Best Electric Guitars for Beginners

Despite what some folks claim, the electric guitar is more
popular than ever. Don’t believe us? At the time of this writing, there are 2.7
million #electricguitar posts on Instagram. And the bulk of them were created by
Millennials and Zoomers, not by aging dinosaur rockers. In short, the electric
guitar is alive, it’s vibrant, and it’s continuously evolving. It’s an exciting
time to pick up the instrument, too, as today’s entry-level electric guitars
offer a level of quality that far surpasses the low-end axes of decades past.
In this article, Sweetwater delves into our favorite electric guitars for
beginners. These are the ones that we recommend to our customers, and we’re
confident that, once you find the right one and start playing it, you’ll never
want to stop.

Yamaha Pacifica

If you’re hunting for a high-quality entry-level electric guitar, then a Yamaha Pacifica should definitely be on your radar — these double-cut axes offer performance that belies their modest price tag. Pacificas have been around since the early 1990s, providing novice and professional players alike with outstanding, roadworthy instruments. They feature contoured bodies, sleek neck profiles, and fast-playing fretboards; and they’re available in a variety of pickup configurations. Upper-end models boast upgraded Seymour Duncan pickups, pro-level Wilkinson and Grover hardware, and head-turning finishes.

Yamaha PAC012DLX Pacifica Electric Guitar – Old Violin Sunburst

Epiphone Les Paul Studio LT Electric Guitar – Ebony

Epiphone Les Paul Studio

Budding guitarists with a thirst for classic single-cut solidbodies will appreciate the Epiphone Les Paul Studio. These guitars feature a stripped-down Les Paul design, but there’s no mistaking their lineage — they’re the real deal. The lower-end LT models sport uncovered ceramic pickups and a bolt-on neck; the rest feature covered, alnico-loaded humbuckers and a set neck joint along with top-notch Grover tuners. Epi Les Paul Studio guitars include authentic Les Paul appointments, such as SlimTaper D-shaped necks and Tune-o-matic bridges.

Epiphone Les Paul Modern

Dedicated beginners may outgrow their entry-level instruments. That’s when it’s time to step up to an intermediate-level guitar such as the Epiphone Les Paul Modern. While it bears classic Les Paul aesthetics, the Les Paul Modern is a contemporary axe for contemporary players. It comes with a stage-ready weight-relieved body, a high-speed Asymmetrical SlimTaper neck, and a comfortable contoured heel joint. The Les Paul Modern comes armed with top-shelf ProBucker pickups, and it includes coil splitting for additional tonal textures. Locking tuners round out this electric guitar’s cutting-edge features. You can even get one with a mind-blowing, Sweetwater-only finish!

Epiphone Les Paul Modern Electric Guitar – Radio Blue Metallic, Sweetwater Exclusive

Squier Classic Vibe ’70s Telecaster Thinline – Sapphire Blue – Sweetwater Exclusive

Squier Classic Vibe

Beginners with a hankering for classic Fender designs should head straight for the Squier Classic Vibe series. These instruments are among the best values in the electric guitar world, combining vintage-inspired tone and aesthetics with unbelievable, budget-friendly prices. Thanks to Squier’s Classic Vibe instruments, neophyte musicians can get their mitts on period-accurate re-creations of ’50s-, ’60s-, and ’70s-era Stratocasters, Telecasters, Jaguars — and more — with modern touches, such as easy-playing C-shaped necks and 9.5-inch-radius fretboards. Intermediate and even some pro players have been known to snatch up Classic Vibes. They make excellent modding platforms, too!

Squier Affinity

Looking for the perfect Fender-style starter guitar? That’s the Squier Affinity series in a nutshell. These guitars run the gamut of contemporary Fender models, enabling you to get a hold of a Stratocaster or Telecaster without breaking the bank. Affinity instruments deliver signature Fender tone, thanks to their quality electronics, along with modern-day playability that will make it hard for rookie guitarists to want to put their instrument down. Squier also offers complete packages that include a guitar, amplifier, gig bag, strap, and cable along with a 3-month Fender Play subscription for personalized lessons — everything a new player needs.

