with your guitar, make sure it’s something that’s a good weight for you. For me, there’s a lot of guitars I love the look and sound of, but I don’t want to carry them for hours (cough Les Pauls...). Everyone’s weight preference for a guitar is different, so think about whether you’ll be standing or sitting while playing, and if the weight is something you don’t mind carrying for a bit!
Does it sound and look cool?
You have to have a guitar you think looks awesome! Also, all guitars have unique sounds so I would recommend stalking (I’m a big guitar stalker just FYI) some of the bands you like and seeing what guitars they use.
Does it stay in tune?
It’s normal for your guitar to go out of tune if you just changed the strings or it’s been in a warm/cold room for a bit, but if you find yourself constantly having to retune in the first hour of playing it, it might have cheap tuning pegs (which is a no for me!).
So there are a few things to look for when you’re shopping around — I also highly recommend watching some of Reverb.com’s demo videos — they are so clean and well done and give helpful overviews!
So with that being said,here are some of my favorite beginner guitars
(in no particular order!)
So I just got one of these and it plays and sounds amazing! I was impressed! I have one with a roasted maple neck (I haven’t had anything with roasted maple before this!) and it’s very smooth and comfortable to play. It’s a 5 position switch and includes a whammy bar as well. The model I have is an HSS which means it has a humbucker pickup on the bridge (giving you that bright Tele-like sound) and single coils on the middle and neck (giving you those pretty bluesy strat sounds). In my opinion, this guitar is perfect!
I made a Youtube video on this one!
2. Fender Squier or Strat
Like I mentioned earlier, I started my musical journey with a Squier and it was such a great guitar for me at the time! It also made it easy to later switch over to a Stratocaster which played almost identically. However, I have seen some debate online that if you are going to buy a Squier (usually $200-$300), then you might as well just upgrade to a Strat (you can get a pretty good one for $500ish). The main difference between a Squier and a Strat made by Fender is simply the quality (pickups, hardware, wood, etc) and playability — most Strats are made in the USA or Mexico whereas a lot of Squires are made in Asia, etc.
Anywaaaay I love a Squier/Strat and you can’t go wrong here!
3. PRS SE Custom 24
PRS made this line in the 90’s and it’s made in Korea. It’s very similar to the American made Paul Reed Smith with minor differences (this video breaks down the details on the main differences). Though I haven’t personally owned one of these, they have a great reputation and there are a lot of loyal PRS players who won’t play anything else! They are great quality guitars and are very popular (I see them all over Instagram!) right now!
4. Yamaha PAC112V
For some reason, you don’t see a ton of Yamaha guitars out there being played by pros (though Santana is one of their top players!), but I could see that changing! Yamaha makes high-quality products and is known for innovation and making quality instruments and audio equipment in nearly every category. I’ve heard a lot of people say that they think this guitar is of similar quality to a Strat and is simply considered a beginner guitar because of the price. I have also heard some buzz about the neck pickup sounding great!). Overall, this would be an awesome choice for anyone!
5. Rivolta
And here you were thinking I wouldn’t put a Nashville based company on my list! Rivolta Guitars is a brand collab by Dennis Fano and Eastwood guitars. Dennis Fano has the reputation for making amazing and high-end guitars (they are called Novo guitars) and the Rivolta line has guitars that are priced for the beginner and they are FLASHY! I looove how these guitars look and there are a lot of fun different options — definitely worth checking out!
6. Danelectro
My last guitar on the list is a Danelectro! These aren’t normal “beginner guitars” but I will say this: they play great, look awesome, and are usually inexpensive! They have a ton of cool colors and were made popular largely by Led Zeppelin. A fun option for a performer!
These pickups are incredible!! Love Lambertones as a company as well! Also using my favorite Ernie Ball coiled cable too (I love the vintage feel of this!).
Need Lessons?
While I’m currently revamping my online guitar courses, check out my suggestions for my favorite guitar lesson sites on the internet!
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If you have an ok sounding guitar and you like how it plays, an option for an easy upgrade is simply changing out the pickups. I put Lambertones pickups (my personal fav!) on a cheap Squier once and they transformed that guitar. It sounded amazing! It's an easy option for a professional sound for not a lot of money! Make sure you use my code HALEYTONE for a discount on these!
If you are interested in doing this, watch my video here!
Last thing…
The last thing- remember to check Craigslist/ Facebook too for used options because you can get some STEALS on amazing guitars! My husband traded a pedal (to be fair it was a nice pedal) for this Thinline Tele — I got the pickups changed out to Lambertones and it’s my favorite guitar!
So I hope that this round-up helps you! There are so many great guitars out there it’s an exciting process to find the perfect fit for you! Even though (assuming you will love guitar :) ) you’ll probably upgrade at some point, keeping your first guitar can be neat to remember where you first started!
Let me know if you have any favorites I left off this list and thanks so much for reading!
Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500
A lot of people I have talked to mention getting a really cheap acoustic guitar to start and figure it will have to SOUND cheap. But there are so many great acoustic guitar options out there under $500, you shouldn’t have to buy something that doesn’t sound good just because you aren’t ready to invest a lot of money into a high-end guitar. All of these acoustic guitars are awesome prices and sound wonderful so you stay inspired while you are learning how to play!
Me playing my Orangewood Oliver Jr!
