Guitars can be an expensive hobby, with high-end models easily costing thousands of dollars. However, there are plenty of great options available if your budget is limited. In this article, we'll take a look at 6 of the best inexpensive electric guitars currently on the market.

Rather than settling for a low-quality instrument that will hinder your progress, it's possible to get a very capable guitar for under $500. While these won't have all the bells and whistles of more costly models, they provide impressive tone and playability.

The guitars we'll be comparing are the Yamaha Pacifica, Gretsch G2622T-P90, Epiphone SG Special, Squier Bullet Stratocaster, Grote Electric Guitar, and Monoprice Indo Series. Each has its own distinct sound and style, but all represent great value for money.

Whether you're a beginner looking for a first guitar or a more experienced player on a budget, this review will help you identify the right affordable instrument to inspire your musical creativity. Let's take a closer look at each of these budget-friendly electric guitars.

Yamaha Pacifica

The Yamaha Pacifica series has become one of the most popular guitar models for beginners and intermediate players since its introduction in the 1990s. Known for its high quality and versatility at an affordable price point, the Pacifica combines some of the best elements of Stratocaster and Telecaster style guitars.

The Pacifica features a lightweight alder body which provides a balanced, clear tone. The bolt-on maple neck offers smooth playability and bright, snappy highs. The PAC112V model comes with an HSS pickup configuration, with a bridge humbucker for thick, saturated leads and two single coil pickups in the middle and neck position for sparkling clean tones.

The 5-way pickup selector switch allows players to tap into a wide range of genres, from crisp country twang to high-gain metal soloing. Combined with a vintage style tremolo bridge, the PAC112V offers incredible tonal flexibility.

Priced at around $200-$300, the Pacifica 112V punches far above its weight class. Players searching for a versatile, quality instrument that won't break the bank will find excellent value in the Pacifica series. With over two decades of proven performance, Yamaha's Pacifica continues to be a top choice for new and advancing guitarists.

Gretsch G2622T-P90

The Gretsch G2622T-P90 showcases Gretsch's long history of crafting classic hollow body electric guitars. Founded in 1883, Gretsch has built a sterling reputation for their iconic hollow and semi-hollow guitar designs.

A key highlight of the G2622T is its pair of P90 pickups. These single-coil pickups provide a vintage tone that many rock and blues players crave. The smooth, singing quality of P90s have been featured on countless classic recordings. Players looking for classic rock crunch will appreciate the organic grit of the P90.

As a hollow body guitar, the G2622T also provides excellent resonance and acoustic character. The hollow chamber produces a lively, open sound. This allows the G2622T to mimic the woody tonality of an acoustic guitar, while still harnessing the volume and sustain of an electric. The hollow body construction makes this Gretsch an extremely versatile guitar.

Epiphone SG Special Satin E1 Vintage Worn

The Epiphone SG Special Satin E1 Vintage Worn guitar offers an affordable way to get classic SG tone and styling. This guitar is modeled after Gibson's iconic SG design, offering a similar double-cutaway mahogany body and fast, slim neck profile.

What sets the Epiphone SG Special apart is the angled humbucker pickups, which provide a powerful, hard rock tone. The pickups are open coil humbuckers, giving you that classic SG growl and crunch when you dig in. The comfortable slim neck design also makes it easy to play fast up and down the fretboard.

Overall, the Epiphone SG Special Satin provides an excellent value for guitarists looking for the classic SG sound and feel on a budget. While not an exact replica, it captures the spirit and tone of the Gibson SG at a fraction of the cost.

Squier Bullet Stratocaster HT HSS Electric Guitar

The Squier Bullet Stratocaster HT HSS Electric Guitar brings classic Stratocaster design and tone at an affordable price point. It features an iconic double cutaway body shape with contoured edges for comfort, available in sleek black and metallic blue colorways.

The maple neck and Indian laurel fretboard feel smooth and provide bright, resonant tone. The neck has a modern "C"-shaped profile that is comfortable to play. There are 21 medium jumbo frets for easy bending and fretting.

The pickups are where this guitar really shines. It has a humbucker in the bridge position and two single coils in the middle and neck positions. This HSS configuration provides versatility, from the thick, warm humbucker tones to the crisp, clear single coil sounds. A 5-way pickup selector switch lets you easily move between pickup combinations.

Adding to the tonal variety is a coil-tapping feature on the humbucker. This allows you to switch the humbucker from full coil to single coil mode. You can go from a powerful bridge humbucker to a bright, cutting single coil sound. This expands the tonal palette and allows tones similar to a standard SSS Stratocaster.

For the price, the Squier Bullet Strat HT HSS packs a lot of value. The classic body shape and pickup configuration, smooth neck, and coil-tapping give you Stratocaster style and sound without breaking the bank. It's a great choice for new players and those on a budget.

