4 Of The Best Electric Guitars For Beginners
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You've been brushing up your skills on an acoustic guitar, and it feels like the right time to move to a more advanced stage: an electric guitar. I've been there in my early years as a guitar player and can confirm the excitement is almost impossible to contain. However, compared to an acoustic, where you simply pick one primarily based on comfort and playability, the dozens of factors for choosing the best electric guitar for you as a beginner can be challenging and overwhelming.
Beyond the feel of the electric guitar, you must weigh aspects such as the tonewood, different types of pickups, the finish and material of the fretboard, the type of bridge, etc., since these properties can vary the electric guitar's sound. To help ease the process, we have listed four highly recommended beginner electric guitars from top brands. Each of these guitars caters to different playing requirements and has been chosen based on the recommendations and reviews from leading sources in the guitar and gear review niche.
Despite their differences, all four options suit beginners or players with few years of experience. Besides electric guitars, you will also need an amplifier to get started, so make sure to read our list of the best electric guitar amp makers afterward.
Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster
The ubiquitous Strat has been used by more guitar players than any other model, promulgated by icons including Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, and countless others. Whether or not you see any of these virtuosos as your idol, you can get a Strat at practically any price range.
While the design has been adopted by countless manufacturers, you can get the classic Fender tone on a budget with a Squier Strat. The company is owned by Fender and nails the basics in aspects like wood finish, electronics, bright tone, and design, with some cutbacks that most beginners won't notice. While the Squier Strat range begins well under $300 on Amazon, extending your budget to slightly over $400 gets you a near-perfect reproduction of the classic Fender Start from the 1950s.
The Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster is rated 4.5 out of five by Guitar World for its premium finish, with the three single-coil pickups delivering a sparkling tone that is cleaner than basic Squier models, along with a vintage touch. The maple wood fingerboard helps flesh out smoother licks, while the one-way tremolo can add more flavor to solos.
Overall, the Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster sets up a premium experience that is better than most entry-level electric guitars and should continue to prove useful even after your initial years as a beginner.
Epiphone Les Paul Special II
Like the Strat, the Les Paul is another revered electric guitar shape, especially among the fans of classic rock, despite being invented for jazz and country players. A Les Paul's dual humbucker pickups are best suited for thick, grungy sounds, making it appropriate for playing with overdriven or distorted tones or warm cleans. The single-cut design makes it easier to reach the lower frets while soloing easier.
Like the Strat, Gibson's Les Pauls comes in a gazillion different configurations and has been adapted by various manufacturers. For beginners, the Les Paul Special II by Gibson's sub-brand, Epiphone, offers excellent value for money. At just about $200 on Amazon, you get a dual-tone paint job inspired by classic Les Pauls with a glossy finish, a fixed bridge that keeps strings in tune and offers better sustain, and high-gain pickups that sound best with distorted tone, as per Guitar Space, which gives the Special II a four-star rating out of five.
Given the price of the guitar, you will see cutbacks compared to a classic Les Paul, including a muddier output, a bolt-on neck instead of one carved along with the body, and volume and tone knobs combined for both pickups instead of four separate ones. You can, however, add another $100 to get a cheaper version of Slash's signature Gibson Les Paul with more powerful "Ceramic Plus" humbuckers with a built-in tuner in the bridge pickup, making it a great first step towards rock, as per MusicRadar.
Schecter C-6 Plus
Schecter is primarily known for distinct designs and sophisticated sound for a much lower price. Used by artists such as Synyster Gates, Zack Wylde, and Dan Donegan, Schecter carved its way into the hearts of rock and metal fans.
The Schecter C-6 Plus is an entry-level electric guitar aimed at metalheads, although it will serve you equally well if you like — and would like to play — milder genres. It comes with 24 large-scale jumbo frets and a slightly curved fingerboard, making soloing much easier. Besides a fingerboard geared towards faster playing, the C-6 Plus also gets dual Schecter's own Diamond series humbuckers. Designed for high distortion or metal sounds, these pickups retain tonal accuracies as you amp up the gain and help the C-6 Plus grab a five-star review from MusicRadar.
The three-way pickup toggle and singular knobs for tone and volume each make the operations simple to use. On top of that, you get a custom "quilted maple" finish in bold colors like a fiery red, an electrifying blue, or a somber gray. Overall, the custom hardware, 24 large frets, and the engaging finish make the C-6 Plus a definite paragon of a metalhead's first electric guitar, even though it's good to be used for other genres like blues as well.
Yamaha Pacifica 112V
While Yamaha is best known for its motorcycles, the Japanese corporation is also the world's largest manufacturer of musical instruments, ranging from grand pianos, guitars, drums, violins, and various wind instruments. It's well known for its excellent value for money, benefiting from the lack of direct artist deals and extensive marketing pursuits.
The Pacifica is one of Yamaha's best-selling beginner electric guitar series, and the Pacifica 112 offers a versatile playing experience at a sweet price of roughly $300. The two single-coil pickups, along with a humbucker at the bridge, prepare the Pacifica 112 for a sound that suits a variety of genres. The bridge humbucker also supports coil splitting, which means it can be converted into a single coil pickup by pulling the tone knob out. You also get a five-way selector switch to engage the three pickups. Indulgent players can also cherish the single-side whammy bar.
Despite its Strat-like design, there are subtle differences. The body is curvier on the sides, while the output jack is placed more conveniently at the bottom of the guitar instead of on the top. We specifically recommend the 112V because it comes with Alnico pickups for a more nuanced sound than the cheaper ceramic ones. The sound and the premium design, despite its price, earn the Pacifica 112V a rating of 4.5 out of five stars from MusicRadar.