Squier Affinity Starcaster – Olympic White

Squier Bullet Mustang HH – Imperial Blue with Indian Laurel Fingerboard

Squier Bullet

Ideal for beginners and students, Squier Bullet guitars are the most affordable Fender-style instruments in the company’s stable. This line includes full-size Bullet Strat solidbody electric guitars in both SSS and HH pickup configurations. Short-scale Mini Strat and Bullet Mustang models are also available, which are ideal for young players with small hands. All Squier Bullet guitars include quality electronics that elicit Fender’s characteristic tone along with comfortable necks and stable hardtail bridges.

Gretsch Streamliner Junior Jet Club

For some players — even newer ones — only a Gretsch will do. If that’s the case, then the Gretsch Streamliner Junior Jet Club is guaranteed to satiate. Teeming with vibe, these irresistible solidbody electric guitars sport a classic Gretsch design and appointments. They’re lightweight, playable, and equipped with Broad’Tron humbucking pickups for authentic 1950s-era growl and grit. Some models eschew the neck humbucker for a P-90 soapbar pickup, if that’s your cup of tea. Streamliner Junior Jet Clubs offer enough precision for modern playing techniques and include compensated wraparound bridges for maximum stability and sustain.

Gretsch G2210 Streamliner Junior Jet Club – Gunmetal

Jackson Dinky Arch Top JS32 DKA – Pavo Purple

Jackson JS

Burgeoning shredders — especially metal-minded ones — need a high-performance instrument. And the pointier the headstock, the better. If this describes you, then get your hands on a Jackson JS electric guitar. One of the most cost-effective entryways into the world of shred-approved instruments, JS guitars bear all of the hallmarks of the genre: slender graphite-reinforced necks, lightning-fast compound-radius fretboards, and high-octane high-output pickups. Many of Jackson’s classic designs are represented, such as their Dinky and King V, in a variety of eye-popping finishes, complete with the company’s trademark shark fin fingerboard inlays. The JS series is also one of the least expensive ways to acquire an axe with a real-deal double-locking tremolo.

Ibanez GIO

Ibanez has long been a top brand of choice for shred-style virtuosos, and the Ibanez GIO series was designed especially for nascent shredders. These budget-priced guitars have all the right components for high-speed fretboard pyrotechnics: thin necks, contoured bodies, high-output humbuckers, and spotlight-stealing finishes. Several GIO instruments are based on standard Ibanez models. For example, GIO GRG guitars are derived from Ibanez’s iconic RG series. The GIO series offers an affordable way for new players to experience Ibanez for the first time.

Ibanez GIO GRGR221PA Electric Guitar – Aqua Burst

ESP LTD EC-256FM – See Thru Purple Burst

ESP LTD

The ESP LTD line was originally intended to give beginning players and working musicians access to metal-approved electric guitars. That said, the series varies wildly between entry-level rockers and feature-laden, professional-quality instruments. LTD guitars offer serious bang for your buck — even sub-$500 models include high-end features such as figured tops, premium tonewoods, multipiece necks, rock-solid hardware, and excellent-sounding pickups in a myriad of configurations. These made-for-metal electric guitars come in several aggressive-looking body shapes, such as the EC, Arrow, and Viper, and provide up-and-coming hard-rock guitarists with a great platform for honing their craft.

Schecter Omen

Another excellent bang-for-your-buck, built-for-metal solidbody electric guitar is the Schecter Omen. This hard-rocking beast gives emerging guitarists a comfortably contoured body and a slick-playing bolt-on neck along with a lightning-fast, 14-inch-radius, 24-fret fingerboard and scorching-hot Schecter Diamond Plus pickups. And, since it comes in an 8-string model, it’s one of the most cost-effective ways to get your hands on an extended-range electric guitar for modern, down-tuned genres. If you want to djent on a budget (or simply want an aggressive metal machine), then Schecter’s Omen is a no-brainer.

Schecter Omen-6 Electric Guitar – Walnut Satin

Welcome to the guitar players’ club — it’s a fantastic place
to be! If you have any questions about any of the guitars on this list (or
guitars in general), then give your Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700 because Sweetwater is the best place
to buy a guitar.
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