Grote Electric Guitar Solid Body LPYS-006 Maple Neck

The Grote Electric Guitar Solid Body LPYS-006 features a full maple neck that produces a bright, crisp tone perfect for lead guitar parts. The maple neck is also very durable and stable compared to other wood types. This guitar comes equipped with individual volume and tone control knobs, allowing you to shape your sound by adjusting the highs and lows. Having this level of tonal control makes it easier to get the exact guitar tone you want for any style of music. The Grote LPYS-006 also includes a whammy bar or tremolo arm which lets you add fun pitch bending effects and warble to your playing. Whether emulating the sounds of classic surf rock or modern metal shredding, the whammy bar allows for expressive, dynamic guitar solos and riffs. Between the maple neck, control knobs, and whammy bar, the Grote Electric Guitar provides excellent tonal versatility at an affordable price point.

Monoprice Indo Series

The Monoprice Indo Series 6 String Alder-Body Electric Guitar is an affordable option with a lightweight agathis body and a maple neck. It features both humbucker and single coil pickups, allowing for versatility in tone.

Many reviewers praise this guitar for its good quality considering the low price point. The agathis body helps keep it lightweight yet durable. While not a high-end tonewood, agathis provides a balanced sound across the frequency range.

The dual humbucker and single coil pickup configuration offers a wide range of tones. The humbucker in the bridge position provides thickness and drive for rock and metal styles. The single coil neck pickup produces a brighter, twangier tone perfect for cleaner styles like country, blues, and funk.

Overall, the Monoprice Indo Series packs impressive quality and tonal options into an inexpensive package. The agathis body construction helps keep it lightweight on the shoulder during long practice or gigging sessions. And the versatile pickup layout can handle anything from crunchy distortion to shimmering cleans. It's an excellent choice for beginners seeking good bang for their buck.

Comparison

When evaluating inexpensive electric guitars, there are a few key factors to consider - sound quality, playability, and hardware. Here's how the 6 models compare:

Sound Quality

The Yamaha Pacifica and Squier Bullet Strat offer versatile tone with their HSS pickup configurations. The Gretsch and Epiphone SG have classic rock and punk tones with humbucker pickups. The Grote and Monoprice guitars have decent sound for the price, but may lack character.

Playability

With 22 frets and fast necks, the Yamaha, Squier, and Epiphone models are designed for easy playability. The Gretsch has a comfortable medium C-profile neck. The Grote and Monoprice have basic bolt-on maple necks that get the job done.

Hardware

The Yamaha Pacifica punches above its weight with quality hardware like sealed tuners and a Wilkinson tremolo. Squier, Gretsch and Epiphone use decent hardware that holds tune well. Grote and Monoprice have more basic hardware that may need upgrades over time.

Overall for sound, playability and hardware, the Yamaha Pacifica and Squier Bullet Strat stand out as great values. The Gretsch and Epiphone also offer distinctive tones on a budget. The Grote and Monoprice guitars work for beginners, but may need upgrades down the road.

Recommendations

When it comes to recommending great, inexpensive electric guitars for beginners, there are a few key factors to consider - price, quality, and tone. Based on these criteria, here are my top picks:

Yamaha Pacifica

The Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V is one of the best electric guitars for beginners. It has an affordable price tag under $200, yet doesn't compromise on quality. The guitar features an alder body and maple neck that give it a rich, full-bodied tone. The humbucker and single coil pickup configuration offers tonal versatility. Overall, the Pacifica PAC112V punches above its weight class when it comes to price to performance ratio.

Squier Bullet Strat

Another excellent beginner electric guitar choice is the Squier Bullet Stratocaster HT HSS. Like the Yamaha, it comes in at a budget-friendly price usually around $150. The basswood body and maple neck provide a bright, snappy tone. There's also the flexibility of humbucker and single coil pickups. Overall, the Squier Bullet Strat offers fantastic bang for your buck if you're just starting out.

Epiphone SG Special

If you want a bit more aggressive rock and roll tone, the Epiphone SG Special Satin is a great option in the low $200 range. The slim mahogany body and neck give it a mid-range focused sound with plenty of warmth and sustain. While still affordable, the Epiphone SG Special steps things up in quality from the Pacifica and Bullet Strat. The tune-o-matic bridge also helps improve intonation.

Conclusion

These 6 guitars provide great options for beginners looking for an inexpensive, quality instrument. The Yamaha Pacifica and Squier Bullet Strat offer versatile, classic Stratocaster-style guitars with excellent playability straight out of the box. For those seeking a more traditional rock sound, the Epiphone SG Special and Grote solid body models offer thick humbucker tones at an affordable price. Players looking for retro aesthetics will appreciate the Gretsch G2622T-P90's Filter'Tron pickups and elegant appointments. And for an exceptionally low price, the Monoprice offers solid construction and electronics that belie its budget cost. While inexpensive, all these models offer good hardware, electronics and playability that will serve any beginner's needs well. These are all great first guitars that will inspire new players without breaking the bank.