5 best Cheap electric guitars
Selecting the best cheap electric guitars that is both inexpensive and high-quality can feel overwhelming due to the abundance of options. Our objective is to simplify your decision-making process by highlighting our top picks, with guitars review which excel in performance, durability, and playability while remaining budget-friendly. These guitars cater to various music styles, ranging from rock and blues to jazz and metal.
The Encore E99WR electric guitar
Build and Design
The Encore E99WR features a classic single-cutaway design, inspired by the iconic ’50s Les Paul models. It has a solid archtop basswood body, which is both lightweight and durable. The maple neck is designed for comfort and ease of play, making it suitable for beginners who might be practicing for extended periods. The contoured body ensures a comfortable fit whether you are playing sitting down or standing up.
Sound Quality
Equipped with two humbucker pickups, the E99WR delivers a rich, warm tone. These pickups are particularly effective for genres like blues, jazz, rock, and even metal, thanks to their ability to handle high gain without producing unwanted noise. The guitar has separate volume and tone controls for each pickup, allowing players to dial in a variety of sounds from smooth jazz to crunchy rock.
Playability
The E99WR is designed with a set neck and a comfortable, easy-to-reach fretboard, making it an excellent choice for beginners. The diecast machine heads provide stable tuning, which is crucial for those just starting to learn and play consistently. The guitar’s setup is beginner-friendly, reducing the learning curve for new players.
Value for Money
Priced around £199-£219, the Encore E99WR offers great value for money. While it is slightly above the average price for entry-level guitars, its build quality, sound, and playability make it worth the investment. Many users have noted that it performs better than expected for its price range, often comparing favorably to more expensive models.
Jackson JS Series DK Minion JS1X AM
Design and Construction
The Jackson JS1X Dinky Minion is a 2/3-scale guitars, which makes it significantly smaller and more portable than standard models. The body is made from poplar, a lightweight and resonant wood that contributes to a balanced tone with both warmth and brightness. The neck is constructed from maple, providing stability and a smooth playing experience, while the fingerboard is made from amaranth, a durable and sustainable alternative to rosewood. This combination ensures the guitar is not only robust but also easy to maintain.
Visually, the JS1X Dinky Minion stands out with its vibrant finishes, including Neon Green, Pavo Purple, and Satin Silver. The classic Jackson pointed headstock and black hardware give it a sleek, modern look that appeals to both beginners and seasoned players.
Hardware and Electronics
The JS1X Dinky Minion is equipped with two Jackson high-output humbucking pickups. These pickups deliver a powerful and versatile sound, suitable for a variety of music styles. The bridge pickup provides a tight, aggressive tone ideal for heavy riffs, while the neck pickup offers a warmer, smoother sound for solos and lead playing. The three-way pickup selector switch allows players to easily switch between the pickups or combine them for a fuller sound. Additionally, the guitar features master volume and tone controls for further sound customisation.
The 6-saddle hardtail bridge enhances sustain and tuning stability guitars, crucial for maintaining consistent performance during extended playing sessions. The die-cast tuners are precise and reliable, ensuring the guitar stays in tune.
Playability
One of the most notable features of the JS1X Dinky Minion is its playability. The 22.5″ scale length and slim neck profile make it comfortable for players with smaller hands or those who prefer a more compact instrument. The 12″ radius fingerboard and 24 jumbo frets facilitate fast and effortless movement across the fretboard, making it easy for beginners to learn and for advanced players to perform complex techniques.
Sound Quality
Despite its smaller size, the JS1X Dinky Minion delivers a full and rich sound. The high-output humbuckers produce a strong midrange with clarity and definition, making it suitable for various music genres, from rock and metal to blues and jazz. The poplar body and maple neck contribute to its balanced tonal characteristics, ensuring a robust and resonant sound even at high volumes.
Ibanez GRG121DX-BKF GIO RG Series
The Ibanez GRG121DXBFR from the Gio RC Series is an excellent choice for budget-conscious guitarists, offering solid performance and quality at an affordable price. Here’s a detailed look at its features and performance:
Design and Build Quality
The GRG121DXBFR features a poplar body, which is lightweight and resonant, providing a balanced tone suitable for various music styles. The sleek black flat finish adds a modern and aggressive look, appealing to rock and metal players. The neck is made from maple and features a bound purpleheart fretboard, which not only looks great but also provides a smooth playing surface. The 24 jumbo frets and flat fretboard radius make it ideal for fast playing and complex techniques.