A few years ago, my mom went shopping in Costco and was having trouble with her engagement ring feeling loose on her hand (probably because Costco is always freezing cold!). She remembers adjusting her ring a lot and when she got home, she realized it wasn’t on her finger anymore (the nightmare amiright?!). She called Costco, searched everywhere, and finally came to the heart-wrenching conclusion that her tiny marquee style ring was lost forever. It was absolutely devastating! This ring had been through 30 years of marriage and was smaller and simpler than a lot of rings people are getting now. There were all these specific stories and memories that ring had been a part of and it carried this special timeless look that represented her and my dad’s relationship. It took her two years to find a "new" antique ring that seemed to have character and stories of its own, and the process of finding something that fit her perfectly took a long time. Though she now loves her new ring, her first ring showed her journey of years in a relationship and though it was really simple, the first ring she ever got would always be the most special.
I think the process of acoustic guitar shopping is very similar to finding a special ring like this (minus the whole marrying someone forever thing…). Each guitar is so unique (and even when guitars are exactly the same make, they might vary!) and when you spend a lot of time with a specific guitar, it becomes like a journal holding all these special and personal things and ideas you’ve played on it.
A lot of people I have talked to mention getting a really cheap guitar to start and figure it will have to sound cheap.
But there are so many great acoustic guitar options out there you shouldn’t have to buy something that doesn’t sound good just because you aren’t ready to invest money into a high-end guitar. All of these guitars are awesome prices and sound wonderful so you stay inspired while you are learning!
In this blog, I want to help you find your perfect acoustic guitar under $500!
With all that being said, I feel like I’m about to guide you into Ollivanders wand shop and help you become acoustic guitar wizards! Here we go!
For each of these acoustic guitar choices, I based it on what I thought were the best acoustic guitars that will give you the feeling of playing something unique and beautiful like a freshly bought journal waiting to be written in. All of them are affordable that if you are a newer player, they won't break the bank!
Also, I am using affiliate links in this blog, so make sure you use them if you decide to purchase any online!
If you want to score an awesome deal on a used acoustic guitar, make sure you check Reverb.com for a guitar that may be out of your price range new, but affordable used!
So here are my favorite acoustic guitars under $500:
Here’s a lil vid of my jamming out with my Orangewood Oliver Jr (named Pipin!) :)
I was amazed at the quality of this acoustic! It really sounds beautiful!
This is a gorgeous guitar and a cool innovative brand to match! Orangewood is a new company that launched just a few years ago! They are a digital-first/ community-driven guitar brand whose vision is to make quality acoustic guitars for more affordable prices so more people can learn guitar. They have blown up quickly and I can see why! After playing the Echo, I couldn't believe how inexpensive it was. They also have a cool way to give back when you buy a guitar called the "Giving Guitar," you can check out here.
Bonus! Get 10% off at check out using the code: haleysfriends10
Taylor GS Mini
$499
Very high quality and beautiful
Environmentally responsible
Small body
Here is the GS Mini Aocustic Guitar in Mahogany, but they have a lot of different wood options!
Taylor is the BEST! Though they have the reputation of making your DREAM acoustic more than your first acoustic guitar, they do have some extremely affordable options. I have the GS mini bass guitar and it sounds incredible (and I have 2 of their other acoustics!). Really everything they make is perfect and they are very innovative in there building techniques (check out their V -Bracing techniques!). They also are making huge efforts to replant ebony trees in Cameroon and currently supply many other well-known guitar companies with their wood.
Breedlove Discovery Concert
$349
Innovative bridge system
Lots of options in the $500 price range
All-around well set up
Here is the Discovery Concerto in Sitka Spruce and Mahogany
I think Breedlove makes amazing and high-quality products and some of my guitar students use them. The Pursuit or Discovery series of theirs isn't too expensive for beginners and I know there are a lot of artists (especially in country music especially) who use them. They started in 1992 and have been dedicated to high quality and innovative products since!
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Recording King Dirty 30’s Series 9 Parlor
$179.99
Lots of history in the brand
Vintage and bluesy looking
Vibrant sound and light-weight
This Dirty 30’s series of acoustic guitars has a lot of cool options!
I've heard from a lot of people at music stores that Recording King acoustics are made very simple but high quality. They have a long history and specialize in vintage designs. You can read a bit about their story here. What really sold me on them was when I heard my student’s Recording King acoustic! It sounded so full and gorgeous. I absolutely love this Dirty 30’s series they have- it’s so bluesy and retro! If you are buying a beginner guitar, it’s fun to have something that looks vintage and vibey!
Gretsch Guitars G9200 Boxcar Round-Neck Resonator Guitar
$399
Comfortable to play
1930’s vintage design
Gorgeous sound
I think the aluminium resonator cone on this is so cool!
Ok, this guitar just looks amazing! The aluminum resonator cone give it a really neat sound and it’s based on a 1930’s design. I have always loved Gretsch (I have wanted one forever!) and this guitar is perfect for any player in the county/ folk/ Americana scene!
Takamine G Series Acoustic Guitar
$479.99
Classic
Solid and reliable
Good electronics system
Here is the “Gloss Natural” color, but there are other options as well.
Both my hubby and mom have a Takamine and they are great! Simple and easy with a nice warm sound! This is a nice classic option for those looking to start playing acoustic guitar!
If you have been looking for an acoustic guitar, I hope that this blog helps you get closer to finding one that is perfect for you. Like I said, I highly recommend checking Reverb.com as well for deals on used guitars as well! My mom still has a special love for that first engagement ring and even though she can’t wear it anymore, it’s cool thinking about this object you choose is helping something impersonal start gaining a bit of its own story and history.
Thanks SO much for reading and I would love to hear your thoughts below!