Hardware and Electronics
This model is equipped with two Ibanez Infinity R humbucking pickups, designed to deliver a powerful and versatile sound. The pickups offer a good balance between clarity and high output, making them suitable for a wide range of genres. The simple control layout includes a three-way pickup selector, master volume, and tone knobs, allowing for easy sound adjustments. The fixed bridge enhances tuning stability and sustain, which is particularly useful for beginners who may not be familiar with maintaining more complex tremolo systems.
Playability
One of the standout features of the GRG121DXBFR is its playability. The slim neck profile and low action make it comfortable for beginners and experienced players alike. The deep cutaways provide easy access to the upper frets, facilitating soloing and high-register playing. The lightweight body ensures that the guitar is comfortable to play for extended periods, whether you’re practicing at home or performing on stage.
Sound Quality
Despite its budget-friendly price, the GRG121DXBFR offers impressive sound quality. The Infinity R pickups produce a clear and articulate tone with plenty of midrange punch, making it suitable for everything from clean rhythms to high-gain leads. The guitar’s tonal versatility allows it to handle various genres, including rock, metal, blues, and jazz. The combination of the poplar body and maple neck contributes to its balanced and resonant sound, ensuring that it performs well both in practice and performance settings.
Squier by Fender Affinity Series Telecaster
The Squier Affinity Series Telecaster is a fantastic entry-level electric guitar, offering a classic Telecaster experience at an affordable price. Here’s a detailed review:
Design and Build Quality
The Affinity Telecaster features a sleek alder body with a gloss polyurethane finish, providing durability and a professional look. The maple neck, with a “C”-shaped profile, ensures comfortable playability. The fingerboard comes in either maple or Indian laurel, with medium jumbo frets that facilitate easy playing and bending.
Hardware and Electronics
Equipped with two single-coil pickups, the Affinity Telecaster delivers the bright and crisp tones characteristic of a Telecaster. The three-way pickup selector switch, along with master volume and tone controls, offers a range of tonal options from sharp leads to mellow rhythms. The six-saddle top-load bridge enhances tuning stability and intonation, making it a reliable choice for both practice and performance.
Playability
This guitar is known for its smooth playability, thanks to the comfortable neck profile and well-finished frets. The lightweight body makes it easy to handle, whether you’re playing sitting down or standing up. The overall setup is beginner-friendly, with low action and good intonation out of the box.
Sound Quality
The Affinity Series Telecaster offers the quintessential Tele twang, with clear highs and a punchy midrange. The neck pickup provides a warm, round tone ideal for blues and jazz, while the bridge pickup delivers the bright, cutting sound perfect for country and rock. The versatility of the pickups makes it suitable for a wide range of musical styles.
ESP LTD MH10
The ESP LTD MH-10 is a solid choice for beginner to intermediate guitar players looking for a budget-friendly option without sacrificing quality. Here’s a detailed look at what makes this guitar stand out:
Build Quality
The MH-10 guitars features a basswood body and a maple neck, which is a common combination in affordable guitars. Basswood is lightweight and offers a balanced tone with a slight emphasis on the mid-range, while the maple neck provides durability and adds brightness to the sound. The fingerboard is made of engineered wood, which is both cost-effective and stable.
Playability
The guitar comes with 24 frets, making it suitable for players who enjoy soloing and higher fret access. The neck’s profile is comfortable, making it easier for beginners to navigate. The fixed bridge (TOM with string-thru design) ensures stable tuning and simplifies string changes, which is great for less experienced players.
Sound
Equipped with ESP-designed LH-100 humbucker pickups, the MH-10 delivers a powerful and warm sound. These pickups are passive, providing a moderate output suitable for a variety of genres, from hard rock and metal to jazz and blues. The humbuckers are known for their noise-cancelling properties, resulting in a clean and hum-free tone.
Controls and Versatility
The guitar has a straightforward control setup with a volume knob, tone knob, and a 3-way switch, offering basic tonal variations. While it lacks advanced features like coil-splitting, its simplicity makes it an excellent choice for beginners who might find more complex setups overwhelming.
Affordability
One of the strongest points of the ESP LTD MH-10 is its price. It’s one of the best options in the market for guitars under $300, offering a well-rounded package that includes good build quality, decent sound, and ease of playability without breaking the bank.
